Bulletin of Catholic University of Peking

54 BULLETIN NUMBER FOUR

We tried to learn something of the history of the place from the people, but gained almost nothing by questioning them. The average person knew next to nothing of his origin. A sense of disgrace had prevented parents from telling the story of banishment to

their children. The inhabitants knew -

only that stern restrictions completely hedged them in. It was from outside scholars and the official history that the facts were learned.

They have been a self-governing community. Only capital crimes are referred to Cho Chou. The taxes, $600.00 per annum, are paid at the Chinese New Year. A deputation of three is appointed to convey this sum to Cho Chou. These men are known as Lao Jen (Old Men), but, as a matter of fact, those chosen are usually strong and sturdy young men of 25 to 30 years of age, in order to endure the hardships of the mountain journey during the rigors of winter.

The position of Lao Jen is an honorable appointment, but it carries with it responsibilities of government and, at times, necessitates monetary outlay, for in famine years, when little or none of the taxes can be collected, the Lao Jen are held responsible by the magistrate for the full amount. These annual expeditions to pay tribute used to be the only time when representatives of the colony were allowed outside the confines of the Tribe.

As a matter of courtesy, we sent our cards to the Lao Jen of the district in which we were stopping. We learned afterwards that this threw him into great consternation. He immediately sent to a neighboring village to an ex-Lao Jen, begging him to come over to help him in this ordeal. They

called on us in an agony of apprehension and embarassment which our best efforts could not entirely overcome.

A group of men wanted to see Ament’s watch, and one of them ventured the remark: ‘‘It will be of no use when the sun goes down.”’ He thought it was a sun-dial of foreign design. One man we talked with was embittered by the restrictions thrown about them, but most of them did not refer to their hardships, and went on making the best of unsatisfactory conditions.

The trails leading to this region are so rough and steep that no wheeled vehicle can negotiate them. Everything has to be brought in on the backs of men or animals.

Members of the “Lost Tribe.”

Pei Pien Chiao

The faces of the people, and especially of the women, seem more intelligent than those seen in the adjacent mountain villages. Their houses are built of stone, and are kept in good repair; all have tile roofs. It seems probable that the original three hundred men had been of more than average intelligence, because their descendants, after nine generations of banishment and hardship, have a_ higher standard of living than the people of the surrounding districts. But there are few schools in the colony, for the