nd; and with the unpleasant odour that
emanates from never-changed clothes, the Tibetan woman is, at her best,
repulsive to European taste. After one has overcome one's first disgust
she yet has, at a distance, a certain charm of her own. She walks well,
for she is accustomed to carry heavy weights on her head; and her skull
would be well-set on her shoulders were it not that the neck is usually
too short and thick to be graceful. Her body and limbs possess great
muscular strength and are well developed, but generally lack stability,
and her breasts are flabby and pendent--facts due, no doubt, to sexual
abuse. She is generally of heavy frame, and rather inclined to stoutness.
Her hands and feet show power and rude strength, but no dexterity or
suppleness is noticeable in her fingers, and she has therefore no ability
for very fine or delicate work.

[Illustration: TIBETAN HAIR BRUSHES AND FLINT AND STEEL POUCH]

The Tibetan woman is, nevertheless, far superior to the Tibetan man. She
possesses a better heart, more pluck, and a finer character than he does.
Time after time, when the males, timid beyond all conception, ran away at
our approach, the women remained in charge of the tents, and, although
by no means cool or collected, they very rarely failed to meet us without
some show of dignity.

[Illustration: TIBETAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN]

On the present occasion, when all were friendly, the women seemed much
less shy than the men, and conversed freely and incessantly. They even
prevailed upon their masters to sell us a little _tsamba_ and butter.

Tibetan women wear trousers and boots like the men, and over them they
have a long gown, either yellow or blue, reaching down to their feet.
Their head-dress is curious, the hair being carefully parted in the
middle, and plastered with melted butter over the scalp as far down as
the ears; then it is plaited all round in innumerable little tresses, to
which is fastened the _Tchukti_, three strips of heavy red and blue cloth
joined together by cross bands ornamented with coral and malachite beads,
silver coins and bells, and reaching from the shoulders down to the
heels.

[Illustration: THE TCHUKTI]

They seemed very proud of this ornamentation, and displayed much coquetry
in attracting our notice to it. Wealthier women in Tibet have quite a
small fortune hanging down their backs, for all the money or valuables
earned or saved are sewn on to the _Tchukti_. To the lower end o