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0160 The Pulse of Asia : vol.1
The Pulse of Asia : vol.1 / Page 160 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000233
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men are needed to care for the flocks, and it would not be
safe to leave the women and children far away in the valleys.
Moreover, if they were left, they would have nothing to do,
for there is practically no opportunity for agriculture, and
the only work to be done in summer at the winter quarters
is to cut a little grass for winter use. Some of the poorer
families are sent down for a few weeks in July or August
to do this. As a matter of fact, the shepherds move their
dwellings much oftener than twice a year, for the best pas-
ture is found close below the ever-shifting snow-line. It
takes but a few weeks to eat up the finest grass near to the
tents, and then, either the camp must be moved, or the
flocks driven farther. Again, as the animals are brought
close to the encampment at night, the ground soon becomes
foul, especially during the rainy weather of summer, when
there is no chance for it to dry. Thus, by force of physical
environment, nomadism is the only condition under which
human occupation of most of the Tian Shan plateau is
possible.

This being so, it is easy to see that the necessity for fre-
quent migrations becomes the main fact in the lives of the
Khirghiz, and determines all manner of habits and customs.
For instance, dwellings must be such that they can be
easily carried from place to place. All men, whether rich or
poor, must move equally often, and even the richest cannot
have a very large or ostentatious habitation. The materials
for houses are willow sticks and woolen cloth, because these
are the most easily available. The round tent is thick and
tight, in order to withstand heavy rain and snow. It has
in the roof a large round hole, capable of being covered with