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0178 The Pulse of Asia : vol.1
アジアの鼓動 : vol.1
The Pulse of Asia : vol.1 / 178 ページ(カラー画像)

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doi: 10.20676/00000233
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stream. In such rough experiences the Khirghiz learns to
be self-reliant, and his frequent meeting of strangers under
all sorts of circumstances gives him an air of readiness and
self-possession. The talk of the Khirghiz is full of roads
and travels. If you ask a man how far it is to a certain
place, he at once begins to tell you all the intermediate
stages and their difficulties. These people have the know-
ledge of their plateau that comes from experience, but
book knowledge is very rare. As my escort, a proud, influ-
ential Khirghiz, said one day, "Why should the Khirghiz
learn to read? It is enough for us to know about sheep and
horses and cattle. What more do we want?"

If there were no outside world with which to come in con-
tact, such a view of life might perhaps be wise. As it is, the
Khirghiz cannot stand against the hard realities of civiliza-
tion. The coming of the Russians, who now rule most of
the native tribes, has done them an immense amount of good
in making the country peaceful and safe, and in providing
good markets for the products of the flocks. It has also
added to their happiness by making such luxuries as tea,
sugar, bread, and cheap cotton cloth accessible to all, but it
will harm them if it leads them to abandon the pastoral life
for that of the day laborer. The delightfully gentle and
gracious courtesy of the Khirghiz cannot offset their lazi-
ness, if that term can be properly applied to a quality which
is a necessary outcome of the nomadic life. A nomad is jus-
tified in being often idle, for his great exertions at certain
times compel him to rest at others, but the qualities so en-
gendered are of no use when steady work is required day
after day. Thus it comes to pass that those Khirghiz who