The
faces of the men are smooth. The women seldom exceed five feet in
height, and a man is tall at five feet four.
The male costume is a long, loose, woollen coat with a girdle,
trousers, under-garments, woollen leggings, and a cap with a turned-
up point over each ear. The girdle is the depository of many things
dear to a Tibetan--his purse, rude knife, heavy tinder-box, tobacco
pouch, pipe, distaff, and sundry charms and amulets. In the
capacious breast of his coat he carries wool for spinning--for he
spins as he walks--balls of cold barley dough, and much besides. He
wears his hair in a pigtail. The women wear short, big-sleeved
jackets, shortish, full-plaited skirts, tight trousers a yard too
long, the superfluous length forming folds above the ankle, a
sheepskin with the fur outside hangs over the back, and on gala
occasions a sort of drapery is worn over the usual dress. Felt or
straw shoes and many heavy ornaments are worn by both sexes. Great
ears of brocade, lined and edged with fur and attached to the hair,
are worn by the women. Their hair is dressed once a month in many
much-greased plaits, fastened together at the back by a long tassel.
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