Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About The Ione independent. (Ione, Or.) 1916-19?? | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 1928)
Cambodia OUR COMIC SECTION 1 ffl Little MesN i J0 FINNEY OF THE FORCE That Nursery Aroma Royal Pagoda at Pnompenh, Cambodia. (Prepared br the Netloaal Oeoarsphle Society, Waahlniloa, P. C.I CAMBODIA, one of the tmpor tunt unit among Fiance's pos sessions In southwest Asia, la hodge podge of the unexpect ed It Is land of forests, damp and leech-Infested; of open savannahs, of wide rice fields and plodding water buffalo; of tigers and wild elephants; of humble cottagers, all literate, whose chief pleasure Is writing poetry ; of gilded modern pagodas, and temples, hoar; with age, swallowed Ij the Jungle; of automobiles, trolley cars, and electric lights. The forms of an oriental kingdom re faithfully followed; but behind the king, bis Ore ministers, aud tit court formalities, stands the French resident-superior, and at his elbow few French soldiers; for Cambodia Is a part of French tndo-Chlna and a protectorate of France. The country 1a slightly smaller than the state of Missouri and has population of bout two and half millions. The Mekong, one of the world's greatest rivers, Is the life artery of Cambodia. Seagoing steamers ascend the stream to 1'nompenb, the capital, SOU miles from the sea ; and smaller steamers and Junks traverse the net work of streams and lakes hundreds of miles farther Inland. But It Is not only as a waterway that the stream Is useful. On Its overflowed lands the country's chief crop, rice, Is raised In abundance. Host of the civilized people are con centrated along the river aud between lis lower reaches and the Siamese border. The country bouses In all parts of Cambodia are set on posts which raise them from six to ten feet off the ground. This Is necessary along the river banks because of the high floods, and elsewhere to protect the householders from tigers. Love Thtlr Mekong, tmiliig the flood season a great lake forms In western Cambodia, Into which the waters of the Mekong flow until It becomes a body of water 113 Lilies long, 13 miles wide, and more than :t5 feet deep. When the floods recede, the waters flow from this natural reservoir back Into the Me kong and keep Its lower reaches well filled. The great Imjiortance of the river and Its Hoods Is recognized by an annual festival on the stream con necting the (jreat Lake and (he Me kong. A cord Is stretched acruss the stream and at the time of reversal of Uie (low this Is cut with great cere mony by the king frura the royal houseboat. The Datives display genuine affec tion for the Mekong. When floods come they put away their ox carts, travel the old roads In boats and wait for the water to recede. They cele brate with boat races that attract every Cambodian In the vicinity from the king to the lowliest native. Con dolullke racing boats, ranging from twenty-live to forty-five feet long, are rowed by score or more men, seated two by two. If the throngs massed on the river bank are not thrilled by the competition, they are amused by clown who has bis place In each craft. The highlands to the north are oc cupied by wild tribes of hunters who must tight for existence against rank vegetation, wild animals, snakes and Insects. Slave raids from neighbor ing countries have made them wary and suspicious and they look upon all outliindera as enemies. Some of them protect their Tillage by poisoned darts stuck op In the ground. Practically all of the civilized Cam bodians are literate. The country abounds In old temples, built during the Cambodian Golden age, some 7X years ago. In these the Buddhist priests conduct schools which are at tended by all children, from those of humble farmers to those of the royal family. i'nomiieuh la a colorful capital set upon hills on the banks of the Me kong, Its ornate temple spires and Fox Collar Here's a new Idea. And very at tractive It Is. loo. The body of a fox ts worn as a collar, high up around the face. Then two tails are attached ."ij a silken rot about six Inches long, and are permitted to dangle there, separated from the collar Itself. Yellow or White for Sport Lemon jellnw continues to be the siimi'tcai color (or sports outside of Willi" magenta- tiled roofs half hidden by gtnnt pnlms and flowering tropical trees. In a parklike Inclosure on a hill top Is the palace of the kings, sur rounded by houses for their multi tudinous feminine retainers. The kings of Cambodia of the past might be de scribed as monarchs entirely sur rounded by women. Some were wives, some servants, and hundreds dancing girls, trained from childhood to per form the Intricate movements ot dances handed down from the remote past The present king has found It Impossible economically to maintain a feminine army of retainers up to the old standards. Restful to the Eyes. Most travelers from the West who visit I'nompenh are on their way to Angkor, venerable city ot Khmer cul ture, which lies farther north. A brief stop at the capital Is welcome, for the little Cambodian city among Its trees Is restful to the eyes of the river-boat passengers after monotonous miles of rice fields, thick Jungle growths and swamps that border the river bank nearly all the way from Saigon. And It Is a relief to be out of the cruising radius of persistent Mekong mosqui toes. Stevedores literally swarming over cargo boats at the quay Indicate that the capital Is Important commercially. As the town Is situated at the Junction of a branch from the Great Lake of Cambodia and the main channel of the Mekong from the Tibetan hills, large quantities of fish, rice, Indigo and cot ton from Upper Burma, portions of Slam, Laos, and northern Cambodia are brought there for marketing. In addition smaller cargoes from nearby farms and paddy fields arrive In the hundreds of sampans and smaller craft that dart about the tiny harbor like so many water beetles. When a boat with tourists aboard docks there Is a rush for the "Permis sion Ollice" where "permissions" are granted to visit the king's palace. But those who expect to see a richly adorned abode of an eastern potentate are soon disillusioned. Without, the several buildings culled the palace are unpretentious, and within there Is Utile that would attract more than ordinary attention except a life-sized Ruddha of solid gold studded with diamonds and a hallway floor laid with engraved silver tiles. Cambodian won, en present a strik ingly modern appearance with their short hair and what might be mistak en at first sight for knickerbockers. This Dether garment Is the "snmpot" In making It a width of cloth Is girded about the waist, then the ends are folded between the legs and tucked In at the waist line. Both men and women wear the aampot, and It Is often dllticult for a Westerner to dis tinguish between them. The men, how ever, wear a sort of Jacket above the sompot, while the women for the most part wenr a cloth or scarf draped over one shoulder and under the other arm. The West Introduced. But though the capital Is soaked In eastern atomsphere, the west has been Introduced by the handful of French ofllclula and business men. Electric street lights twinkle among the bang ing flowers of tropical trees; tram cars lumber by; and one may book passage to outlying towns In motor busses that ply over well metaled roads. Evidence of the high culture and power of the Cambodians at the height of their Khmer empire, from the Eighth to the Fourteenth centuries Is seen In the remarkable ruined temple and palace of the old capital city of Angkor-Thorn, now deserted and sur rounded by forest and Jungle. The terraces and walls of the old struc tures abound In excellent stone work, Intricate carvings, and highly artistic sculpture. Despite the difficulty of ao cess, thousands of visitors go anna ally to see the wonders of this old capital city. Summer Bag To carry with summer frock and hold all the odds and end so vital to feminine comfort, there are large pou h bags mnde of material resem bling awning striping and featuring the same brilliant colors. Petticoat Are Back Petticoats are back and some of the younger women are wearing their first lace-trlmmed, bow-knotted underskirts, a correspondent writes from Pari, TOO MUCH TO BEUEVEI The chauffeur wo holding forth In the village Inn, - "I'us, my young guv'nor rowed for Ooxford a little while back, 'e did." Ill audience stared. "Vus, 'e wins Wired of races," went on the chauffeur, warming to bis task. "An 'e always 'as the name an' the date painted on 'Is scull." But this was too much for one listener. "On 'is skull)" be echoed Indignant ly. "I.utnme, 'e must 'ave an 'end Ilk an elephant 1" London Answers, Snappy A young man walked Into a baker's shop and asked for two dozen loaves. The rhopkeeer looked surprised. "Have you a tea party onl" be In quired. "No, said the man. "I'm working at the menagerie, and the kangaroo has kicked the elephant, so I want to make a bread poultice." CANT FOOL 'EM ANYMORE "Young man, 1 dont believe you could even buy my daughter's clothes." "Why sure I could I She don't wear hardly none at all." Patriotic Our father slipped upon the Ice Became he couldn't stand; Bo eaw the (lortoue 8iri end Strip' We saw our father land. A Nutty One "My cow bus run away; did you see anything of It around the villager asked the farmer who lived on the edge of town. "No," grinned the village halt-wit, "but why don't you borrow a locomo tive from the railroad; It has a cow catcher?" Slight Mittahe "My little boy wants one of those cross-word puzzles." "They are some old checkerboards, madam." "So they are. I haven't seen one la years." NUT SO FAR OFF "Say, Jim, Is that fellah a notr "Not so loud Bill I tie's one of today' most popular song writers." Rtminitcence Fond memoriae cause etrante unrest. Though festive be the present mood; And Just when we are happiest, A little 'ear will still Intrude. Taken to Tak "Are you a registered pliurmaclstj" "Yes." "Kxpert at compounding!" "I hope so." "Then why do you put cream dress Ing on a lettuce sandwich?" Impatient Patient "How Is the patient?" "He died during the night, doctor." "I feared It The medicine I pre scribed does not take full effect uutll after a month." Mutt Put Up With It Mother Yes, my daughter Is study ing the violin. She has a real old In strument Visitor (sympathetically) "Well, perhaps sh can have new one some day." In Modern Termt City Banker (visiting the farm)-' I suppose that's the hired man? Farmer (who had visited banks) No, that's (he first vice president In churge of cows. um V,BlB IrnlA" naocw'A fil fiooo want, i) !fzf "sw ' SNIFF , NCIWMW.&J00PA Yt'o KVWvJ y . I SMELL AV SOOP j vlt " i , , ' ' ' v . , T ' ,( "' '' f, 1 curve t Jti ts-QL : CARELESSNESS - THE FEATHERHEADS wHf im.mnnv? ) vaw mix- 'ir Uf & PfOPLTf W&tf. ( AHoVtQ, DW SToTCfi I WWK fliS VEQV I ftHO M FAULTS BTUSfl) 6K" MTtMWT.HOU? 7 I PRETTY -GLACrVS 1 i WHAT A COMfoBW.WW.CHfFQyJ f-S.,-- IT fQOH V WknACtTSWoW.OWL0 8Ey nlTl! XtoGT-y NfJ I3nT WAT LEIV.'N V oe ceuRst.AFTEaiwff X tit jhj its a A txPENsrvfi book-ends WE i- Flit.memti SWT THEM F80M TOLEDO Ml WTSEMTMETJ THAT TtME.'WiS LtTTlt FRAMED M I THWXf X I VECSfi SEEMS KINO OT SNIPPY- ILJL , . (i JuST 1 VJHEM VCO CEMCMKB GLACri'S v) WAS ALWftVS A LITTLE CLOSf I 4 X J&? t) Weeleni Wewiteper Pelea 1 Along the Concrete Yes, a Beautiful Thought