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Chapter Twenty. With Pangsha's Enemies |
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social life of Kalyo Kengyus; padded weapons for internal fighting |
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In Panso I have at last an opportunity of collecting some information on the social life of the Kalyo Kengyus. The main settlement is divided into two khel or quarters, separated by a narrow corridor. Each of the two khel is fortified against the other by a strong palisade forming two sides of a long corridor, and from sentry boxes in high trees guards can watch the movements of their neighbours. It seems that civil war is not an uncommon occurrence, but in contrast with more civilized nations, the men of Panso have wisely invented special weapons for these internal disputes. They are in the habit of using, on such occasions, wooden swords instead of their iron dao and protect the head with huge plaited helmets lined with pieces of old cloth. So armed, even the fiercest rivals do each other no serious harm, and superfluous energies find an innocuous outlet. |
