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diff --git a/76610-h/76610-h.htm b/76610-h/76610-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..caac376 --- /dev/null +++ b/76610-h/76610-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8970 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + A Tour in Mongolia | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 15%; + margin-right: 15%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +h1 {font-weight: normal; + font-size: 160%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + word-spacing: 0.3em; + } + +h2 {font-weight: normal; + font-size: 130%; + margin-top: 2em; + word-spacing: 0.3em; + } + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} +.p4 {margin-top: 4em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.full {width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%; margin-right: 2.5%;} + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +ul.index { list-style-type: none; } +li.ifrst { + margin-top: 1em; + text-indent: -2em; + padding-left: 1em; +} +li.indx { + margin-top: .5em; + text-indent: -2em; + padding-left: 1em; +} +li.isub1 { + text-indent: -2em; + padding-left: 2em; +} + + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.tdl {text-align: left;} +.tdr {text-align: right;} +.tdc {text-align: center;} +.tdrb {text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; + font-size: 95%; +} + + +.caption {font-size: 80%; + text-align: center;} + +.greentext { color: green;} + +.big {font-size: 250%;} +.up {font-size: 160%;} +.large {font-size: 120%;} +.less {font-size: 90%;} +.more {font-size: 80%;} +.med {font-size: 70%;} +.mid {font-size: 60%;} + +.c {text-align: center;} + +.sp {word-spacing: 0.3em;} + + +.ph2 {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; + font-size: 140%; + margin-top: 1em; + word-spacing: 0.3em;} + +.ph22 {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; + font-size: 180%; + margin-top: 1em; + word-spacing: 0.3em;} + +.lsp {letter-spacing: 0.2em;} + +.dropcap {float: left; width: auto; padding-right: 1px; font-size: 390%; line-height: 75%;} + +.dropcap1 {float: left; width: auto; padding-right: 5px; font-size: 390%; line-height: 75%;} + +.r {text-align: right; + margin-right: 2em;} + +.r2 {text-align: right; + margin-right: 6em;} + +.l {text-align: left; + margin-left: 2em;} + +.gap {margin-top: -.5em;} + +.gtb +{ + letter-spacing: 4em; + font-size: 105%; + text-align: center; + margin-right: -2em; + font-weight: bold; +} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 {width: 100%;} + + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.figcenter1 { + padding-top: 4em; + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poetry-container {display: flex; justify-content: center;} +.poetry-container {text-align: center;} +.poetry {text-align: left; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%; font-size:90%;} +.poetry .stanza {margin: 1em auto;} +.poetry .verse {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em;} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:small; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + margin-top:3em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; + border: .3em double gray; + padding: 1em; +} +.poetry .indent0 {text-indent: -3em;} +.poetry .indent34 {text-indent: 12.5em;} +.poetry .indent40 {text-indent: 14em;} + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76610 ***</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="cover"> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f1"> +<a href="images/fig1big.jpg"> +<img src="images/fig1.jpg" alt="map"> +</a> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Mongolia</span></p> +<p class="caption"><span class="greentext">(click image to enlarge)</span></p> +</div> + +<h1>A TOUR IN MONGOLIA</h1> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f2"> +<img src="images/fig2.jpg" alt="author"> +<p class="caption">THE AUTHOR</p> +</div> + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p class="c big sp"> +A TOUR<br> +IN MONGOLIA</p> + +<p class="c sp p4"> +<span class="med">BY</span><br> +<span class="up">BEATRIX BULSTRODE</span><br> +<span class="med">(Mrs. EDWARD MANICO GULL)</span></p> + + +<p class="c sp p4 med"> +WITH AN INTRODUCTION BEARING ON THE POLITICAL ASPECT<br> +OF THAT COUNTRY BY</p> + + +<p class="c sp"> +<span class="large">DAVID FRASER</span><br> +<span class="mid">(“TIMES” CORRESPONDENT IN PEKING)</span></p> + + +<p class="c sp mid p4"> +ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR’S PHOTOGRAPHS AND A MAP</p> + + +<p class="c sp p4"> +METHUEN & CO. LTD.<br> +<span class="lsp">36 ESSEX STREET W.C.<br> +LONDON</span> +</p> +</div> + + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="c sp p4 med"><i>First Published in 1920</i></p> +</div> + + + +<p class="c sp p4 more">DEDICATED, BY PERMISSION, TO</p> + + +<p class="c sp"><span class="smcap">The Right Honourable Sir</span> JOHN NEWELL JORDAN</p> + +<p class="c sp more">G.C.I.E., K.C.B., K.C.M.G.</p> + +<p class="c sp more">H.B.M. <span class="smcap">Minister in China</span></p> + + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="ph2">INTRODUCTION<span class="pagenum" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</span></p> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">M</span>RS. GULL (Mrs. Bulstrode as she then +was) had the fortune, not to mention +the pluck, to be in Urga at a time when +history was being made for Mongolia. I well remember +the perturbation in British official circles +in Peking when this adventurous lady, at a time +when the Chinese were fighting the Mongols, +sought a passport to take her through the opposing +lines, and so to the desired destination. +Needless to say the passport was not forthcoming, +whereupon Mrs. Gull, without papers, went off by +herself, and succeeded in making a considerable +journey which brought her perilously close to the +unsettled region in which guerilla warfare was +proceeding.</p> + +<p>Her experiences in Inner Mongolia made it +plain that getting through to Urga meant a detour +so long, expensive, and risky as not to be worth +while. Accordingly, she and her sporting companion, +Mr. E. M. Gull, a fire-eater in the pursuit of +political developments, went round the back way +by train and reached Urga from Siberia, no small<span class="pagenum" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</span> +adventure, considering the state of Mongolia at +the time. What they saw Mrs. Gull describes in +her own taking manner, and I need not say more +about her book than that it is full of enlightenment +as regards the character of both people and +country. Mongolia is one of the few remaining +great backwaters of the world, neglected because +so remote from the sea and the civilisation arising +out of marine communication. Nevertheless, +through Mongolia, at no distant date, must be +constructed that line which will link China with +the Siberia Railway, and constitute part of the +great trunk route joining Europe with the Far +East.</p> + +<p>If those of us who dwell in the Far East are not +very far out in our calculations, the Pacific is to +be one of the great spheres of economic development +in the future. In China there is illimitable +scope for such development, and it is obvious that +the question of the control of the quickest route +between China and the West is one of much importance +to all interested. Mongolia, moreover, +is not all Gobi desert, nor is the Gobi a desert +except in an unimportant degree. It is, in fact, a +monster plateau, huge areas of which are capable +of cultivation. At present, its pastoral inhabitants +are like the Arabs of Mesopotamia, roaming the +land with flocks and herds, but the land is a land +of much promise. Its mineral wealth has hardly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</span> +been examined at all, though gold and coal are +known to exist. But, when we recollect the +known mineral wealth of the whole of the +mountainous region of the southern confines of +Siberia, we realise that there is a corresponding +region over the Mongolian border which is, in fact, +part of the same mountain system. If the one is +minerally wealthy, there is every reason to suppose +that the other is similarly so. In thinking of the +Mongolia of the future, then, it is only reasonable +to suppose that, when penetrated by communications, +it will develop out of all recognition, as +compared with its present state.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Gull is particularly instructive in her +analysis of Mongol character. The Mongol is +simple, happy, good-natured, intensely lazy, and +apparently entirely lacking in practical qualities. +His very disposition is the cause of his past and +present troubles. He is, in short, not fitted to +compete with the outside world. Therefore, he +has become the sport of other peoples, and the +destiny of his land is being decided for him by +foreigners. To begin at the beginning of recent +developments, it is necessary to go back only to +1911. The Japanese defeat of the Russians had +set the Chinese thinking, and, suffering much +from foreign pressure at home, they thought to +assert themselves in distant lands. They initiated +a forward policy on the Burmah frontier that gave<span class="pagenum" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</span> +us trouble for some years, culminating in the +Pienma incident. They invaded Thibet and occupied +Llassa, establishing a degree of control over +their vassal which they had never claimed before. +They next turned their attention to Mongolia, +where, as suzerain, they maintained only a few +residents with trifling escorts. They planned to +occupy Urga with a large force, and actually built +huge barracks there. Meanwhile, Chinese colonists +had been pressing into Inner Mongolia, +buying land from the nomads and establishing +great cultivated areas. Chinese bankers had been +lending money at usurious rates to the simple +Princes. All trade was in the hands of the +Chinese. The Mongols became alive to the fact +that China was acquiring a strangle-hold over them. +They saw what had happened to their cousins of +Thibet, and they became alarmed for their freedom, +the overwhelming passion of the nomad. +Russia, sore at the Japanese defeat, also, at this +time, began to think of a future in which an arisen +China might prove a danger, as Japan had proved +dangerous. Chinese designs upon Mongolia +might presage a threat against her at some far-off +time. Accordingly it became Russian policy to +block China in Mongolia, and, if possible, to set up +Mongolia as a buffer State. To that end, Russian +agents commenced a propaganda against the +Chinese, emphasising the danger of absorption by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</span> +China. Then arose a pro-Russian party in Urga, +urging alliance with Russia as a protection against +China.</p> + +<p>Then occurred the Revolution in China. The +Manchus were dethroned. Then followed the +expulsion of the Chinese from Thibet, and the +declaration of independence by the Thibetans. +Egged on by the Russians, the Mongols did likewise, +justifying the breaking of the ancient connection +by declaring that their allegiance had +been to the Manchus, and that, as there was no +more a Manchu dynasty in China, they no longer +owed anything to China. Russia promptly recognised +the new State, and signed political and +commercial treaties with it. The Chinese refused +to accept the <i>fait accompli</i>, and immediately made +war upon Mongolia. Fighting was proceeding +when Mrs. Gull was in Inner Mongolia, and later +on at Urga. To make a long story short, the +Chinese troops utterly failed to make any impression +upon their opponents. Internal difficulties +forced the Chinese to relinquish the struggle, and +in 1919 was signed the tri-partite Kiachta Convention. +This document recognised and confirmed +the treaties made with Russia, gave Mongolia +autonomy and a guarantee against the intrusion +of Chinese troops and colonists into Mongolia. +The effect of the Convention was to give Russia +exactly what she wanted—a buffer State.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xii">[Pg xii]</span></p> + +<p>It is necessary now to jump to the date when +Japanese troops, in agreement with the Allies, +entered Siberia. The Japanese found it convenient +to maintain at Chita, in Transbaikalia, the +Cossack adventurer Semenov, a man with Buriat +(or Mongol) blood in him. Admiral Kolchak +dismissed Semenov from the command of the +Trans-Baikal Division for malpractices, but the +Japanese refused to allow his removal by force. +Semenov, some months ago, inaugurated a pan-Mongol +movement for the creation of a Mongol +State, which should include the Mongols of Barga +(a region of North Manchuria), the Buriats of +Transbaikalia and Mongolia. The Hut’ukt’u, the +Living Buddha of Mongolia, was invited to join, +and, after consultation with the Princes, refused. +Semenov next threatened invasion. It is difficult +to know how much reality there is in Semenov’s +movement, but it is still to the fore, and we are +warned that developments from it may yet be +expected. At any rate, it is established that the +Japanese have been, and still are, closely associated +with Semenov, and the assumption is that +they are perfectly cognisant of the activities of +their protégé.</p> + +<p>Returning to Urga, we find the Mongolians +dissatisfied with the Russians, for a variety of +reasons. They had done nothing for the economic +development of the country, nor had they helped<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xiii">[Pg xiii]</span> +to organise an effective military force. Russia, as +a protector, having vanished, the Mongols were +helpless, and they were genuinely alarmed by the +threats of Semenov. They appealed to the +Chinese for military assistance, and in the twinkling +of an eye, as it were, 4000 Chinese troops +were in Urga, commanded by a General Hsu Shu-cheng, +the most aggressive of those militarists +who have done so much to involve China in +political and financial trouble. It is instructive to +note that the forces commanded by Hsu were +equipped with Japanese money, and that Hsu +himself is regarded throughout China as being +entirely in the hands of the Japanese. It will, +therefore, be perceived that the Mongols were +frightened into calling in Chinese troops by the +actions of one protégé of Japan, and that the +assistance, when it came, proved to be an army +under another Japanese protégé! The unfortunate +Mongols were soon to be enlightened as to +the meaning of these manœuvres. A pro-Chinese +party, since the collapse of Russia, had been +urging a return to the Chinese fold, and proposed +a petition to China cancelling autonomy and +asking for re-instatement. The Hut’ukt’u and a +majority of Princes and Lamas were opposed to +this step. General Hsu Shu-cheng, on arrival at +Urga, immediately pressed for signature of the +petition, and, on refusal, delivered an ultimatum,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xiv">[Pg xiv]</span> +threatening deportation to China of the Hut’ukt’u +and the Premier if his demands were not complied +with. He further threatened the Mongols with +Japanese troops from Transbaikalia, which threat +the Japanese officially denied in Peking had been +made with authority. The Mongols, however, +were browbeaten into submission; the Government +signed the petition, and the President of China +has since issued a Mandate denouncing the Kiachta +Convention and other relative treaties, and granting +the prayer of the Mongols to become again +subject to China. Autonomous Mongolia, therefore, +is no more. The Chinese plan military +occupation on a large scale, and will shortly send +three more brigades into Mongolia. If the Chinese +were more successful in the administration of +their own country, it might be said that the +Mongols would be better off under Chinese rule +than their own; for, as Mrs. Gull says, there can +be no doubt that the Mongols are closely akin to +their southern neighbours. But the question +seems to be rather whether Japan is not to be the +predominant power in Mongolia in the future. +She openly claims predominance in China, and, +for the time being, is predominant. Through +China she may yet acquire control over Mongolia, +or may arrive at the same result by basing action +in Siberia. She has plainly told the powers +seeking to form the banking Consortium for China<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xv">[Pg xv]</span> +that she wishes Manchuria and Mongolia to be +excluded from its operations, thereby indicating +her desire for an exclusive position in Mongolia. +Most significant is the announcement just +published in the local press, and confirmed by +other indications, that the Chinese Government +propose the immediate extension of the Peking-Suiyuan +Railway to Urga. The Chinese Government +has no money for such an enterprise, and no +possibility of getting it except by a foreign loan. +This, above all, is a scheme that should be financed +by the Consortium, yet it seems far more than +likely that the railway will be built with Japanese +money. And whoso builds the railway will +assuredly be the master.</p> + +<p class="r large">DAVID FRASER</p> + +<p class="l"><span class="smcap">Peking</span>, <i>January</i>, 1920</p> + +<div class="blockquot p2"> + +<p>A word of explanation as to the tardy appearance of this +book in relation to the date of its completion seems necessary. +It will suffice to say that the manuscript reached the publishers +within a day or two of the declaration of war. The Introduction +by Mr. David Fraser, “Times” correspondent in +Peking, is designed to give a bird’s-eye yet comprehensive +impression from the date of the visit to Urga up to the present +time of the political relations existing between Mongolia and +China.</p> + +<p class="r large">B. M. G.</p> +</div> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xvii">[Pg xvii]</span></p> + +<p class="ph2">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</p> +</div> + +<table> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Map of Mongolia</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f1"><span class="mid"><i>Inside front cover</i></span></a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Author</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f2"><span class="mid"><i>Frontispiece</i></span></a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdr"><span class="mid">FACING PAGE</span></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Author on a Peking Cart at the Starting-point</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f3">14</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Great North Gate at Kalgan leading straight into<br> +Mongolia</span></td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f4">14</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Bird Fancier, Kalgan</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f5">28</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Servants in the Courtyard</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f6">28</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">With Dobdun, ready to start</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f7">34</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Crossing the Han-o-pa Pass</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f8">34</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Camel Caravan</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f9">58</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Lama in embryo and his little Sister gathering Argol</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f10">58</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Carrying Mails</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f11">60</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Well by the Wayside</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f12">60</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">He drew Reins to take Stock of the Foreigner</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f13">60</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Methuselah and his Daughter-in-law</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f14">70</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">One of the largest Camel Caravans I had ever seen</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f15">70</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Mongol Bride</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f16">72</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A typical Chakhar</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f17">74</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Two or three hundred Lamas squatting on the ground in<br> +the sunny forecourt of a Temple</span></td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f18">78</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Hankarawa</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f19">78</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Pastoral Scene</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f20">98</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xviii">[Pg xviii]</span></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Troitze-Casavsk</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f21">114</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Our Buriat Hostess</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f22">114</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Jamschik and his Tarantass</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f23">114</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Russian Samson separated the Combatants</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f24">128</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Lama and his Maiden</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f25">128</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Mongol and his Family on the Plains near Urga posed<br> +for my benefit</span></td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f26">142</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">He invited us to inspect his Caravan</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f27">144</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Summit of the Altai Berg</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f28">144</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Great White Temple, Urga</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f29">152</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Horse and Camel Market, Urga</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f30">152</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A beautiful Temple at Mai-mai-ch’eng</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f31">158</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Mongol Princess in her Official Robes, accompanied by<br> +her two Ladies</span></td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f32">158</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Bogdo’s Bodyguard</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f33">176</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Little Lama Boys play “Tag” round the Barriers</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f34">176</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Church and State: Mongol Prince and High Lama</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f35">180</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The great State Umbrella of Silken Embroidery</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f36">182</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">In an ecstasy of worship the Monks prostrate themselves<br> +near the threshold of the Sanctuary</span></td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f37">182</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Meeting of the Archers: they ranged themselves in<br> +couples at the stances</span></td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f38">184</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Scoring the Hits at the Butts</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f39">184</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Mask at the Dance of the Gods</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f40">186</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Mongol Princess wearing a Headdress of Gold</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f41">186</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Mongol Gladiator</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f42">190</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Wrestling Bout</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f43">192</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Young Lamas</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f44">192</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xix">[Pg xix]</span></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Prisoners at Urga, shut up for the remainder of their<br> +lives in Iron-bound Coffins</span></td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f45">196</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">(<i>Reproduced by permission of the Illustrated London News</i>)</td> + <td class="tdr"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Tomb in Urga: Dagobas erected over Priests’ Graves</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f46">206</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Southern Soldiers</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f47">206</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Mongol Orton</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f48">226</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Continuing the Journey on Ox-carts, drawn by Ponies</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f49">226</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A remarkable One-year-old Boy</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#f50">228</a></td></tr> + +</table> + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</span></p> + +<p class="ph22">THE TALE OF A TOUR IN<br> +MONGOLIA</p> +</div> + +<p class="c sp">CHAPTER I</p> + +<p class="c less"> +“What is outside the world, daddy?”<br> +“Space, my child.”<br> +“But what is outside space then?” +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE fascination of the unknown, a deep +love of the picturesque, and inherent +desire to revert awhile to the primitive—these +were probably some of the factors +that made a little tour in Mongolia so essentially +desirable to me at a period when, instead of +turning my face homewards, I merely felt the +compelling desire for more. The remark, “Such +a pity you did not come here before the old order +of things passed away,” had assailed my ears like +minute-guns throughout my eighteen months in +China, and here in Mongolia was at last an +opportunity of meeting with mediævalism untouched.</p> + +<p>The most delightful, and by far the most +interesting, expedition that lures the traveller for +a couple of days from the gaiety of life in Peking, +is that which leads him out to the Ming tombs<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</span> +and a little farther on to meditate upon change +and decay from the summit of the Great Wall. +The Great Wall may well have been the ultimate +goal of all his wanderings in China, a goal indeed +at which to pause and reflect upon all he has +learned and seen through the months spent in +journeying up from the turbulent south to the +heart of China in the north. But even so it is +a little disappointing upon arriving at the Nank’ou +Pass to be informed that this, impressive though +it be, is merely a relatively modern branch of the +Great Wall itself, added no less than 1700 years +later to the original construction. To see the +<i>real</i> Great Wall then, the wall that has withstood +the ravages both of Huns and Tartars, the wall +that played a not unimportant part in warfare two +centuries before the Christian era—this furnished +me at least with an excuse to get away to Kalgan; +and in a visit to Kalgan, the starting-point for +the historic caravans which penetrate the desert, +across which prior to the existence of the Trans-Siberian +railway all merchandise passed to the +north, I foresaw the germ which might, with +a little luck, blossom out into a little expedition +across the frontier.</p> + +<p>At Dr. Morrison’s hospitable board, to which +drift inevitably those travellers who want something +more than the social round and the sights +provided for the globe trotter in Peking, I was +fortunate in meeting a couple of Norwegian missionaries +who were good enough to make arrangements<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</span> +for me to stay in their compound at +Kalgan. The husband, after many years’ work, +had abandoned the hope of converting the Mongols +to Christianity, and had placed his unique knowledge +of the people and of their country—doubtless +in return for a handsome salary (on paper)—at +the disposal of the new Chinese Government. In +common with every one else to whom I mentioned +my project of travelling in Mongolia, these good +people did their best to put me off, but finally, +seeing that I intended to carry out my idea willy-nilly, +they helped me in making my plans, engaged +the Chinese who accompanied me, and lent +me the various accessories of camp life, etc., in the +most generous manner possible.</p> + +<p>For some weeks past threatenings and rumours +of war had been dribbling in from various points +on the Mongolian frontier. Mongol soldiers (converted +robber bands) in ridiculously small numbers, +but effectual, as having been armed and trained by +“the Urga government,” which to all intents and +purposes is another name for Russian officers, +were said to be marching south, “plundering +everywhere and killing Chinese and Mongols +without distinction”.</p> + +<p>The Chinese in Peking were doubtless growing +uneasy, and the following paragraph which appeared +about this time in the “Peking Daily +News,” a Chinese-owned newspaper with an +European circulation, suggests that the authorities +were somewhat late in the field with their<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</span> +honours and encouragements for those Mongols +who even now were perhaps flirting with presents +of roubles from a more northern source. +Already the storm was brewing past control:—</p> + +<p>“The Bureau of Mongolian and Tibetan affairs +(in Peking) reports that a petition from the Shang +Chia Hut’ukt’u has been received, stating that the +Shang Chodba has supported the Republican cause +and requesting that he be rewarded.</p> + +<p>“As Pa-yen-chi-erh-ko-la, the Shang Chodba +and Dassak Da Lama, has been loyal to the Republic +and is highly commendable, he is hereby +permitted to sit on a Green Cart and to use +Yellow Reins, as an encouragement.”</p> + +<p>No very highly imaginative mind is surely necessary +to conjure up a scene of wonderful picturesqueness +from the foregoing. To see a beaming +“Da (or great) Lama” seated upon the shafts of +his new Green Cart and driving a hefty white +mule with his lately acquired Yellow Reins, feeling +tremendously encouraged thereby in his loyalty +to China, the recently established republic of Mongolia’s +suzerain—it was worth while, <i>coûte que +coûte</i>!</p> + +<p>Peking, so far as I was concerned, had more +than come up to its reputation for kindness and +hospitality. I had certainly put the former to the +test during a short but sharp bout of illness I had +encountered there, when I can only say that my +room presented the appearance of a conservatory +and that rarely an hour passed without some<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span> +friendly “chit” of enquiry and sympathy. All +the same, it had been much borne in upon me +that any deviation from the narrow path to the +golf links, or from the delightful picnics held in +one or other of the recognised show places within +hail of the Legation quarter, was looked upon +with cold disfavour. Few things seem to cause +a certain type of mind more annoyance than that +one should care to travel on lines other than those +parallel with their own.</p> + +<p>The less, I felt, that I discussed my projected +plans the better. Therefore, informing merely a +couple of friends who happened to be dining with +me the previous evening—and who, by the way, +did not in the least believe me—that I was off in +the morning to Kalgan for a few days, I set forth +for the Shih Chi Men station (the terminus of the +Peking-Kalgan railway) at the break of one glorious +day of April in 1913.</p> + +<p>Two ’ricshas were necessary for myself and a +very modest amount of luggage, and to each +’ricsha two coolies, for the Shih Chi Men is at +the extreme north-west of Peking, to gain which +one has to travel diagonally across the Tartar +city, skirting the rose-coloured walls of the Forbidden +City through which at that time the traffic +was not allowed to penetrate. The road is bad and +exceedingly dusty, and being the sole European +upon arriving at the station, I had the inevitable +uproar with my coolies as regards payment. One +of the untoward influences that we Westerns seem<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span> +to have exerted upon the Chinese coolie class is +that they will always try to bully anyone who is +at a disadvantage—a condition of affairs I never +once experienced up country, off the beaten track, +where I met with nothing but chivalry. The +quartet followed me, shouting and yelling, on to +the platform—I having taken good care not to pay +them until my belongings were safely out of their +hands—only to be buffeted and finally kicked out +by the station officials.</p> + +<p>The journey from Peking to Kalgan has many +points of interest, and I decided to break it half-way +in order to pay a second visit to the tombs +of the Emperors of the Ming dynasty, stopping +overnight at the quaint little half-westernised hotel +kept by a Chinaman at the foot of the Nank’ou +Pass. There was not much choice as to the +means of covering the eleven or twelve miles +between Nank’ou and the tombs, and I decided in +favour of the solitary pony instead of the unattractive +looking mules, or the chair of the indolent +which is carried on poles by four coolies. I had +confidently expected to make the expedition in +peaceful solitude; but not a bit of it. A pock-marked +mafu, or groom, insisted upon accompanying +me on foot, and it was soon evident that he +set the pace not I. It was some little time too +before I discovered the reason of the pony’s reluctance +to trot except when we came to a strip of +grass—he had four very tender feet, and my way +lay across extremely rough country, along the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span> +boulder—strewn beds of mountain streams and +rocky little paths bordering the planted fields.</p> + +<p>The beautiful pail’ou of five arches was the first +indication that we were nearing our destination, +but even then there were two or three miles along +the uneven and loosely flagged avenue of huge +symbolical stone men and beasts, camels, horses, +and lions standing in silent attendance on the +spirits of the departed rulers. The tombs, temples +in effect, whose golden roofs rise out from among +deep green cypresses and masses of white blossom, +are enclosed in many courtyards by high rose-coloured +walls pierced by magnificent gateways.</p> + +<p>To the chief of these gateways I rode, followed +by my mafu, and offering the customary fee of +twenty cents, I proposed to enter. Seeing that +I was alone, the doorkeeper, an unusually tall man +even for Chihli, began a bullying argument for +more money. Not wanting to waste time, I +compounded finally upon something like three +times the proper sum, and he opened the great +doors and admitted me into the courtyard. Here +amidst the most dreamily beautiful surroundings +of pure white marble terraces, weathered memorial +archways, steps carved in low relief and the +mellowed rose-coloured walls always for background, +I felt very much at peace with the world +as I sat and rested in the crook of a blossom-covered +tree after my hot and wearisome ride.</p> + +<p>Greatly refreshed by the beauty and stately +solitude of the scene (to say nothing of a delicate<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span> +little lunch which had been so thoughtfully provided +for me by my excellent host of the Ching +Erh hotel), I now felt inspired to explore further, +and walked over the grass to the entrance of the +chief temple. Dropping from the clouds (or, what +seemed more likely, appearing from the nether +regions) I was again confronted by the same burly +janitor who rather threateningly barred my way +and demanded more money. I had now not even +the support of my pony boy. I had no intention +of being baulked of the whole object of my long +ride, neither did I mean to be bullied into paying +the rascal all over again. Seeing that I was not +inclined to give in, the man began to lock up +the great doors, which usually stood open, when, +turning as though I were going away, I made a +sudden move, pushed past him, and was inside +the temple. He was very angry and for the +moment nonplussed, swore at me volubly, casting +aspersions doubtless upon my ancestry in +true Celestial style. Quite unexpectedly, however, +he stopped, and before I had time to realise his +intention, he slammed to the door and turned the +key in the lock.</p> + +<p>I made a desperate effort to escape, but I was +too late. I was now in pitch darkness and as to +when or whether he, my gaoler, intended to let +me out, I did not know. I could hear him walking +off and clanking his great keys triumphantly as +he went down the flagged path. I was far too +angry to be in the least frightened, and of all<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span> +things, I had no intention of letting the ruffian +think that he had scored. Recovering a little +from my surprise, I groped my way about among +the dusty gods and devils, thinking that probably +there would be some other exit, and finally +came upon a low door at the back of the high +altar. This gave way to my pushing, and opened +on to a narrow staircase up which I stumbled, +eventually finding my way out on to the top of +the open flat roof of the first story of the temple. +Here at least I could see where I was. Moreover, +I was in the open air, and I could solace myself +with the truly lovely view of the surrounding +temples and the thickly wooded country side.</p> + +<p>Not a soul was to be seen. The wretch evidently +meant me to stay there until I thought better of +my sins. For an hour or two I wandered about +my prison, spending part of the time in speculating +as to whether my gymnastic ability would enable +me, with the help of friendly branches, to scale +forty feet or so of rough wall and thus to escape. +I decided, however, that to risk a broken limb was +not worth while, and that to spend a night in a +temple after all would not kill me. There would +probably be other visitors turning up next day.</p> + +<p>By this time the afternoon was drawing in, and +the wonderful colouring around me was rendered +even more beautiful by the golden haze from the +setting sun, when I observed three figures walking +among the trees in the garden below. They were +evidently in angry altercation. These were my<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span> +mafu, the burly ruffian (who was gesticulating +wildly), and a well-dressed and dignified Chinese +gentleman. Without losing a moment, I scrambled +hastily down the dark staircase again, and arrived +in the temple just as a flood of light was admitted +by the door being flung open.</p> + +<p>To my astonishment, my unknown friend in +need addressed me in pidgin English, “Mississee +mafu talkee my one bad man shutee up Mississee. +Chlist! (I am afraid that he believed this to be +quite a polite expression of amazement) Chlist! +What bad man!” The “bad man” was grinning +nervously while all this was going on, and in order +to show him unmistakably what my opinion was +of his behaviour, I gave him a resounding smack +on the head as he released me. Even then he +had the impudence to ask me for a “cumshaw” +(tip), and in order that he might not lose face +among the little crowd which had collected at the +outer gateway, he only laughed as he rubbed his +head and listened to a tremendous dressing-down +delivered by the three of us. I decided as I rode +back to Nank’ou in the twilight that I would +report the matter to my Legation in Peking, but +later on I thought better of it. They might have +said, “I told you so!”</p> + +<p>Starting early next morning, I continued my +journey to Kalgan, the line—the only one in +China constructed, financed, and managed by the +Chinese—following the course of the Nank’ou +Pass, tunnelling below the Great Wall a few miles<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span> +farther on. Travelling second class, from the +viewpoint of mixing with the people rather than +from economical motives, the difference in the +price of tickets being a mere couple of dollars, I +had for my sole European companion an old +Swedish missionary who told me that our fellow-travellers +were consumed with curiosity about +me. They assumed, to begin with, that my +husband must be luxuriating in the first-class +portion of the train, and that among the English +it was the custom to treat the wives as inferiors. +Then, seeing the missionary and myself in conversation, +they jumped to the conclusion that I +was wife of the latter, and that I very properly +only spoke to him when he addressed me. Finally, +on this being denied, they settled down to the idea, +on seeing me take a large volume from my bag +and read it (J. O. P. Bland’s absorbingly interesting +“Events in China” by the way) that I was +a great scholar, and that as such, I of course +preferred the simple life. That an ordinary +Englishwoman should travel second class needed +an explanation in their eyes.</p> + +<p>A wealthy young man, he who had asked most +of the questions, entertained me greatly during +the journey. His clothes were very beautiful, +a long silk-damask lavender coat, fur-lined, +surmounted by a handsome riding coat in plum-coloured +broché. His great treasure seemed, +however, to be a large silver watch, which he +kept pulling out in the hope that I might be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span> +looking at him. Its going capacity must have +been precarious for he always listened to it, and +after looking carefully all round it, he generally +smelt it as well. It was here that I really learned +to appreciate the practical use of the two-inch +thumb-nail which one frequently sees adorning +the hands of the upper-class Chinese. My friend +of the lavender coat had purchased a roast duck +from an itinerant vendor at a wayside station, +and commanded my admiration by the dexterity +with which he cut up and ate it, his thumb-nail +alone serving him as a carver. He was hungry, +and he finished that bird at a sitting.</p> + +<p>The scenery on the way up was unexciting +until a tempestuous sunset lighted up the rugged +mountains, making their snow-covered peaks +appear like flaming watch-towers until the sun +went down, and with a snap it all suddenly +changed. Even in this cold weather we met +hundreds of coolies travelling down in open +trucks, many of them equipped with motor goggles, +which the dust storms of this part of the world +render an absolute necessity.</p> + +<p>We were two hours late at Kalgan, having +taken nine hours on the way (one can hardly +expect a sudden transformation as regards +punctuality to result from a change of government +in China), and I spent a somewhat weary +time in the dimly lighted carriage wondering +what on earth I should do if the missionaries +failed to meet me at the station. Knowing that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span> +he would be of no use should I manage to get +away to Mongolia, I had taken no “boy” with +me, and I doubted very seriously that my few +words of Chinese would carry me far in this +frontier town, which, I had heard, would be a +babel of tongues, and where among 75,000 inhabitants +the European population, Russian and +German traders all told, did not number more +than about forty or fifty.</p> + +<p>However, no sooner had I landed on the platform +at Kalgan than a cheery voice, unmistakably +American, hailed me in a friendly manner.</p> + +<p>After giving the required information concerning +myself and my business to the courteous Chinese +policeman, who, notebook in hand, awaited the +train for such purpose, the pleasant young missionary, +guessing that I was both tired and hungry, +and not in the least put out on account of waiting +over two hours on the platform for my train to +come in, bundled me and my belongings into a +Peking cart. The latter taking up most of the +room inside, I sat cross-legged on the shaft, the +Chinese driver sitting hard against my back on +the opposite side; my host walked alongside of +us.</p> + +<p>There had been the one rain of the season on +the previous day and what under normal conditions +had been a foot or so of dust, was +now morass, and we passed through slush that +reached to the axles of our wheels. “Tuck up +your feet,” sang out the missionary as he took an<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span> +unanticipated plunge into deep water from the +pseudo-sidewalk; but I was prepared. This, +strange to say, was my first experience of riding +in a Peking cart, society in the capital having +long ago voted them out-of-date and even in cold +weather preferring the ’ricsha. True, I found +their appearance of comfort somewhat of a delusion +but their picturesque trimness I had always +greatly admired. These strong, springless carts +of light wood have solid axles, the ends being +inlaid with a device in metal, and upon these the +wheels revolve directly. The pale blue linen +covers, with little windows made of black gauze +on either side, all outlined with black velvet, +present an attractive and cleanly appearance, as +does also the heavy white leather harness with +bright brass or silver buckles and ornaments, +which embellishes the handsome black mule, who, +at first sight, looks almost too powerful for his +job.</p> + +<p>Our road lay across the river Yang through the +heart of the city now, at nearly 10 o’clock, dark and +silent as the grave—silent that is, save for the +creaks and excruciating grindings of the wheels +as the great boulders sent the cart high up on +one side only to slither down into the slush on +the other, the mule coming to a standstill from +time to time in order to let things right themselves. +The main street of Kalgan is scarcely a +credit to the community. After half an hour or +so of strenuous effort to keep my seat, we turned +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span>abruptly out of a narrow alley into the compound +of the mission at which I was to board, and +were welcomed by my hostess, a pretty girl +in her early twenties, at the door of one of the +two bungalows.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f3"> +<img src="images/fig3.jpg" alt="cart"> +<p class="caption">THE AUTHOR ON A PEKING CART AT THE STARTING POINT</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f4"> +<img src="images/fig4.jpg" alt="gate"> +<p class="caption">THE GREAT NORTH GATE AT KALGAN LEADING STRAIGHT OUT INTO MONGOLIA</p> +</div> + + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“A great army may be robbed of its leader, but nothing can<br> +rob one poor man of his will”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less">—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap1">I</span> SHALL always associate Kalgan with waiting +for things to happen. Rumours of war +were constantly coming to one’s ears, news +of camel caravans on the point of starting for +Mongolia reached one periodically. Nothing ever +seemed to culminate. The missionaries, of whom +there were some half a dozen, were very much +opposed to my making an expedition alone into +Mongolia, and with my limited knowledge of +Chinese it was impossible without their help to +make any plans for doing so. My hostess, a +delicate little thing, very much younger than her +colleagues, stood my friend throughout and did +what she could to make enjoyable my stay +within the somewhat circumscribed area of the +compound. Deeply interested in English manners +and customs her conversation had an almost +childish <i>naïveté</i>, and circled around our royalties +and other great English names that had come to +her ears. She was, she told me “tickled to +death” at the idea of entertaining an English +lady, but was frankly disappointed that I bore no<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span> +title. As a small girl, she said, she had longed to +be English, and loved reading about lords and +ladies (we now know the market for a certain +class of light fiction), and persuaded her mother +to call her “Lady Ermyntrude”. “Is it true,” +she would ask me, “that if English girls don’t +marry the first man that asks them, they never +get another chance?”</p> + +<p>Life in a mission compound can never fail to +interest the speculative mind, and although waiting +about for plans to resolve themselves is a +severe tax on one’s patience, my days at Kalgan +are recalled with considerable pleasure notwithstanding. +What I wanted was an excuse for +taking a camel cart (which appealed to me as +being exceedingly comfortable as well as a great +novelty), and I watched a couple in course of +preparation for the ill-fated expedition of Messrs. +Grant and Henningsen who were to journey across +the Gobi to Urga on telegraph service, which +for the former was to end so disastrously. Camel +carts bear a certain amount of similarity to the +Peking cart, with the following differences: they +are higher from the ground, having larger wheels; +they are covered in entirely, having a window and +door on the near side; they are of such ample +dimensions that one may stretch oneself at full +length and live in them in considerable comfort. +In fact, I have in North Mongolia seen a man, +woman, and two children camping very comfortably +in one cart.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span></p> + +<p>One might well be asked what there was to +prevent me from hiring a camel cart—a very +natural question when one lives in Europe and +where money will compass most of one’s desires. +Not so in the East. A solitary camel cart was +held to be unsuitable for my purpose, for a solitary +camel cart wandering about Mongolia without +escort would undoubtedly attract an undue +amount of attention. Camel carts usually form +part of a caravan.</p> + +<p>Kalgan, with its population of some seventy or +eighty thousand souls, grown out of all proportion +to the picturesque little walled-in city in its midst, +the unusual temples, among which a couple of +Mohammedan mosques came as a surprise to me, +its many theatres, and little shops containing much +that was interesting and novel, would under ordinary +conditions have satisfied me for weeks; but +the nearness to the goal of my desire to some +extent spoiled it for me, rendering it tantalising +and me restless. Not once, but many times, did +I find my way on foot through the thick dust of +the narrow streets to the wide road leading out +to the north gate, the Mongol quarter of the city. +There one met hundreds of camels padding softly +along in the thick dust laden with immense bales +of wool from Urga, picking their way over +boulders polished by the traffic of 1200 years. +The camels are in their most disreputable condition +in April; their wool, being in process of +shedding, left big bare patches, and made them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span> +look singularly naked in places. I loved to see +their stately walk, and the stolid Mongols sitting, +pipe in mouth, on their backs. Fine beasts. +Fine men. To see, too, the Mongols themselves +at their journey’s end, galloping recklessly along +this terrific road, raising clouds of dust in their +wake, stirrupless as often as not, their ponies +slithering and stumbling over the concealed +stones, recovering themselves in a manner perfectly +marvellous. They are wonderful horsemen. +A Russian post plies between Kalgan and Urga, +suspended now, however, on account of the unrest +in the country, and the Mongols cover the +800 miles in eight days, relays of ponies waiting +for them every twenty miles or so. They ride at +full speed during the entire journey, which averages +ordinarily from thirty to thirty-two days.</p> + +<p>Small wonder that the wares in the innumerable +little stalls which line this great north road should +be dirty and unattractive at first glance. One +must quickly consume one’s proverbial peck of dust +here; everything in this Mongol market is thick +with it; hair, clothes, food, and all. But what is +the use of troubling about what cannot be helped? +A medicine stall was one of the many at which I +lingered, and from curiosity asked the prices of +things that were displayed as “cures”—snakes, +lizards, and similar small fry were kept in bulk. +A rhinoceros tusk I gathered to be a charm of +prophylactic nature, but a furry foot altogether +baffled my intelligence. The vendor was by no<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span> +means anxious to sell, but being pressed for a +price said that I might have the object for fifteen +dollars, i.e. thirty shillings. I discovered later +that it was the pad of a bear, and esteemed of +great value from a medicinal point of view. I +refrained from purchasing it. Two charming +souvenirs, however, I did pick up in Kalgan—a +tiny green jade wine cup, and, as a mascot, a jade +thumb ring guaranteed to bring me great good +luck on all my wanderings. They were of the +colour of rivers bringing down the snow from +mountains, and moreover were bargains at a dollar +and half a dollar respectively.</p> + +<p>Everything that one could conceivably want for +the great journey across the desert is to be bought +from this market, the last link with civilisation, +and few caravans push straight through this busy +quarter without a halt for a hank of rope, or +another string of dried persimmons, or such like. +To the gregarious Celestial it must indeed be a +mighty effort to break away from Kalgan and start +upon that lonely trek so fraught with dangers and +possibilities unknown.</p> + +<p>The principal theatre in Kalgan is in this neighbourhood, +and more than once I got drawn into a +crowd of five or six hundred people in the triangular +piece of waste ground near the north gate. The +theatre was a pretty little temple, the stage open +to the heavens on three sides and raised eight or +ten feet from the ground. The play is as a rule, +I am told, composed of scenes and episodes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span> +from the Chinese classics. Be that as it may, the +actors, with handsome flowing beards, are as unlike +the modern Chinese as well could be.</p> + +<p>Every one whose business was not too pressing +strolled within seeing and hearing distance—there +were no barriers or enclosures. At the back of +the crowd, which, with less than half a dozen +exceptions, was composed of men and boys, +numbers of ponies and mules waited patiently, and +among them from their Peking carts a few women +obtained a good view while not being too much in +evidence. Kalgan is conservative in preserving +her traditions concerning the deportment of +women. Vendors of all sorts of things, from dusting +brushes to cigarettes and pea-nuts, took life +easily on the outskirts of the laziest, pleasantest, +smelliest crowd I have ever been in. In the background +too were several barbers plying their trade, +their victims gazing at the play while their heads +were shaved or their <i>queues</i> combed and plaited. +The quaint mediæval play, with great clashing of +cymbals, and lunging about with swords and +scimitars, was lively enough to please the audience +tremendously. The whole scene was picturesque +to a degree, what with bright clothes and action +on the stage, with a background of the mountains +surrounding Kalgan, and nearer still the sombre +old wall of many, many centuries, and again, in +front of it, the flat and gabled roofs of Chinese +houses and shops with their ornate fronts and +gaudy signs and symbols, the gilded lettering in two<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span> +languages as befits the meeting-place of China and +Mongolia. Nearer still the handsome mules with +their richly decorated saddle-cloths, passed and re-passed, +and now and again a string of dromedaries +pursued the even tenor of their way, undisturbed +and unattracted by the babel of the multitude. +The colour scheme was blue, blue, blue, in every +conceivable tone, and for variation, soft maizy +yellow, prune, and mauve—the distant mountains +deeply purple.</p> + +<p>The old men of China are not the least pleasing +of its inhabitants. They are so kindly, so dignified, +so placid, and so really venerable. They stood +around, dozens of them, with their pet birds in +pretty wooden cages singing away all the time, +often held on the flat of their hands high up +and out of danger from the crowd. The cages +are frequently finely carved and beautifully made, +the little seed and water-pots of good porcelain, +and the fittings of wrought silver or brass. In +Kalgan a foreign woman is indeed a <i>rara avis</i>, but +Chinese manners can be beyond reproach. The +people crowd round one, and certainly in the city +one never moved without a small following. But +here, weird object that one must have seemed, +they seldom made themselves objectionable or +jeered. One cannot help reflecting upon the +difference there would be in the case of a Chinese +visiting a northern English town in his Oriental +dress and with his stumbling speech. How, one +wonders, would the crowds treat him?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span></p> + +<p>In pleasant contrast with the dust of the city +were certain riding expeditions which took me, +accompanied by my host, to the foot hills surrounding +Kalgan, to inspect at close quarters the +ruins of the Great Wall and the watch-towers +which punctuate it every 200 yards. Whether +he did it to test my riding capabilities or my +courage before starting me off on my lonely tour, +I never quite discovered, but vivid in my recollection +is the climbing my host and I did on one +occasion. By no means an accomplished rider, +the second day out on a new pony is always more +agreeable to me than the first, but when I saw +how the little black beast that had been lent to me +and which I was subsequently to take up-country, +could scale precipitous banks, keep its feet among +loose shale lying on hard slippery surfaces, creep +along narrow, sloping tracks round mountain sides—places +along which one would never have dared +to lead, much less ride, a horse at home—my +confidence developed considerably. In parts it +was too dangerous to remain in the saddle at +all, and I shall never forget one thrilling moment +when my pony insisted upon turning right round +upon our sole support, which was a bit of a tuft +overhanging a chasm some forty to sixty feet +deep. His heels sent the stones flying down, +and I momentarily expected the whole thing to +give way, and that we should roll down hopelessly +mixed-up, sheer on to the rocks below.</p> + +<p>In connection with the extensive railway works<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span> +at Kalgan and the projected extension of them, +is quite an important little community of well-educated +Cantonese, with some of whom I became +acquainted by means of an introduction given to me +in Peking by my friend, Dr. Wu Lien Teh, whose +research work, especially in connection with +plague, is well known throughout the scientific +world. Several of these Cantonese are Christians +and are keen supporters of the work carried on +by the missionaries amongst their employees. My +introduction was presented at a fortunate moment, +for a feast to celebrate the arrival of a first-born +son was just then in course of preparation, and +the presence of a foreign lady apparently lent to it +a welcome novelty.</p> + +<p>The proud father of the baby, Dr. Shi, knew +a certain amount of English, and, in consequence, +I launched out alone, on to that sea of unknown +etiquette and custom, feeling a certain degree of +security. What was my horror on arriving at +the house to find my host anxiously awaiting my +somewhat tardy arrival in order to introduce me +to the sixteen ladies already present so that he +might hasten off to preside at a similar banquet +to his men friends at a restaurant near by. Not +one word of anything but the Cantonese dialect +did the ladies speak, and my carefully prepared +sentences of felicitation in the Mandarin tongue +were in consequence discounted. The company, +among whom was the baby’s mother, greeted me +with much ceremony and cordiality. The precise<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span> +form of salutation varies in different parts +of China, and here the correct bow resembles +nothing so much as the action of surreptitiously +pulling up one’s stocking. Dr. Shi was careful +to explain to me that I was the guest of honour, +and, after showing me where to sit, he departed +and left me to the tender mercies of the little +ladies. A little later on, however (and this +suggests the innate kindness and consideration +of the Chinese) his heart must have smote him, +and thinking that chopsticks might be a source +of embarrassment to me, he flew round from the +restaurant with a borrowed plate, spoon, and fork. +As a matter of fact these latter embarrassed me +far more than the chopsticks had done, for my +big plate afforded my two generous hostesses +opportunity to overwhelm me with food which +the ordinary little bowl would never have contained.</p> + +<p>Upon the round table were set no fewer than +sixteen dishes, and these I gathered were only +accessories to the huge bowls which were brought +in from the kitchen, whence there appeared at +least a dozen distinct courses. Eggs served in +cochineal-stained shells were, it was explained +to me, in special honour of the new baby, as also +was the ginger of the same glad hue. The feast +was heralded in by the customary joy sounds +of China; crackers innumerable and deafening +being fired off immediately outside the room in +which we were assembled. Little leaden kettles<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span> +of “the dew of the rose leaf” (samshui) were +first of all brought in, and each of us was assisted +to at least a thimbleful. Then began the “Ch’ing +chih fan” (“invite you to eat”). Everybody +“ch’inged” everybody else, and we proceeded +at the same time to help one another to dainty +morsels with our own chopsticks. Instead of +drinking to each other in occidental fashion, the +Chinese “eat to each other,” and when one’s +neighbour planks a toothsome morsel of bird +or fish into one’s bowl, it is etiquette to rise +slightly in one’s chair and say “thank you”.</p> + +<p>Chopsticks, by the way, are like golf—it is +largely a game of chance and temperament. +Sometimes one is on one’s game, and one manages +to put away a substantial meal; at other times one +“can’t hit a ball,” and one leaves the table feeling +rather empty. The meal had not progressed +far before we were on terms of great conviviality, +not to say familiarity. They all laughed at +the way in which I mismanaged my chopsticks (I +declined to give in and use a spoon and fork) and +tried to teach me. It was of no use, I was not +“on my game” that evening. Next to me was a +dear old soul in a handsome black velvet coat; I +think she must have been a near relation on account +of the way in which she took me under her wing, +from time to time popping a choice morsel, a +chunk of pine-apple, or a gigantic prawn, straight +into my mouth. At intervals dishes that I really +enjoyed came on, buried eggs, bearing striking<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span> +resemblance, by the way, to plover’s eggs, crisply +baked apricot kernels, roast duck (horribly underdone), +and the seeds of the lotus in syrup, being +among the most palatable. Half-way through the +feast my large plate was a horrible sight and full +of things I felt I could not possibly swallow.</p> + +<p>A charming girl opposite me leaned forward and +gave me a generous helping of some nice-looking +whitish stew which nearly made me sick when I +tried it. It was like eating a very slimy sponge. +To cover my confusion, and with, I thought, great +aplomb, I managed with some difficulty to perch +a beautiful morsel of very raw duck on my chopsticks, +which, instead of eating myself, I unselfishly +plunged into the mouth of my old friend on +my left. The attention nearly choked her. She +did not expect it of me. But pleasant relations +were established for the evening, and I received +several invitations to other dinner parties as a +result. There was a good deal of giggling at my +foreign ways, but these, I imagine, were less productive +of sheer glee than my attempt to adapt +myself to their customs.</p> + +<p>At half-time or thereabouts, a woman servant +of the coolie class, very slatternly, and with her +own baby upon her back, distributed cigarettes, +some cheap American brand in a tin, picking them +out with her dirty fingers and pressing them upon +us in a most hospitable way. All the servants, +in fact, urged us on behalf of their master and +mistress to eat and drink. From time to time<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span> +they would quietly sneak a cigarette for themselves, +and go to stand in the doorway to smoke it. One +of them was quite an old woman, and it amused +me to watch her casually take one from the table +and light it between her withered old hands with +her back turned to the company. Our hostess, +for whom with two or three other guests there +was not room at our table, came in periodically +to see how we were progressing, and would hand +us one or other of the delicacies persuasively. +She peeled a Mandarin orange for the old T’ai-t’ai +next to me. The latter took it, but at once passed +it on to one of the urchins who were hanging +around for tit-bits. It seemed ungracious, but I +suppose it was quite polite. A great tip to be +remembered at a Chinese feast is this; entice +one of the many small children always present to +your side. You have then, conveniently situated, +a willing receptacle for the superfluous dainties +that have been heaped into your bowl, besides +which you gain merit for your “warm-heartedness” +towards the dear little souls.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f5"> +<img src="images/fig5.jpg" alt="bird"> +<p class="caption">A BIRD FANCIER, KALGAN</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f6"> +<img src="images/fig6.jpg" alt="servants"> +<p class="caption">SERVANTS IN THE COURTYARD</p> +</div> + +<p>Between ten and half-past—we had sat down +soon after 6 p.m.—I felt that the time had arrived +when I might reasonably, though reluctantly, take +my departure; but the attempt to do so was met +by much protestation and conversation, and it +was borne in upon me that my old friend the +T’ai-t’ai was inviting me to go back with her to +her house there to “sit-a-sit”. I agreed with +pleasure, and hand-in-hand we sallied forth in the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>moonlight, together with her daughter-in-law and +her little daughter, a pretty little soul, this latter, +who was the proud possessor of an English watch +bracelet as well as several distinctly western +rings and bangles. Their house was not very far +off, and when we arrived the old lady ushered me +into a bedroom where her husband and son were +reading in somewhat <i>négligé</i> costume. They +quickly invited me into the guest room and, hastily +donning their long coats of ceremony, joined us. +The father spoke a little English—he had once +stayed for three weeks in England, coming over, I +understood, in the train of Li Hung Ch’ang; the +son, with whom I had a most illuminating conversation +on Chinese topics, had been educated in +England, and another son was at that time an +undergraduate at Caius College, Cambridge.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>LTHOUGH I never found Kalgan lacking +in interest and amusement, I began to feel +at the end of a week there that my prospects +for setting out for Mongolia did not seem +to improve. The place teemed with soldiers, and +reports came in of impending battles between +Russo-supported Mongols and troops from the +south which were daily being poured over the +frontiers. What to believe, and how much reliance +to place upon such information no one +seemed to know, but the persistency of one report, +of a battle that had lasted six hours at Dolo +N’or, when the Chinese had to retire in the face +of superior numbers, found justification later on +in obvious fact.</p> + +<p>My long-looked-for opportunity came at last, +however, in the shape of a Finnish missionary +who wished to journey westward into Mongolia, +and who expressed himself as not only willing +but pleased to allow my little caravan to join his +for our mutual protection. My preparations at<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span> +once sprang into activity. A Peking cart drawn +by a strong mule, and a most unpromising pony +were hired for me, together with a ruffianly looking +Chinese, said to be trusty, at any rate brave +enough to face the terrors of Mongolia, at the +rate of four dollars a day. Hearing that we were +to make an early start, I finished every detail +of my packing overnight, and was up betimes +next day, lingering, however, long in the last bath +that I was likely to get for many a long day. +I ought by that time to have known that such +plans as those for leaving early seldom materialise, +but I felt anyhow that I would not be the one to +cause delay. Instead of 8 a.m. we were under +weigh soon after noon.</p> + +<p>I had employed the meantime greatly to my +own advantage. When I went out to inspect +my cart, the driver had already more than half +filled the interior with his own and his companion’s +belongings, sheep-skin coats of doubtful cleanliness, +sacks of fodder, and what not. It is quite +as typical of Chinese as of menials in other +countries, to find out by such experiments just +how far they dare to go, or how much their +employer will stand—which comes to the same +thing. My own theory is that if you do not at +the very outset assume the whip-hand, you will +get more or less bullied by those who should +be obeying your orders. I used my own discretion +here, therefore, and ordered everything +to be turned out of the cart, including a sort of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span> +mattress-cushion which lined it. They did as +they were told without a murmur, and laughed +at my persistence and their own discomfiture +in the clouds of dust they raised.</p> + +<p>I then had my own things carefully packed +in, bedding in a hold-all, cushions, water-bottles, +as well as such articles as my camera, books, and +a certain amount of food. My box of provisions, +including tinned meat, Bovril, tea, butter, cheese, +rice, oatmeal, as well as a plentiful supply of +walnuts and raisins, and a small box containing +a change of clothes, were roped securely on to +the tail of the cart; fodder for the animals being +placed on the top of them. Eggs and potatoes +I could rely upon buying from the Chinese for at +least three days out from Kalgan. The Southern +Mongols themselves have nothing at all to sell, +living as they do on koumiss (soured milk), tsamba +(a sort of crushed barley), and mutton when they +can get it.</p> + +<p>A tiresome lad of eighteen or so made his appearance +during the morning, and I foresaw that if he +came too that I should be bothered with him +as well as the driver sitting on the shafts of +my cart and thus obscuring my view when I was +inside. The missionaries spoke sternly to both +boy and driver to this effect and told them +plainly that I refused to allow the former to +accompany me. They acquiesced; but before +we were clear of the city the lad turned up again +smiling, and later on I discovered that he was the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span> +owner of the little red demon of a pony, and also +that he was a very necessary adjunct to my +party.</p> + +<p>The caravan consisted of the Finnish missionary, +his two open carts drawn by two horses in each, +myself in my Peking cart drawn by mule and +pony, a saddle pony, three Mongols, two of +whom were mounted—who, wishing to return to +their homes on the borders of the Gobi, attached +themselves to us for safety, and four Chinese to +attend to the animals—nine of us in all. We +were accompanied to the city gates by some of +the missionaries. The government offices, the +Tartar general’s yamen, the Bureau of Foreign +Affairs, as also the offices in which business +connected with Southern Mongolia is transacted, +are all situated in this part of the city. There +was some question as to whether I might not +have difficulty in passing the Chinese guard at +the gates of the city, since I possessed no passport +even for travelling in Chihli, much less for +leaving that province and penetrating into the +wilds of Mongolia. Knowing quite well that had I +applied for a passport it would have been refused, +I decided—upon the advice, I may say, of an +official high up in the Chinese government service—to +dispense with that formality. The missionaries, +good sportsmen that they were, intended +to acquaint the Chinese Foreign Office with the +fact that I was in Mongolia <i>after my departure</i>. +The Chinese, however, take but little account<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span> +of women, and I passed through the north gate +on the high road to the goal of my ambition.</p> + +<p>Riding, I soon found, was not much fun over +this rocky way. I had yet to grow used to trusting +entirely to luck, and to letting the pony have +his head under such conditions. Moreover, +knowing nothing of the country one was obliged +at first to keep within sight of the caravan, which +hereabouts went forward at a snail’s pace. I +therefore spared my pony for a spell, and giving +it to the boy to lead, I retired to my cart to lie +down, and with my feet sticking out over the +mule’s back, meditate on what was before me.</p> + +<p>The road for ten miles or so follows the mud-coloured +valley where the clusters of houses so +tone in with their surroundings that one might +think that they did so upon the theory of protective +adaptation to their environment. From the +rocks and boulders with which the road is strewn +it might well have been a river-bed until the +steep ascent of some 2400 feet from the level +to the Chang Chia K’ou, the Kalgam, or Han-o-pa +(meaning handle) Pass begins. The carts here +began to progress in brief spasms, and the +gradient, together with the general conditions, +made this a somewhat painful experience. Leading +our ponies, we were able by devious paths +to discover rather smoother going, and the +number one Mongol, a charming old man of +some position, who, having no mount, now seated +himself (without invitation) on the shaft of my +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span>cart, remarked that “The great one must be +possessed of extraordinary strength to be able +to walk like that”. I learned subsequently that +a horseless Mongol is just about as much use +as a seagull with its wings clipped.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f7"> +<img src="images/fig7.jpg" alt="start"> +<p class="caption">WITH DOBDUN, READY TO START</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f8"> +<img src="images/fig8.jpg" alt="pass"> +<p class="caption">CROSSING THE HAN-O-PA PASS</p> +</div> + +<p>The missionaries had arranged that this same +old Mongol, Dobdun, by name, should act “boy” +for me on the way up, i.e. boil water, peel potatoes, +and spread my bedding at night. I liked him +very much, but mainly for the sake of his picturesque +appearance, for besides being very stupid, +extremely lazy, and knowing not one word of +Chinese, he had not the foggiest notion as to +how to do anything for my comfort beyond getting +me hot water, and smiling in a paternal way, +when, to relieve my beasts, I got out and walked +up the steep places.</p> + +<p>By the time we were at the top of the pass, +between five and six thousand feet above sea level, +it was dusk. We had taken our time over the +ascent, an icy wind was blowing, and the scene +before us was desolate indeed. Earlier in the +day and under normal conditions the traffic here +is very considerable. Not so at the time of my +visit, for beyond being overtaken by a couple of +Mongols trotting swiftly along on camels, who +drew rein for a few seconds just in order to pass +the time of day, or, more literally perhaps, to put +the inevitable question as to our destination, +before they flew on again, we encountered never +a soul. I had never seen camels trotting before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span> +and they reminded me of leggy schoolgirls fielding +at cricket, for they scatter their limbs about in +just such an ungainly way.</p> + +<p>The explanation of the solitude of the pass +was forthcoming and obvious enough later on, +when, wheeling into the compound of a Chinese +inn, we were told that the whole place had +been commandeered by the Chinese troops. +It was all very ghostly and mysterious, not +to say formidable. Under a bright starlit sky, +the wind was blowing a gale, and the prospect +of sleeping in the open under such conditions +by no means appealed to me. Han-o-pa is a +fair-sized village, but it was only after our fourth +attempt that we could gain admission to an inn.</p> + +<p>The inns, which are to be found only for thirty +or forty miles north of the frontier, are similar +to all inns in North China. Built of mud, the +one-storied sheds line three sides of the compound +wall. There are stone posts in the compound +to which horses and mules are tied up; in the +centre is a collection of carts and bales of hides +and wool all carefully covered up, while occupying +a corner to themselves a trio of camels was +tethered. We entered the main room, the +kitchen, two-thirds of which was taken up by +the k’ang, a low platform some two feet from the +ground, covered with a thick layer of hardened +mud or boards, and heated from underneath by +means of a small furnace. It is one man’s work +to keep the fire going. With one hand he pulls<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span> +a sort of bellows in and out, with the other he +feeds the fire continuously by means of a ladle +filled with dried horse-droppings. From this time +onward, argol, the Mongolian word for this dried +manure, was the only description of fuel I saw +until my return to civilisation. There is neither +wood nor coal (unless, maybe, the latter is hid +from sight in the bowels of the mountain) in Inner +or South Mongolia. The k’ang was crowded +with Mongols and Chinese as well as a number +of soldiers, and I learned that the tiresome boy +who had insisted upon accompanying me was +regaling the company with a personal description +of the foreigner whom he had in tow, more +especially how that she had had four shots on one +occasion before her pony would let her mount; +a feat which seemed to give rise to great hilarity +when they saw me—the relation of eleven stone +to the size of the pony, I imagine.</p> + +<p>In the room adjoining were several Chinese +traders, and I had to make my choice between, +sharing a k’ang with these gentlemen and the +Finn, or sleeping under the stars in the courtyard +in my cart. Throwing convention to the winds +(one really could not trouble about Mrs. Grundy +in Mongolia some five or six thousand feet above +sea level with a thermometer well below zero +and an icy blast blowing from the snow-covered +mountains), I decided upon the former without a +moment’s consideration, and arranged a sheet of +oilcloth with my cork mattress on the top on the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span> +opposite side to that on which the Chinese had +already stretched themselves. It was late, and +we lost no time in preparing and eating our +chief meal of the day. We sat cross-legged on +our beds, a low Chinese table between us, while +we ate. We were tired, and very hungry, and to +save unpacking, I shared my provisions with the +missionary. Having travelled a good deal about +Mongolia, he knew the people and the language +well, and I found him an interesting companion +in consequence, delightfully ready to pour information +out to so keen a listener as I was. I am +afraid that he thought me quite mad to wish to +make such a journey from motives other than +evangelisation or business, and he told me later +that he was greatly surprised at my powers of +endurance, and that I could take things as they +came with such equanimity. Moreover, at the +end of the journey he expressed his willingness +to allow me to join his caravan some time in +the future on an extensive tour over several +months in the western region of the country—which +was, I felt, the greatest compliment he could +have paid me.</p> + +<p>“You won’t be able to undress, you know,” +the Finn informed me, as he nervously watched +me divesting myself of my heavy riding boots; +for which superfluous information I politely +thanked him. I had had no intention of doing so +in this motley company. One’s toilet on such an +occasion was both brief and simple. I travelled<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span> +in the only garb possible in that country, a cross-seat +riding habit, and at night merely divested +myself of my outer garment in order to put on a +long sheepskin coat, took off my stock, crammed +a fur cap down over my ears, and tried to sleep. +I found this last somewhat difficult on those hard, +hard k’angs, with a regular orchestra of snores +bellowing forth from my neighbours on all sides. +The boards do not accommodate themselves to +one’s pampered body, and I used to wish there +were less of me to ache.</p> + +<p>It was not much after 4 a.m. when the Mongols +woke us next day, and we drank our tea and ate +some bread and butter to an accompaniment of +much shouting as they persuaded the animals +into their harness. There was little inducement +to wash, for the top of the Han-o-pa Pass was +intensely cold in April, and what tried me more +than anything else was the difficulty of keeping the +skin on my hands and face in that harsh, alkali-laden +atmosphere. Our Chinese companions, who +had put us through a perfect catechism before +we all settled down for the night, we left still +snoring on the k’ang. Our joint hotel bill for the +accommodation, and including the tip to the man +who sat up all night at the bellows, was somewhere +in the neighbourhood of 3½d., but being +foreigners, we doubtless paid more heavily than +did the Chinese.</p> + +<p>Our early start was somewhat discounted by +the breaking down of one of the wagons half an<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span> +hour afterwards on the most exposed part of the +mountain. The wind cut us through and through, +and the sight of the snow and ice on all sides did +not tend to make us feel any more comfortable. +(One learns patience and philosophy in this country, +if one learns nothing else.) My beautiful old +Mongol presented his advice to the carters as to +repairing the wagon, and then proceeded to climb +up into the other one, thrust himself deep down +amongst the cargo, and drawing all the available +covering over his head became, for the time being, +lost to view. I quickly adapted myself to my environment +and followed his example, thus beginning +the day by endeavouring to finish the night, +and sleeping in my cart until nearly nine o’clock, +when, calling up my pony, I had a delightful ride +until our next halt, at tiffin time.</p> + +<p>The day had by this time resolved itself into a +condition of springlike perfection, and we had +passed from the rugged barrier of the Han-o-pa +region to a grassy plateau, finding a good deal of +the land as well under Chinese cultivation, crops +of wheat and oats just beginning to show themselves +above the ground. By their assiduity, their +perseverance, thrift, and industry, the Chinese +here are persistently pressing onward and forward +into Inner Mongolia, year by year a little more +and a little more, colonising, and putting land +under cultivation, ploughing up great tracts which +perhaps the previous year had furnished grazing +ground for Mongol live stock, their clusters of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span> +little mud houses forming landmarks in the bare +landscape.</p> + +<p>Long strings of ox-carts were here winding +their way up towards the mountains—unhappy-looking +oxen with a vast amount of endurance, +wretched little carts carrying a load of three sacks +apiece, weighing from six to seven cwt. They +travel very slowly, and on this narrow rocky road +they are compelled to stop and make way for +everything that either passes or meets them. +The creaking of a string of ox-carts, sometimes as +many as a 100 to 150 tied to one another, once +heard will never be forgotten. The wheels are +fixed on to solid axles which revolve with them and +the rest of the structure is the personification of +simplicity. Held together by wedges, the one +thing needful to its well-being is water. Allowed +to become too dry, the ox-cart falls to pieces. +Kept properly damp, it forms the most serviceable +of all means of transport across the desert. +The camel for celerity, but slow and sure is +decidedly the characteristic of the ox-cart.</p> + +<p>The first camel caravan we saw bearing hides +and wool down to Kalgan met us hereabouts. +The Mongols at the rate of one to every fifteen +beasts, stared and stared at me and my pony, +while I returned the gaze with interest. The +staying power of camels is proverbial. The caravans +in Mongolia march from twenty-five to +twenty-eight miles a day, averaging a little over +two miles an hour, for a month, after which the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span> +animals require a two weeks’ rest when they will +be ready to begin work again. Their carrying +powers all the same do not bear comparison with +the ox-cart. The ordinary load for the Bactrian, +or two-humped Mongolian, camel is about 2 cwt. +For riding purposes, though despised by the horsey +Mongol, a good camel may be used with an ordinary +saddle for seventy miles a day for a week in +spring or autumn without food or water. The +points of this particular species are a well-ribbed +body, wide feet, and strong, rigid humps. The +female camel is pleasanter to ride and generally +more easy-going than the skittish young bull camel, +who in the months of January and February is +likely to be fierce and refractory. I have heard +it said that if a camel “goes for you” with an open +mouth, you should spring at his neck and hang on +with both legs and arms until some one renders +you timely assistance and ties him up. Generally +speaking, however, they are not savage. They +make as though to bite, but seldom actually do. +The female might, in fact would, try to protect +her young; and the cry of a cow camel when +separated from her calf is as pathetic as that of +a hare being run down by the hounds.</p> + +<p>It was at a somewhat superior inn we drew +rein at midday with the double object of resting +our animals and refreshing ourselves. The +pleasant Chinese who owned it invited us into his +private apartment, a relatively clean room, and it +was here that I made my first cooking experiment<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span> +on the journey. In a biscuit box, which when we +set out contained a dozen eggs, was discovered +the early development of an omelette. Weeding +the eggshells carefully away from the same, I +replaced them by chips of cold ham, thus in course +of time producing what I considered to be a dish +worthy of the excellent <i>chef</i> to whom I had so +lately said farewell at the Wagon-lits hotel at +Peking.</p> + +<p>Alas! for my well-meant effort. The Finn felt +extremely unwell after partaking thereof, but in +a subsequently confidential moment he explained +to me that the omelette had unhappily not harmonised +with a vast amount of cake which he had +during the morning eaten in the sad intervals of +wakefulness while I was riding and he was snoozing +in my cart out of the wind. The innkeeper +kept us company, of course, during the meal, when +he gave us the latest intelligence concerning the +movements of the Mongol and Chinese troops. +All along the caravan route to Urga, he told us, +the Mongols were removing their camps and +flocks to remoter quarters for fear of being +pillaged; and even down here, little more than +a day’s journey from the frontier, most of the +colonists were ready to pack up their ox-carts at +an hour’s notice and hurry away to the security +of Chihli.</p> + +<p>The day, which had begun with so much promise, +developed badly, a high wind sprang up from the +north, and, laden with alkaline saturated sand<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span> +lashed one’s face into a condition of soreness. +Riding, as we were, straight into the teeth of it, +our progress was slow and the hour late when we +made for an isolated and miserable little compound +in which to pass the night. So few wayfarers +had we seen during the day that it seemed reasonable +to suppose that we should have the place +almost to ourselves; but not at all. A most unholy +looking crew of Chinese and Mongols appeared to +occupy every possible corner when the door was +opened, and we were told baldly that there was +no room for us here at all. There was, however, +no alternative but to remain, and with a little persuasion +on the part of my old Mongol, a few of his +fellow-countrymen betook themselves to a less +comfortable shed which the innkeeper had considered +unworthy of sheltering us. Some of them +remained, and there was, of course, nothing to do +but to make the best of it. The Finn told me that +he thought he could get the Chinese men turned +out as well if I liked, but this would have been a +desperately unsportsmanlike thing to do, and I felt +that one could not possibly allow a missionary so +to prejudice his profession. I could see that he +was relieved by, and much appreciated, my point +of view, which I must say seemed merely an elementary +action in “playing the game”.</p> + +<p>There were some nine or ten of us to share +the room, and two of the Mongols looked most +awful villains. I always slept with my revolver +under my pillow—most people did, I fancy, during<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span> +those troublous times—and I was amused at the +Finn remarking, “You should put your trust in +God rather than in firearms”. I told him that I +quite agreed with him, but that I had always +believed that intelligence combined with a straight +eye had been given to us with a view to helping +ourselves in tight corners. This same excellent +man, be it related, never himself travelled without +a revolver in his pocket and was at this time +the proud possessor of a shot gun into the bargain. +It struck me afterwards that he was not unreasonably +a little nervous as to whom I might +shoot were I to wake up suddenly frightened in +the night. As a matter of fact, the known possession +of firearms in such a country is in itself +a certain amount of security.</p> + +<p>Getting away in the early morning was always +rather a business. My stubborn mule had sometimes +to be coaxed and threatened alternately for +half an hour before he would allow himself to +be put between the shafts of the cart, and finally +our caravan would get under weigh, disentangling +itself from the apparently inextricable confusion +of the crowded compound.</p> + +<p>Mongolian dogs, roused by the crackings of +whips, keeping up an incessant growl, breaking +into a savage bark should the unwary visitor +venture too near; weary ponies with drooping +heads tethered to the stone pillar in the middle; +ill-conditioned pigs nosing about everywhere in +somewhat hopeless search of provender; and,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span> +as souls apart, the stately camels in picturesque +groups looking superciliously on, snarling and +snapping as their owners urge them to kneeling +posture to receive their loads—such is the composition +of the inn compound as one hangs around +shivering in the chilly dawn, ready to hoist oneself +into the saddle and be off the moment that the +caravan is on the point of starting. It does not +need great experience in this sort of travelling +to be firm in seeing one’s entourage set out +before one departs oneself.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“Those who know when they have enough are rich”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE countryside at this point, some seventy +miles north-west of the Great Wall, +begins to lose its cultivated aspect and +to develop into great stretches of undulating +prairie as far as the eye can see, which would +have been ideal for riding had one had no retarding +caravan to be kept in view. By this time I had +grown quite attached to my pony, for although +obstinate, as Mongolians must always appear by +comparison with Europeans, he had a very fair +mouth and was evidently used to being well +treated. The monotony of the plains was broken +not far from the last sign of civilisation, Haraossu, +a place composed of a temple and a few +houses, to reach which we had the excitement of +fording a river, the carters making no end of +a bother about this. First of all they persuaded +one of the younger Mongols to divest himself +of his trousers in order to wade out to ascertain +at which point the animals would best be able to +negotiate it. He walked into the water gingerly +enough, the others all pouring advice into his +ears at the tops of their voices, and after a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span> +considerable delay and a ridiculous amount of +fussing and preparation—the water in the deepest +part did not come up to our axles—we got over +with great yelling and shouting. The little red +pony in my tandem flew over as though demons +were after him, nearly upsetting the cart by +rushing up the steep bank on the opposite +side. My saddle pony went over quietly enough +with me on his back, I having reassured him by +letting him drink a little water first, and having +therefore no difficulty at all.</p> + +<p>The last mud hut, a private house—there being +no more inns on this side of the Gobi desert—was +reached long after dark. It was a truly depressing +habitation, the only virtue of which was that it +was almost deserted save for an old man and +his two sons. They may have had relatively +comfortable quarters, but all that they could +be induced to give us was the merest little outhouse, +a lean-to shed, from the roof of which +hung cobwebs heavy with the dust of ages. +Warmth or comfort there was none. Stacked +round the walls and in the corners were harness, +primitive agricultural appliances, a collection of +fusty bags, and a mass of rubbish. When the +dim light of our candles penetrated to the rafters +we saw hanging therefrom a number of skins of +sheep, goats, etc., some of them quite recently +disassociated from their carcasses and in sanguinary +condition, as well as a skeleton of what I +diagnosed as a cat.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span></p> + +<p>It was a horrible place and so appallingly dirty +that one felt desire neither to eat nor rest in it. +Packed up on the tail of my cart, however, I +carried a canvas camp-bed of which I had not +expected to make use before arriving at Ta-Bol. +Here it was a great comfort, for at least it raised +me above the dust-level of the crowded k’ang, +and one did one’s best to become oblivious of the +surroundings as soon as possible. The owners +of the place were evidently very nervous, and +a murmur of conversation kept me awake most +of the night. They would tell us nothing, however, +and pretended ignorance of all that was +taking place in the country. Seeing some fowls, +we persuaded them with some difficulty to sell +us a few eggs, which they assured us were perfectly +fresh. To my surprise, however, in applying +the test of spinning them round, they whirled +like a teetotum, and I learned for the first time +of the native custom of hard-boiling them as soon +as they were laid.</p> + +<p>We awoke to very cold weather next day, and +I found to my sorrow that my pony had developed +a swollen back and that it would be unwise to +saddle him. Starting by leading him, I tied him +up later on to the tail of the cart just in front of +my own, thinking to keep an eye on him as we +followed. But this was too undignified for the +game little beast, and with a toss of his head he +broke his reins and went off at a gallop, heading +for the detestable quarters we had left an hour<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span> +earlier. This delayed us considerably, for we had +already made a late start owing to my stupid old +Mongol first breaking the strap which held my +bedding together and then so packing everything +into my cart that I could not possibly get into it +as well. The entire contents had to be disgorged +and re-arranged.</p> + +<p>By this time I had got my carters pretty well +into shape, and they were beginning to realise +that things had to be done in my way, that the cart +was mine <i>pro tem.</i>, and that I was not out for their +sole amusement. In a country where women are +wont to take such an entirely back seat it needs +time and perseverance to establish this novel +state of affairs. As I had foreseen, there being +two of them to one of me, they tried in a mild +way to bully me by seating themselves on my +shafts at the same time, thereby, when I was +inside, completely obscuring my view, and putting +me on a level with the native women who are +neither seen nor heard. It was, too, only by +considerable firmness that I established a right +to my favourite possession, a large sheet of +Chinese oilcloth. My bed was spread upon it +at night, when it made a sort of neutral territory +between myself and the many insects by which I +was likely to be attacked. By day it shielded my +baggage from the dust and occasional rain storms, +as well as gladdening my eyes when they rested +upon its brilliant imperial yellow. Not once but +many times did my driver try to annex this<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span> +precious oilcloth in order to protect his fodder +therewith.</p> + +<p>With two of the Mongols who accompanied us +for their own convenience, I had very little to do. +One of them, a son-in-law of the older man, was +a mere youth, very under sized, of seventeen or +eighteen, whose wedding, I learned later, was the +great event of a few months previously in Inner +Mongolia. The father-in-law treated him with +much respect and consideration, for the boy is +rich as Mongols go, and was returning from Kalgan +with saddle bags filled with purchases for his bride; +most uncomfortable they must have been, since +they pushed out his short legs from the saddle in +a most ludicrous way. Starting an hour or so +later than we did, they were handed a packet of +letters which arrived just after I left, as well as +a dollar’s worth of stamps. They remembered +to give me the letters a day or two afterwards, +but I can only conclude that they kept the stamps +to trade with next time they visited Kalgan, for +I saw them never at all.</p> + +<p>Mongols pure and simple inhabited the hut at +which we drew rein for our horses’ midday rest, +and girls with bright chubby cheeks and large +dark eyes came out to stare at us. After this +between us and the Gobi there was nothing but +boundless prairie with an occasional group of +Mongol yourts, or tents. The air here was so +clear that the eye carried for a considerable +distance. Far out on the horizon one may see<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span> +objects bobbing up and down, and, like a ship +upon the high seas the sails of which come into +view long before her hull, these objects gradually +resolve themselves into figures, and a couple of +Mongols mounted upon camels dawn upon one’s +view, swinging along at a great pace, the wind +at their backs. They are the pioneers of a storm +and great clouds of dust are rolling up behind them. +The unusual sight not only of a whirlwind, but of +a whirlwind walking across the prairie was very +striking. It revolves at a tremendous rate upon +its own axis as well as making swift progress. In +the high wind we found hereabouts, I several +times saw two or more solid columns of dust +rising high into the air, apparently stalking each +other over the plains. Another curious and +equally amusing sight was that created by lumps +of camel wool, which, becoming detached, are +blown along gathering loose dry grass and more +wool on their way, gradually forming huge +boluses and trundling along in the high wind with +an amazing velocity.</p> + +<p>We were now in Mongolia proper, and the +language of the people we met appealed to me +as infinitely more musical and harmonious than +the throaty sounds that emanate from the mandarin +speaking Chinese. Early in the day we arrived +at the home of my old Mongol, Dobdun, and here +in his yourt we were evidently not only eagerly +expected, but received a very hearty welcome +from the wives, a lama priest, brother of our host,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span> +and from a number of young people and children. +There were several yourts clustered together, +and outside the ubiquitous Tibetan prayer flags +fluttered in the wind. As we rode up, we were +greeted by a volley of barks from several ferocious +dogs, and in Mongolia one soon learns never to +dismount until some one from the yourt comes +out to control them. When within shouting +distance of the settlement at which one wishes +to stop, one should stop and call out the word +“Nuhuoi” (Mongolian for dogs), which as a +rule brings out not only the dogs themselves, if +they are not already on your tracks, but the +inhabitants of the yourts who are bound by law +to control them.</p> + +<p>The yourt is an umbrella-like framework of +trellis-wood covered with rather thick felt, which +when new is perfectly white, and in travelling in +cold weather I ask for nothing better than to be +housed in one of these. Some 14 to 18 feet in +diameter, they are circular in form, having a dome-shaped +roof. The door, which is originally painted +red, faces always south or south-east. Upon +entering the yourt, you are confronted by the +little family altar, on which is arranged a Buddha +and perhaps several smaller and subsidiary gods, +together with sundry little brass cups containing +offerings of one sort and another. In front of the +altar is a low Chinese table, and round the sides +of Dobdun’s yourt were some fine old red lacquer +chests for clothes and valuables. Most of these<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span> +had nice old Chinese locks, but on one of them +the Finn recognised an European padlock as his +own which he lost when travelling a year ago with +this same Mongol. He did not call attention to +the fact; it would be of little use, for Mongols pick +up and pocket things when the opportunity occurs +and think nothing at all of it.</p> + +<p>Dobdun’s yourt was exceptionally well-equipped. +The ground was covered with semi-circular mats +of very thick white felt with a device <i>appliqué</i> in +black as a border. Some handsome skins were +also strewn about. The centre of the yourt was +occupied by an iron basket of flaming argol, the +smoke from which escaped through a circular +opening in the roof. Our host, my quondam +“boy,” being a man of means, had some handsome +cushions for his guests to sit upon, and on these +we squatted cross-legged. There is a considerable +amount of etiquette to be observed in visiting +a Mongol family, and the first thing to be +remembered is of significant importance. Just +as one does not carry an umbrella into a London +drawing-room, neither should one take a whip or +stick into a Mongol yourt. To do so is tantamount +to an act of aggression, and the proper +thing is to lay them on the roof outside as one +enters. Once inside, the usual palaver, as in +China, takes place as to where one shall sit, and +it is interesting to reflect how very nearly related +after all in some respects our own manners are to +those of the Asiatics. It would surely be a very<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span> +modern young person who would plump himself +into the largest armchair before his elders and +betters were disposed of.</p> + +<p>To the left of the fire are the seats of the lowly, +and the inevitable invitation to “come up higher” +necessitates a certain amount of elasticity on the +part of those unaccustomed to sink gracefully to +the ground into a cross-legged position. Should +cramp ensue from squatting thus, the visitor should +remember that to sit with his feet pointing to the +back of the tent is a heinous breach of good +manners. If stretch they must, it should be towards +the door, not the altar. On the other hand, +if the foreigner divests himself of his headgear, +which among the Mongols is not customary, he +must place it higher up than, that is, on the altar +side of, himself. If the word of greeting has for +the moment been mislaid, as in my own case it +invariably was, bows and smiles carry one a long +way all the world over. Friendliness, but never +to the point of permitting the least familiarity, +seemed to me in the East to pave the way as a +rule.</p> + +<p>With their warm welcome, a good deal of curiosity +is naturally combined, and I did not flatter +myself that it was “love at first sight” which +made the ladies of the family so anxious to sit +near to me. Again, as the Chinese do, the Mongols +like to finger one’s clothes, get a close look +at our “funny white eyes and light hair,” and if +one wears a ring, they are as amused as children to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span> +be allowed to try it on. But Dobdun, having had +some experience of Europeans was not going to +allow his womenkind to over-reach themselves, +and their share in the entertainment was to initiate +me into the mysteries of Mongol tea-making, and +keep the fire going, and then, literally, to take a +back seat and allow the superior sex to converse.</p> + +<p>Having finally settled into such seats as befitted +the relative dignity of the visitors, an interchange +of snuff-bottles took place, but in the case of +Mongols alone it would be the caller who would +offer his to the host and then to the others present. +Of all their personal possessions, there is nothing +more highly prized by the Mongols throughout +the country than their snuff-bottles, which, in the +case of rich men, are frequently made of carved +jade, crystal, and precious stones. A considerable +amount of ritual surrounds the offering and receiving +of the snuff-bottle. Our host, however, pandering +to our foreign ways, produced his snuff, and +I learned from him to receive it in the palm of my +hand, lift it slowly to my nose, sniff, and then +bowing return it with deliberation to the owner. +Dobdun’s habitat, I was warned, was not to be +taken as an index to all yourts, for the general +cleanliness, as well as the quality of the tea there, +were vastly superior to anything else I was likely +to meet in Mongolia. I was, in fact, being let +down very easy in my initiation.</p> + +<p>The Mongols are very hospitable and insist upon +giving the visitor tea and milk. It is at first a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span> +trying experience to know that good manners +compel you to drink from a filthy bowl the still +filthier milk which you see taken from a skin bag, +made from the “innards” of a sheep, hanging +up the side of the yourt, and offered to you by +hands which from the day they were born appear +never to have been washed. Brick tea, of which +there are several qualities, and which in some +parts of Mongolia still forms the currency, is made +at Hankow from the dust and sweepings of the +leaf. It is used throughout the country, and +forms the staple drink of the Mongols. It is +brewed by shavings, cut from the slab, being +pounded up and stewed indefinitely in milk, to +which salt and a cheesy description of butter +are added.</p> + +<p>The relation between the tea and the argol was +somewhat too intimate for my peace of mind, and +it went sometimes much against the grain to drink +from a bowl wiped out by the fingers of some dirty +old woman who the moment before had been +employed in feeding the fire with the horse or +camel droppings. The collecting of argol is a +source of constant occupation throughout the +spring and summer, when after being spread over +the ground in the sun, it is piled in great mounds +near the yourts for use during the winter months. +It makes a good hot fire and has practically no +smell at all when burning. While engaged in endeavouring +to drink this saline mixture and at the +same time to convey the impression that I liked it,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span> +an elderly man in a loose robe of dark red cotton +cloth, his head clean-shaved, rode up, dismounted, +and came in. He was presented to me as “my +brother, the lama”. He was an old friend of the +missionary, and they at once entered into an +animated conversation.</p> + +<p>A particularly handsome small boy with large +and merry brown eyes made his appearance soon +after, and to my surprise, lama priests being +vowed to celibacy, was introduced by Dobdun as +“the son of my brother, the lama”. The Finn +chaffed the priest gently on the subject of the +breaking of his vows, whereupon every one laughed, +including the illegitimate son, who, a fine lad of +twelve or so, had already been dedicated to the +temple and was now a lama student. They retaliated, +I heard subsequently, by asking the missionary +what on earth he was doing travelling about +the country with a woman. This might have +embarrassed me had I known the language. It is +not the first time that I have experienced the blissfulness +of ignorance. The lama in embryo and +his little sister were quite willing to be photographed +later on, and were posed for me by their +seniors at their usual occupation—gathering argol.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f9"> +<img src="images/fig9.jpg" alt="caravan"> +<p class="caption">A CAMEL CARAVAN</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f10"> +<img src="images/fig10.jpg" alt="lama"> +<p class="caption">THE LAMA IN EMBRYO, AND HIS LITTLE SISTER GATHERING ARGOL</p> +</div> + + +<p>In spite of Dobdun’s constant association with +missionaries at Kalgan, in spite of the fact that +he knows by heart quite half of the Bible, that he +has had every opportunity and every encouragement +to become a Christian, he remains as devout a +Buddhist as ever he was; and, although interested +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span>in the religion of the Western world, he regards +it as similar but vastly inferior to his own faith. +And so he continues to enshrine his little brass +figure of the prophet, and at sundry times he +doubtless makes his prostrations, and fills up the +many little metal cups with suitable offerings of +corn and wine to his god.</p> + +<p>Thus my first impression of a Mongol yourt was +an extremely pleasant one, and I was sorry at the +end of an hour or more to say farewell to my first +Mongol friend, little knowing that he had no intention +of letting me very far out of his sight and +that he would turn up again within the next forty-eight +hours in order to present his foreign protégée +to his various friends in the neighbourhood. But +you never know your luck in travelling, and in +seeking shelter for the night you are as likely as +not in winter to find a very different sort of yourt. +The young calves and lambs share the warmth of +the stove with their owners, and, if the size of the +family (a very elastic term here) is out of proportion +to the accommodation of the yourt, they will +all lie down together, well wedged in with their +feet towards the fire in the middle, the animals +squeezing in where they can.</p> + +<p>Delightfully drowsy hours in my cart over +smooth prairie followed the substantial meal in the +warmth of the yourt as we pressed on toward +Ta-Bol, when I was suddenly awakened by an unexpected +halt, in time to see the Finn dismount +at the sight of a couple of Mongols on camels who<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span> +drew up to speak to him. The camel-riders made +their beasts kneel and they swung themselves out +of their saddles to shake the missionary warmly +by both hands. By this time a third man riding +one and leading another pony appeared on the +scene and the four men squatted on the ground in +earnest conference. It transpired that they were +attached to a great caravan on its way down to +Kalgan; that they had already been obliged to +go much out of their way in order to avoid the +soldiers; and that they would be thankful if the +Finn would give them “written words” in case +any further effort were made to commandeer their +camels. I provided them with leaves from my +note-book for the purpose, and the Finn did what +he could for them.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f11"> +<img src="images/fig11.jpg" alt="mails"> +<p class="caption">CARRYING MAILS</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f12"> +<img src="images/fig12.jpg" alt="wayside"> +<p class="caption">BY THE WAYSIDE</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f13"> +<img src="images/fig13.jpg" alt="reins"> +<p class="caption">‘HE DREW REINS TO TAKE STOCK<br> +OF THE FOREIGNER’</p> +</div> + +<p>Exactly why his words should have weight with +Government troops in a country under martial +law, I could never quite fathom. Perhaps it was +that the soldiers from China and these Mongols +from Urga would not be able to speak one +another’s language—more than probable. These +Mongols at all events departed quite happy and +apparently much reassured by the missionary’s +advice. The horseman lent the Finn the capital +little pony he was leading. They would meet +again before long, he said, and then it could be +returned to him. That night I reached the most +northerly point of my little excursion into the +wilds, and camped out in the vicinity of the only +mission in the heart of Mongolia.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span></p> + +<p>Lack of hospitality has never been one of the +variety of faults so erroneously attributed to missionaries, +but the little five-roomed mud structure +which housed two families as well as three or four +unattached men and women, to say nothing of an +adopted Mongol orphan, had its limitations, and +I was not at all sorry to pitch my own tent rather +than tax the already overburdened resources of +this newly established station. It was but a few +weeks after my visit that this little community +had to fly for their lives in the face of the pillaging +Mongols from the north, and up to the present +time there has been apparently but little hope of +their returning to rebuild the ruins of their compound, +and to resume their almost hopeless task +of conversion. Missions in China are making +quite unprecedented progress at the present time, +owing doubtless in some degree to the prevailing +desire for Western education and enlightenment +in general. But Buddhism, or indeed any other +form of belief, has nothing approaching so strong +a hold over the Chinese as Lamaism has over the +Mongols, where in every family at least one boy +is dedicated from birth to the priesthood, and +where lamas are estimated as forming over 60 per +cent. of the total male population.</p> + +<p>Within hail of this plucky little band I pitched +my tent, and for the first time experienced the +diversions of life under canvas in what was practically +winter and during a gale. Among certain +things I lay claim to have learnt at Ta-Bol was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span> +how to appear cheery and optimistic at breakfast +time when from early dawn and even earlier one +had been engaged in finding out all about the ways +and possibilities of canvas during a raging hurricane. +The Mongols are an astonishingly feckless +lot of people compared with the Chinese who +nearly invariably “go one better” and improve +upon anything one shows them from the Western +world. The first thing that happened when I +retired for the night was the collapse of my canvas +bed. The “boy,” to whom the business of erecting +it and my tent had been entrusted, had +satisfied his conscience by merely hooking the +ends to the bed supports, and had left the sides +(literally) to rip. They did. With a tremendous +effort, the light blowing out at intervals, I managed +to detach the frame from the canvas and begin +again. In course of time, and extremely cold, I got +into bed. By 3 a.m. I was aroused by the flap of +the tent untying itself and making a most irritating +noise. There was nothing for it but to wake +up thoroughly and make it fast.</p> + +<p>I think I could not have been asleep more than +half an hour before I gradually became conscious +that my tent appeared to be the sole obstacle in +the path of a tremendous hurricane on its way +down from Urga to Peking, for all the force of the +gale sweeping over hundreds of miles of desert +seemed to be expending its force upon the canvas. +The flap-flap was merely the overture to a grand +chorus, and the cords on one side of the tent<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span> +suddenly freeing themselves from the pegs outside, +the entire place became transformed in the +twinkling of an eye into a pandemonium.</p> + +<p>The dust was dense and my belongings blew +round in it in base imitation of the whirlwinds +which had amused me so much during the early +part of the previous day. Loose corners of the +tent smacked at everything with extraordinary +vigour, smashing all that came within their reach +and inflicting stinging slaps as one sought to make +them fast. Any sort of light was out of the question +and chaos reigned for hours. Having made +the ropes fast again and, regardless of dust, +deposited everything upon the ground with the +heavier articles on the top as the only possible +expedient, I again made a bid for the oblivion of +a final nap. From sheer exhaustion I managed +to sleep again even in that storm, to wake up +shivering with cold and in a gritty condition of +great discomfort. For the rest—every single +article in the tent had to be cleaned when the wind +went down. Among things I noted during that +eventful night was that it is essential when sleeping +so near to the bosom of mother earth in winter +to pack as many clothes underneath as on the top +of one’s body in a canvas bed. More than once I +woke up in the morning quite stiff with cold.</p> + +<p>Life, however, is full of contrasts, and “joy +cometh with the morning”. At an early hour +a missionary called upon me with a pleasing +proposition from the Mongols, who, hearing that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span> +I had a gun, thought that it would be a good +opportunity to organise a wolf hunt. Wolves are +the arch enemies of the Mongols on account of +the tremendous amount of damage they do to the +stock. The Mongols hunt them with a zest bred +of vengeance, and ride them down (at a somewhat +severe cost to their ponies, for the pace is terrific +and the strain great), finally lassoing them with +a loop of raw hide attached to the end of a +pole. The wolf thus caught has a poor time at +the hands of the revengeful hunter, and I heard +horrible stories of the unfortunate brutes being +pegged down to earth, jaws bound, skinned alive +except the head, and then set free. Of Mongol +bravery there is no doubt, but the reason they +give for wolves never attacking men in Mongolia is +typical of their “bounce” and conceit. Wolves +certainly “go for” people in Russia immediately +north, and in Manchuria and China immediately +to the east and south of Mongolia. The Russians +and Chinese, say the Mongols, are cowards and +run away, while they, the Mongols, attack the +wolves, yelling and shouting.</p> + +<p>A certain she-wolf had for some time carried +on successful forays in the neighbourhood, and +had done considerable damage, not only among +the flocks and herds, but had even pulled down +a colt quite near to a settlement. Her lair, where +it was suspected that she was maintaining a litter +of young cubs, had been located on a distant +hill-side. Our armament on this occasion was,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</span> +though varied, quite insufficient, and consisted +only of our service and two smaller revolvers +as well as a shot gun. We lacked the essential +rifle. The expedition, however, was not wholly +unsuccessful. Taking a line well to leeward of +the suspected hill-side, four of us with as many +Mongols, armed with spades and picks, spreading +ourselves out with a view to cutting off the retreat +of the old wolf, should she attempt to dodge +us, began a silent march over the dried-up grass. +We had walked for less than half an hour when, +sure enough, the vibrations of our footsteps +carried the news of our approach through the +earth to the lair, and in the distance we descried +the lady, who, while keeping her weather eye +upon us, was making off at a swinging lope at +right angles to us. If only we had had a rifle! +Each of us was ready to pose as a certain shot and +swore to the unquestioned demise of the wolf in +such a case. A couple of excellent shots from the +service revolver scuffed up the dust after her +retreating form, and some of us ran at an angle +and tried to head her off by shooting in front of +her. But pack of novices that we were, she got +well away, her tongue no doubt in her cheek, and +we watched her regretfully into dim distance.</p> + +<p>Hard work was to take place of suitable +weapons. The lair was not difficult of discovery. +The hill-side was a perfect honeycomb of holes, +and we tried several before settling down to the +task of a navvy upon the most promising group.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</span> +We all took our turn in wielding the two Chinese +spades the Mongols had brought with them, and +before long we had made a deep gully some eight or +nine feet in length and four or five in depth which +we fondly hoped would soon disclose the nest. Our +disappointment in discovering that we had merely +turned up a passage which went off sharply to the +innermost recesses of the slope was great, and +two of the party threw up the sponge, declaring +that the game was not in the least worth the +candle. Personally, I had ulterior motives in +view, and was nothing loth to getting my muscles +into trim by such excellent exercise as digging. +To become the owner of a couple of wolf cubs +and to take them back with me to Peking and +possibly ship them home alive seemed to me very +well worth while.</p> + +<p>We dug all day, and towards evening decided, +on the advice of the Mongols, to try to smoke +out the wolves by lighting a fire at another +entrance to the group of holes upon which we +were engaged. We were certainly rewarded, +not by a capture of wolves, but by one of the +most wonderful sights I had experienced in the +East. Whether accidental or intentional, it was +not very clear, but in any case the Mongols +managed to start a prairie blaze which ran like +wildfire over acres and acres of dried-up grass. +It was a wonderful display. Numbers of eagles, +harrier eagles, they called them, hovered and +hung over the burning expanse, swooping down<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</span> +with deadly certainty upon any ground game that +might run. It was very interesting to watch four +of these great birds hunt and chase a miserable +white hare which simply had no chance at all.</p> + +<p>There is any amount of sport even in this +unpromising part of Mongolia; antelope, prairie +chicken, and hare offering a welcome variety to +the everlasting mutton of the stewpot. It was +fortunate that the fire spread in a direction away +from the little mission station and the Mongol +yourts near it. At night the whole horizon to +the west was glowing, and one could see flames +leaping high from time to time as they licked up +some little bush or scrub, the hillocks becoming +sharply outlined for a while and then part of the +blaze itself. Had the strong wind of the night +before kept up we should have been in a tight +corner. It was an alarming as well as a beautiful +sight. The relentless progress of the crackling +flames was awe-inspiring, and the phenomenal +part of it all was that after laying bare some +thousands of acres, the whole thing seemed to +fizzle out almost as rapidly as it had begun. +I gathered that it was against the law of the +country to start such fires, but the Mongols +seemed to think that it all made for good and +that the new grass would have all the better +chance by the clearing off of the old.</p> + +<p>At daybreak the following morning a couple of +us sallied forth once more to the scene of yesterday’s +excavations, and seeing from the distance<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</span> +some movement among the upturned earth we +fired, to find upon closer inspection that one fluffy +little cub playing outside the hole had been badly +peppered and that another one had been killed +outright. That there were more inside was fairly +certain, for a litter usually consists of from five to +seven or more. We decided to continue digging +operations. After several hours’ extremely hard +work and a display of great bravery on the part +of one of the missionaries who burrowed into +the hole, where there might very well have lurked +the parent wolf, until nothing but his feet could +be seen outside, we came upon a nest of three +more cubs as well as a wounded one in a passage +leading to it.</p> + +<p>The Mongols were delighted with the bag, and +clamoured for the pretty soft little creatures whom +it went to my heart to destroy. One was spared +for me, and I fed it for several days from a Mongol +baby bottle—but it died. The baby bottle of the +country, I may mention, is the horn of a cow +pierced through to the tip, with a teat cut from +the udder of a sheep attached thereto. A great +many babies whose mothers have died in childbirth +are, I am told, brought up in this way. By +the time we had finished our labours we had dug +a trench of over twenty feet long, sometimes +seven feet in depth, to say nothing of various false +tracks, in the process of which we turned up +several tons of very tough earth, blistered our +hands badly, and made a most untidy mess of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</span> +hill-side. Over and above their joy at having +given the happy despatch to no fewer than six +of their potential enemies, the Mongols were +delighted to cut up the wolves for the sake of +their livers, which form one of their most highly +valued medicines.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“That the wicked have plenty to eat is no indication of the<br> +approval of heaven”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i><br> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">I</span>T would be unkind to recommend any sensitive +person to make a first experiment in camping +out among such a friendly, but inquisitive +crew as the natives hereabouts, and I could but +be thankful to have served my apprenticeship in +this respect in China. After travelling, very much +off the beaten track, sometimes for eighteen +months in his country, the Chinese, wherever I +met him, in Mongolia or in Russia, or in Russo-Japanese +Manchuria, seemed far more to me like +“a man and a brother” than the inhabitants of +any of the latter countries. The casual manner +in which the Mongol would walk into one’s tent +was, to say the least of it, embarrassing; and I +have heard it said that quite a little grievance +exists among those who from time to time visit +Peking for trading purposes or on official business +because the houses of Europeans are not open +to them as are their hospitable yourts to the +traveller in their country.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f14"> +<img src="images/fig14.jpg" alt="methuselah"> +<p class="caption">METHUSELAH AND HIS DAUGHTER-IN-LAW</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f15"> +<img src="images/fig15.jpg" alt="caravan"> +<p class="caption">ONE OF THE LARGEST CAMEL CARAVANS THE AUTHOR HAD EVER SEEN</p> +</div> + +<p>An old, old man dropped in one day to see me, +stone deaf, and dumb. I had been hearing a good +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</span>deal and in great variety about their superstitions +regarding devils, and when this wrinkled old leather-face, +overshadowed by a sheepskin cap black with +the dirt of ages, silently approached me in the +half-light of late afternoon, it was as though the evil +one had materialised. Very thin—there is no soft +corner in the Mongol heart, as in the Chinese, for +the aged—very tattered, and with bleared eyes, +Methuselah gently fingered all my belongings, +passing his filthy fingers up and down the bristles +of my hair- and tooth-brushes with evident enjoyment. +My interest, to say nothing of my astonishment, +was far too great for me to think of +raising any objection. Poor old man!</p> + +<p>Far from being venerated on account of advancing +years the old people in Mongolia run a +very good chance of being crowded out of their +yourts by the younger generation, and left to live +or die with no more possessions than a bit of felt +covering and a meagre allowance of food on the +dust heaps surrounding the settlements.</p> + +<p>A son of my old visitor had been a lesser mandarin +in this part, but was dispossessed as the result +of having been altogether too grasping in his +“squeeze” of the soldiers whom he was supposed +to pay with money that was provided for that +purpose. Four or five fairly well-to-do yourts +were the fruit of his ill-gotten gains, and his chief +wife, the T’ai-t’ai, showed me with pride her +beautiful headdress which she said was worth over +one hundred taels, which it was not difficult to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</span> +believe. A number of relations crowded into the +yourt when I went to pay my call—an astonishingly +picturesque crowd in blue, purple, and +lavender coats, mingling with the bright orange +and dull red of the lamas’ habits—all more or less +dirty, and some very ragged. The men with their +shaggy fur caps and silver-mounted hunting knives, +ivory chopsticks hanging in cases, and flint and +tinder purses slung on silver chains round their +waists or attached to their girdles; the women +with elaborate headdresses of the same metal, +richly studded with jade, coral, and sometimes +pearls, are all really very imposing.</p> + +<p>Nothing would satisfy them but that I should go +to call upon the little bride of the family and their +son, her boy husband. Escorted by the mother-in-law, +I made my way to a very new-looking +yourt covered with clean white felt and with a +newly painted red door. It formed quite a landmark +among the others, which were in varying +stages of dirtiness and decay. We were received +by the young bridal couple, who, arrayed in all the +splendour of their wedding garments in my honour, +had omitted to tidy up their habitation, which presented +a sorry spectacle of thriftless disorder. I +gathered that some of the wedding presents had +been of a practical nature, for I noticed—incidentally +by hitting them with my head—haunches +of antelope and joints of mutton hanging from the +roof just inside the entrance. The marriage did +not seem to me to promise particularly well, for +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</span>although amply endowed with such worldly goods +as the Mongol heart could desire, the boy and girl, +children that they were, seemed distinctly snappy +with each other, and each kept his or her own key +of the red lacquer chests which contained their +respective treasures.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f16"> +<img src="images/fig16.jpg" alt="bride"> +<p class="caption">A MONGOL BRIDE</p> +</div> + +<p>The girl’s bridal coiffure was quite wonderful, +and back and front her strings of coral and silver +chains, with their massive ornaments, reached +almost to the bottom of her coat. I noticed that +the older women’s strings of beads seemed to +grow shorter with age, and gathered that, as the +girls of the family married, their headdresses were +contributed to by the senior generation. A bride, +therefore, in a poor family possesses much finer +jewels than does her mother, who, like many a +mother at home, has been impoverished by the +wedding.</p> + +<p>The tribe of this region is the Chakhar of South +or Inner Mongolia, and owing to the proximity of +China they are, I believe, the least pure bred of +any. In the main a nomadic people, they move +their settlements under normal conditions but twice +in the year, the principal object being, of course, +fresh pasture for their cattle. They also, however, +attach some importance to tradition, and +will move their yourts just a few yards sometimes +just for the sake of having done so. A fairly +well-watered country, the locale of the yourts is +to some extent determined by the wells, but the +areas are relatively circumscribed, and there is +little difficulty in discovering at any given time<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</span> +the whereabouts of any particular family one may +be seeking.</p> + +<p>The great lamaseries are necessarily of permanent +structure, and fine temples surrounded by +a number of yourts and rough houses of Chinese +type form villages of considerable size. One +comes upon them unexpectedly like oases in the +desert. Once a most warlike tribe and foes +greatly to be feared by their Chinese neighbours, +the Chakhars appear to be now a more +peaceable folk than their cousins of the North, +and have not, in unison with the Khalkhas, sought +to throw off the Chinese yoke with the downfall +of the Manchu dynasty. I have heard it said that +the Chakhars are cleaner than other tribes, but +for the truth of this statement I am unable to +vouch; and truly, in view of the fact that it would +be difficult to be dirtier than they, I myself find +it hard to believe it. Mongols, generally speaking, +are an extraordinary dirty people, and one of their +superstitions is that if they have too much to +do with water in this life they will become fish in +the next incarnation. They suffer much from +contagious diseases, on account of their habits as +well as owing to their lack of morality.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f17"> +<img src="images/fig17.jpg" alt="chakhar"> +<p class="caption">A TYPICAL CHAKHAR</p> +</div> + +<p>The Mongols are, I am told, some of the most +frankly immoral people in the world, and this is +not the result of the absence of moral code, for +theoretically this latter is of the strictest possible +character. The lamas certainly have an extremely +bad reputation; certain orders of them are +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</span>allowed to marry, but the great bulk of the immense +population of priests is nominally celibate. +Among the various orders of the priesthood are +some whose mission it is to travel about the +country to collect money for the temples. When +one of these holy men (the greatest villains unhung, +would be my honest opinion) visits a settlement +he is invited to stay in the richest yourt, +given the best of everything to eat, and the chief +wife, or, if he prefers her, the daughter, is offered +to him as a matter of course. There is no question, +I believe, of these women, who belong to the +lamas, being looked down upon—far from it. But +as far as I could observe and understand, women +entering into this irregular alliance do not wear +the distinctive and very beautiful headdress of +the married woman.</p> + +<p>Lamas throughout Mongolia have their heads +clean-shaven, and in this region their ordinary +dress consists of long tunics of coarse cotton in +varying tones of terra-cotta and yellow, bound +round the waist with sashes of dark red, as well +as long folds of the same material which, worn +ordinarily across the chest, are on ceremonial occasions +and whilst officiating unwound and used +in shawl fashion. Even were there no other distinguishing +feature between the Mongol and +Chinese, by their boots you would know them +all the world over; clumsy, loose-legged affairs, +coming two-thirds of the way up to the knee, the +dignity of the Mongol is very greatly diminished<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</span> +if he has to walk or run in such a footgear. Toes +upturned, the sole is thick and cumbersome, the +boot fits nowhere at all, and the walk degenerates +into a shuffle in consequence. For purposes of +differentiation the laity are called black men, their +hair being worn in long handsome pig-tails, the +front of the head shaved in Chinese fashion. I +was present on the occasion of the inauguration +of the first Parliament of China’s Republic in +Peking in the spring of 1913, when the Mongol +representatives, three of them from Inner Mongolia, +were conspicuous in that ultra modern and +newly cropped assembly by their <i>queues</i>, by their +high boots, and by their old-world satin-brocade, +fur-trimmed coats of a richness and quality now +seldom seen in Peking.</p> + +<p>Men and women are extremely fond of dress and +ornaments; the former run to beautiful and valuable +snuff-bottles, elaborate decoration of their +hunting knives, tobacco pouches, chopsticks, and +flint and tinder boxes. Extremes seem to me to +meet in the cherished possessions of an old Mongol +mandarin. He showed me with much pride an +up-to-date rifle, a splendid pair of Zeiss field-glasses, +and then his flint and tinder box.</p> + +<p>Ta-Bol, the meaning of which, “five mountains,” +suggests a somewhat distorted view of the slight +elevations which surround it, proved to be a +pleasant centre for my short sojourn in the Chakhar +country, and I managed to get a variety of +experiences into the time I was there. In a north-westerly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</span> +direction and distant some 60 li from +Ta-Bol lies Hankarawa, an important citadel of +lamaism and the largest temple of Inner Mongolia. +In perfect weather and over the most delightful +riding country imaginable, with a good track +across undulated prairie, an early start was made +in order to have plenty of time on arrival. My +star seemed in the ascendant, and it was truly a +lucky day that I chose for the expedition.</p> + +<p>Forming a suburb to the lamasery were half a +dozen or less yourts near the entrance, and these +I found on closer inspection were primitive little +stores kept by the Chinese for supplying the +lamas—who here, as in most other places, do no +work at all and produce absolutely nothing for +their own use—with the necessities of life. The +courtly owner of one of them pressed me to enter, +when he at once offered me the best tea that I +had had since I left South China. In stumbling +phrases, I expressed my appreciation and enquired +whether the tea was not from the Bohea +hills of Fukien. This let loose a flood of conversation +(of which, I must confess, I hardly +understood a word), out of which I disentangled +the fact that my host had come from that province +and was delighted to speak with one who knew +and admired his native city, Foochow. As to +paying for my entertainment, they scouted the +idea, and when I departed I felt that at least I had +now one friend in Mongolia.</p> + +<p>As I approached the entrance to the place it all<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</span> +seemed abnormally quiet and deserted. I knew +there were hundreds of lamas there, but no one +was about and not a sound was to be heard. It +was all very mysterious. It was not until I had +tentatively opened many doors and peered into +the gloom of sundry temples, in one of which a +very old lama sat quite alone, droning his prayers +in the Tibetan tongue, clashing a pair of cymbals +and beating a big drum with his hands and feet +respectively all at the same time, that I heard +sounds as of clapping and applause. I found +them difficult to locate. Chancing on the entrance +to an unpromising looking and, as far as I could +see deserted, compound, I leaned my weight +against the great painted wooden doors, which +giving way with a loud creak, precipitated me +most unexpectedly into the midst of an unlooked-for +entertainment. My own surprise can hardly +have been less than the combined astonishment +of some two to three hundred lamas, ranging from +little boys to old hoary-heads, all squatting on +the ground in the sunny forecourt of a temple.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f18"> +<img src="images/fig18.jpg" alt="lamas"> +<p class="caption">TWO OR THREE HUNDRED LAMAS SQUATTING ON THE GROUND IN THE<br> +SUNNY FORECOURT OF A TEMPLE</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f19"> +<img src="images/fig19.jpg" alt="hankarawa"> +<p class="caption">HANKARAWA</p> +</div> + +<p>My sudden appearance with a camera in their +midst was apparently most disconcerting, and one +and all they covered their heads with the dark +red sashes. To take a snapshot on the spur of +the moment was literally a reflex act on my part, +and had my life been at stake in the doing of it +I could not have refrained. As it was, for a +moment or two perhaps the situation was a trifle +strained, and whether my intrusion would be +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</span>resented, as it might well have been in that out-of-the-way +corner of the earth, was exceedingly +uncertain. Scowls and anger were expressed all +too plainly on the debased faces of many of the +younger men, but at a sign from one of the leaders +they seemed quickly to recover their equanimity, +resumed their occupation, and offered not the +slightest objection to my presence, when, by signs, +I asked permission to walk round the outskirts of +the gathering.</p> + +<p>The deep red, vivid orange, and pale cinnamon +of their clothes suggested great borders of parrot +tulips ranged on either side of a wide flagged +path leading up to the chief lama, who quite +possibly had seen, what probably few of the others +had, white faces visiting the temples in Peking. +He allowed me to take a photograph at close +quarters, smiling (at his own cowardice, I presume) +the while. The little boys made hideous faces at +me as I strolled round, and the young men of +twenty or so, an age at which I always feel there +is most to fear from devilment and cruelty, looked +at me in an unmistakably hostile manner.</p> + +<p>A little group of men stripped to the waist +formed the centre of operations, and these it +transpired were candidates for a degree. They +were being examined by the seniors and cross-examined +by their junior colleagues of all ages. +Each side backed its fancy apparently and all +indulged in wild clapping and gesticulation, some +of them rising from the ground in their excitement<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</span> +and yelling approbation or the reverse to the +victim of the moment. The brown-faced old chief +lama sat suave and imperturbable throughout. +The scene was as picturesque as it was interesting +and fraught with mystery.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards the assembly dispersed, and, +freed from the restraint of their elders, the young +lamas hustled round me in an aggressive and +pugnacious sort of mood. I have found in my +limited experience that to meet this kind of thing +good-humouredly, but never to show the least sign +of embarrassment, usually has a placating effect. +I allowed one or two of the more objectionable +youths to look through my camera, for instance, +but when one of them wished to take it from +me for a closer inspection I smacked his hand away +as I would have done a child’s, whereat they +laughed. Not more than five per cent of the +uninitiated seem able to see anything through the +lenses of a camera, but if one or two can be made +to do so the others are placed at a disadvantage, +which, to some extent gives one the whip hand.</p> + +<p>In the same way with the Chinese. On +rare occasions I was faced with the type of +swanking young man who conceives it to be +his mission in life to make the foreigner “lose +face”. He usually begins by calling attention +to one’s limited knowledge of his language, +but I succeeded more than once in turning +the tables by enquiring if he knew “English +talk,” “French talk,” “Russian talk,” and so<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</span> +forth. A contemptuous shrug of the shoulders +and an expressive movement of the hands, with +a well-there-you-are look on your face, and the +crowd laughs with you, while the swanker retires +to reflect on the fact “that they don’t know +everything down in Judee”.</p> + +<p>On one occasion in Mongolia it became essential +for me to assert my position. The lad who had +insisted, against my wishes, upon accompanying +my caravan up country (I discovered afterwards +that he was actually the owner of and alone could +manage the pony which helped to draw my cart) +declined to carry out my instructions in some +small matter or other one day, and, moreover, +when I insisted, he was cheeky, imitating me in +the way I spoke Chinese almost before my face. +This could not, of course, be permitted for an +instant. I waited my opportunity, and later in the +day on returning from an expedition I asked a +missionary to explain his misdeeds very carefully +to him, and to help him to realise that though I +might not be able to speak his language I did not +intend to stand any nonsense from him. I stepped +in at the end of the harangue and seizing him by +the pigtail I administered the severest chastisement +I have ever given, boxing his ears soundly several +times. The crucial question had arisen. Was I +to lose face, or was he? I have to admit that I +was not “hitting a man of my own size,” but +the effect on the Mongol onlookers was excellent, +and as for the lad himself—well—he and I and a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</span> +young Mongol spent the greater part of next day +together hunting for eagles’ eggs, far away from +the camp. That I taught him the approved +Western method of blowing eggs with one hole +only (some of them were in an unpleasantly +mature condition) sealed our relationship, which +remained friendly until I left China.</p> + +<p>One romantic evening in South Mongolia comes +back to my remembrance in Europe as it were +in a dream. I had arranged to accompany my +old friend the Finn on a visit to a distant settlement +in order to see whether these people there +with whom he was totally unacquainted would +give him a hearing at all. After a ride of some +twenty li or so, we arrived late one Sunday afternoon +at a group of tents sheltered from the north +and easterly winds by a belt of low hills, and came +to a halt a hundred yards away from the most important +looking yourt with a shout of “Nuhuoi”.</p> + +<p>The people emerged from the surrounding +tents and restrained the very savage dogs who +were howling for our blood. Women controlled +them, kneeling on the ground and holding them +in by their collars. The moment the dogs see +that strangers are given a friendly reception there +is no more trouble with them until the time +for departure comes, when the same performance +has to be repeated. The owner of the yourt we +had selected for our visit was a Mandarin of some +standing, and his fine manners greatly impressed +me as he offered us the snuff-bottle in the most<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</span> +courtly fashion imaginable. With him was a +very handsome man who might from his gentle +and learned appearance have been—what one +likes to imagine they are—an Oxford don. This +was the Mandarin’s secretary, and having lived +from time to time in Peking, he had acquired +something of the culture and refinement of the +Chinese upper class. Through him, the Finn +addressed most of his remarks to the Mandarin +who was keenly entertained until the subject +of Western religion was broached, when he completely +changed his aspect, becoming palpably indifferent, +if not a little sulky, remaining with us +only because good manners compelled him to do so.</p> + +<p>People from neighbouring tents swarmed in, +crowding and jostling each other at the entrance +in order to catch a glimpse of the foreigners. +The atmosphere became not a little thick, the +doorway being absolutely blocked up by a solid +little mass of humanity, little faces even peering +in between the ankles of the older folk. +A motley crew indeed, the sun streaming in like +a brilliant shaft through the hole in the roof, +the rest of the interior in deep shade, the colours +of their clothes and the whimsical faces of the +people making altogether a fascinating study. +The Finn suggested that I, as a new-comer to +Mongolia, would like to hear some of the music +of the country, and there was a great pow-wow +as to who should perform for my benefit. After +a prodigious wait, two young lamas disappeared,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</span> +soon to return, the one with a long multi-stringed +instrument of wood distantly related, perhaps, +to the zither family; and the other bearing a +banjo-like affair provided with four strings.</p> + +<p>In the dim light from the setting sun, and with +a shyness charming to behold in these usually +somewhat truculent youths, they twanged their +strings in pretty little minor chords, and from +time to time one of them would sing quietly and +very bashfully of the prowess of his historic +forebears. The singer of the settlement, a girl, +was, I gathered, too shy to appear at all. It +was all so weird and barbaric, so remote from +life as I had known it, and so extraordinarily like +a dream. The Mongols, as I learnt during my +months in Peking, are totally unlike the Chinese +in their relation to music. While I was in Peking +the last of the Manchu empresses departed from +the disturbed life of her country, and the lamas, +of course, played an important part at the funeral +ceremonials. Grouped in a little temple-like +structure to one side of the platform upon which +the obeisance to the memorial tablet of the dead +empress was made, some forty or fifty priests +in brilliant togas of Imperial yellow satin intoned +a solemn dirge which was absolutely in harmony +with the atmosphere of mourning. Many people +who deny entirely the least suggestion of musical +sense to the Chinese were, I remember, greatly +struck with the extraordinarily deep and rich +tones that came from the Mongol throats in their +Gregorian-like chanting.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“The best riders have the hardest falls”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE people in the neighbourhood of Ta-Bol +were quite a friendly lot, and I was frequently +invited to go and have a chat in +the various yourts. To persuade one inside and +therefore to be at close enough quarters to enjoy +a thorough inspection of the foreigner’s clothes, +hair, “light eyes,” etc., was a source of much +enjoyment to some of the younger women, and +turning a blind eye, that <i>sine quâ non</i> of all good +travellers, upon the dirt and disorder, I managed +to see the people under more or less normal conditions, +which one seldom succeeds in doing when +journeying with a definite goal and object. In +some of the yourts, each one, it seemed to me, +dirtier than the last, were delightful babies, confiding +little creatures who had never known harshness, +some of whom wore really beautiful charms +of jade and lumps of amber round their brown +necks, which nothing could induce the mothers to +sell, for fear of jeopardising the fortunes of their +little ones. From what I saw of them, both in +the north as well as in the south, I came to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</span> +conclusion that the youthful Mongolian, until he +arrives at such an age to be dedicated to the +vicious life of the lamasery, is a particularly happy +little person. The boy baby dominates the yourt +as much as he dominates the palace, but I imagine +his little sister has a rather fairer chance in life +than she often enjoys in the Chinese family. At +any rate, I never saw a child being ill-used in +Mongolia, and to hear one cry is of rare occurrence. +Families all over Mongolia are, I am told, +small, and in one yourt when the mother of twins +was presented to me as a somewhat phenomenal +person, she apologised for the fact and said, “The +foreigner will regard me as being like a dog to +produce two children at one birth”.</p> + +<p>Upon returning one evening to my camp, I found +that the local Mandarin had sent across one of his +camels in response to a remark of mine that I had +never ridden one. The natives, I think, expected +a fine entertainment, for there were several unwonted +loafers hanging about the compound. The +camel looked a nice gentle young thing, and we +took to each other at first sight. At a word from +the man who brought her, she knelt in order to +receive me in the saddle, which was the usual sort +of Mongol affair with very short stirrups. Having +neither reins nor bridle is at first disconcerting, +but I was assured that it was simple enough to +steer with the single rope of camel’s hair which +is attached to a wooden pin running through the +cartilage of the animal’s nose. I was lucky in not<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</span> +coming off at once, for it takes a little experience +to remember that in rising, hind legs first, the +camel pitches you forward against the front hump +and then shoots you back again when the fore-quarters +of the creature come into position. I +had no intention, however, of making merry for +the Mongols, and blithely declining to be led (I +somehow trusted that camel), I started off at a +gentle pace, wondering how on earth I would stop +her should Madame la Chamelle take it into her +head to run away with me.</p> + +<p>Days of see-saws and swings are to me a still +cherished reminiscence. I by no means disliked +the undulating motion which to many people recalls +the Dover-Calais boats, and, gaining assurance, +I dug my heels in and essayed a gentle +amble. Madame obliged me, and we were, I +fondly believe, mutually satisfied, when I, becoming +rashly familiar upon so short an acquaintance, +used a word I had learned from the Chinese when +riding a donkey along the dusty roads near the +Imperial summer palace at Peking. “Dôk, Dôk,” +I gaily remarked to Madame, merely (and quite +unnecessarily) to suggest that she should pick +up her feet and not stumble. I forgot that her +scholastic attainments included only her mother +tongue and that she did not know the Chinese +language. The effect was striking in more senses +than one. She came to a sudden standstill and +with a tremendous heave shot me on to her front +hump as she plumped down upon her knees. It<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</span> +was but by the mercy of providence that my neck +was not broken, and that with the second movement +reversed I regained my seat. Fortunately +we were well out of sight of onlookers, but my +confidence was badly shaken, and it was only when +it occurred to me that “Sŏk, Sŏk,” was the expression +of the Mongols when they wished their +camels to kneel to be loaded up that I felt forgiving +and able to forget the little misunderstanding.</p> + +<p>The expression of a camel’s face is always one +of supreme contempt. Camels remind me of +certain elderly and aristocratic spinsters who, +possessing no money and but little brain, have +one asset, their social superiority. But I like it +all the same, breeding in camels or spinsters +either as far as that goes.</p> + +<p>During the whole time that I was at Ta-Bol +rumours came daily to our ears of the increasingly +disturbed condition of the country, of fighting that +had taken place or was expected to take place at +no very great distance. The missionaries were +warned by the authorities that they must hold +themselves in readiness for flight at an hour’s +notice, and that they would be wise if they lost no +time in sending their women and children into +regions of safety. A trio of Chinese officials were +located somewhere in the vicinity, and the utmost +secrecy was observed in regard to their movements +while the general atmosphere of unrest and +nervousness prevailed.</p> + +<p>It was not difficult to see that if I wanted to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</span> +carry my whole scheme into effect, which was to +return to Peking, make my preparations, and start +again at once for Europe by way of the Gobi +and Siberia, I had better lose no time. This little +expedition was merely by way of a preliminary +canter in order to gain experience for the more +ambitious journey right across the desert, as well +as to test my capacity for really rough travelling +and primitive living. My journey back to China +promised to be a lonely one. I should this time +have neither Finn nor Mongols riding with me for +company, but merely the two Chinese who were +daily becoming more uneasy and restless at the +news from the north, and who were pestering me +with enquiries as to when we were to return to +the safety of Kalgan.</p> + +<p>Disliking anything savouring of monotony and +being, moreover, interested in the possibilities of +Inner Mongolia from the European point of view, +I decided to go back to Kalgan by a different route +from that by which we came. I had heard in +Peking of a large horse-farm financed by a small +syndicate in China, at which lived a solitary German +overseer, a long day’s journey to the south-east +of Ta-Bol at a place called Dol-na-gashi. I +was told that this would be interesting to visit.</p> + +<p>Although it was only early May, I had on the +whole been most fortunate as regards weather +during my trip, but at the time of my proposed +departure a typical Gobi gale sprang up and delayed +me for a couple of days, during which time<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</span> +it was impossible to do anything at all. The only +satisfaction I had was that all my belongings were +packed up and out of the dust.</p> + +<p>My Chinese driver demanded money before +starting; he had apparently run up a bill with +some Mongol, for fodder, he said, and he would not +be allowed to go before he paid up. I had stayed +away longer than my servants had anticipated, +the original arrangement being that half their +total hire should be paid down at starting, and +the remainder handed over when they delivered +me safe and sound in Kalgan again. I certainly +believe that it added considerably to my safety +to travel very light as regards money: I took +with me but a few dollars. I was careful now +to give my men money enough only for their +immediate necessities, and to retain the whip +hand by keeping the bulk of it until the end of +the journey. I am afraid that we were a somewhat +surly trio as we turned our backs upon +Ta-Bol and set our faces homewards in the icy +wind and stinging dust. The Chinese were annoyed +at having to make this détour by—to them—an +unknown route, while I have to admit being +rather “under the weather” myself.</p> + +<p>A Mongol rode with us some distance to put +us in the right direction for the horse-farm, and +before nightfall we arrived at a substantially +built and very comfortable bungalow, planked +down in the middle of interminable prairie, upon +the borders of an extensive shallow lake which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</span> +provided resting place for numbers of wildfowl. +Surrounding the bungalow were yourts, and long, +low stables, in which I learned later the magnificent +Russian stallions who were to improve the +breed of Mongol ponies were housed. Concealing +his astonishment at the unexpected appearance +of an European lady at his door, the +German overseer, speaking excellent English, +gave me a most cordial welcome. The interior +of the bungalow contained all the comfort of +a farmhouse in Saxony, and glad I was to stay +there for a night, and thus to reduce by one the +number of uncomfortable inns to be experienced +on the way back to Kalgan. After the ugly, +undersized though serviceable little Mongol ponies +to which one had become accustomed, the magnificent +horses—Russian crossed with German, +if I remember aright—looked like giants. Their +powerful build with short arched necks and small +heads was very dignified indeed, and for the first +time in all my wanderings I felt a suggestion of +homesickness as I looked at them, and wondered +how far the development of the motor-car would +have gone to oust the horses which are seen to +greater advantage in London during the season +than anywhere else in the world.</p> + +<p>A bunch of 500 Mongol ponies scattered about +the prairie was the material with which my host +had to work. He had not, he told me, so far had +particularly good luck with them owing to sickness +amongst the mares, and he did not seem to think<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</span> +that the immediate prospects as regards financial +success were any too rosy. One point about this +horse-farm that interested me particularly was +that with all their horsey proclivities, their +vaunted horsemanship, and general prowess, the +German overseer preferred to employ Chinese +to Mongols as infinitely more reliable with the +animals in all respects.</p> + +<p>We made an early start next day. The weather +had cleared again. A handful of cigarettes between +them transformed my Chinese into the +cheeriest and most considerate companions. +Previous to this they had been, perhaps, rather +rubbed up the wrong way—most unintentionally, +I am sure—by first one person and then another +conveying instructions to them. But now +that they were solely responsible for me and +to me, no one could have behaved better. Once +succeed in giving your Chinese employee a real +sense of responsibility and you have one of the +most trustworthy men in the world to deal with +is not only my own experience, but that of men +who have lived half a lifetime in China. Those, +indeed, who live there longest like them best. I +have long since come to the conclusion that as far +as is practicable with virtually no knowledge of +their language the more one manages one’s native +servants oneself and without assistance the better +one will hit it off with them. As soon as ever +the third person intervenes, misunderstandings, +ill-temper, and disagreement result.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</span></p> + +<p>I was certainly pleased with my drivers when +they told me that if I did not mind cutting tiffin +and the midday rest, they thought that they could +take me to a distant inn where I should be much +more comfortable than at the obvious halt. +Nothing loth, and quite content with a diet of +walnuts and dates, since that was all that was +accessible in my cart, we travelled for twelve +solid hours on end. The men were in high +spirits, shouting “Whoa, whoa,” to the animals +(which in Chinese topsey-turveydom means of +course “hurry up”—I was taken in by this every +time) and cracking jokes all day, because, as the +Yankees say, they “felt so good”. It was certainly +a hard day, and at the end of it we met, +what to me was a never-failing joy, one of the +largest camel caravans I had ever seen. Slowly +climbing up over the horizon it loomed between +us and a gorgeous sunset, gradually dawning upon +our vision as it came swaying along in the golden +haze, richly dressed Mongols lolling easily upon +the camels’ backs. There must have been over +200 camels and sixteen or eighteen men, all fully +armed, riding them, bright patches of colour in +their blue, purple, or priestly red.</p> + +<p>So completely was I absorbed in this beautiful +picture that I did not notice, neither apparently did +the men, that we were approaching the compound +of an inn on the off-side, until suddenly our leading +pony made a tremendous dash right through +the middle of the caravan across the track,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</span> +scattering the camels and causing something +of a stampede. The little brute was hungry +and had no intention of allowing a few camels +to stand between him and his supper. The +camels, who are only loosely roped together in +order to save their pierced noses should any +untoward incident, such as a stumble or cast +load, occur, spread out in all directions, and for +the moment the air was rendered sultry with +Mongol execrations. No harm was, however, +done, and every one laughed at the d’hivilment +of the fiery little red pony. But our destination +was not yet, and it was long after dark when we +arrived “at the haven where we would be”. A +long parley at the gateway of the inn filled me +with fear that we were going to have trouble in +securing accommodation, but after much wheedling +on the part of my pock-marked Chinese, we +were allowed to enter, and without a word from +me some men were turned out of a room in +order that I might have it to myself.</p> + +<p>The lad whose head I had so severely smacked +but a few days previously behaved admirably, +setting up my bed, fetching me hot water, and +then staying to see me eat my supper. It was +only by presenting him with the greater part of +a leg of mutton (I detest old mutton!) that I got +rid of him at all. Alone for a short spell, I settled +down to a hearty meal composed of the various +remains in my food box, and hurried off to bed +with the uncomfortable recollection that the boy<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</span> +had held up four fingers as indicating the hour at +which we were to start, or at least at which I was +to be called, on the morrow. Expecting to reach +Kalgan within twenty-four hours, I bestowed +certain articles of food upon the coolies who stood +round watching me pack up next morning, and +was amused to see that my men got a <i>quid pro quo</i> +for anything I gave away. A copy of “Punch” +was the means, I observed, of purchasing fodder +for the red pony from the inn proprietor.</p> + +<p>Another somewhat strenuous day brought us to +the top of the Han-o-pa Pass, and by the time +we reached the heights the colouring was superb. +Purple and pale blue mountains pushed through +a misty atmosphere, the sun shone brilliantly, and +great masses of clouds shed their deep shadows +over the gateway to North China. It was here +that the road from Dolo N’or joined our caravan +route, and we had indeed the evidence of our own +eyes that the fighting of which we had heard so +much was no mere myth. We overtook ox-cart +after ox-cart escorted by small detachments of +Chinese soldiers, bringing down knapsacks, accoutrements, +and caps belonging to the poor +Chinese who had fallen to the splendid marksmanship +and dash of the Mongol troops at the battle +of Dolo N’or. The Chinese are much too thrifty +(and poor) to allow their caps to be buried with +the soldiers. More than once, too, we saw some +miserably wounded officer being carried down +that terribly rocky pass on a rough stretcher.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</span> +One man had had to pass the night at the last inn +at which I stopped, and it was pitiful to see the +agony he suffered in being lifted on to his +stretcher again. He had been badly shot in the +lower part of the body, and I am sure he must +have wished that he had been killed outright. +People say that the Chinese are insensitive, and +that relatively speaking that they do not suffer. +One thing I know about them is that some of them +have the power of self-control very wonderfully +developed. As to their sensitiveness to pain, I +should not like to speak, but I am very certain +that it is rash to generalise.</p> + +<p>It is strange what a haven of comfort and +security one’s headquarters, however temporary, +become for the time being, and my last day on +the road was marked by the now-we-shall-soon-be-home +feeling. By way of a final experience, +we encountered for three hours over the +highest part of the pass the thickest dust storm +that it has ever been my lot to see in the East. +So dense it was, that covering myself up completely +with the oilcloth I cowered as far back +as I could get in my cart, and breathed in air +which might have been caused by a practical joker +with a bag of flour, while for safety, as well as +out of sheer humanity, I gave my motor goggles +to my perspiring driver. Appearances do not +trouble me much off the beaten track, but the +whole of the day following was devoted by myself +and a “boy” in trying to drive the dust out<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</span> +of the riding kit which I had worn in the storm, +and even from the few things which were carefully +packed away in a small box.</p> + +<p>The descent from the heights some fifteen miles +north of Kalgan was one of continuous jolt, +joggle, bang-joggle, bang, jolt. One wheel would +mount a time-worn boulder, linger a second on the +top, and slide off with a gulp into the soft sand. +The other meanwhile, would execute a “pas seul” +on a rock newly disintegrated from the mountain +side. Packed even by an old hand well versed +in Chinese travelling, everything breakable got +broken on my journey down over the Kalgan Pass, +and even the sides of my books were ground +against each other until the cardboard showed +through the cloth covers. As for my camera, +my cherished old Kodak which for over fifteen +years had served me well and in many countries, +and which especially in Mongolia had given me +cent per cent of good results, I did not mean to +let it get broken if I could possibly help it, and I +saved its life by carrying it slung round my neck +so that it rested on my chest, thus providing a +certain amount of resistance against the jarring. +The reason of this somewhat excessive destruction +was that we came down the mountain side +at top speed, reckless as to driving, in order to +reach Kalgan before the closing of the city gates.</p> + +<p>Away down on the level all our troubles were +forgotten in the compensating peacefulness of +shelter from the wind. The road along the Kalgan<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</span> +valley was very beautiful, very soothing, and full +of incident. The rugged mountains round us +were bathed in the soft warm glow of sunset, the +shadows closing in behind us fell in rich violet +tones. The trees, which little more than a month +ago had been bare, were now fully clad in their +daintiest, freshest green, and what had been a +frozen river-bed was once again a running stream. +Many men and boys watering their horses greeted +my drivers, and incidentally myself, as heroes who +had deeds of daring done, and welcomed us as +travellers returned in safety from a distant and +dangerous land. The Chinese are horribly afraid +of the Mongols.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f20"> +<img src="images/fig20.jpg" alt="scene"> +<p class="caption">A PASTORAL SCENE</p> +</div> + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“With coarse food to eat, water to drink, and the bended arm<br> +as a pillow, happiness may still exist.”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">S</span>O greatly had I enjoyed my experiences of +travel in Inner Mongolia, that it was in +a sanguine frame of mind I returned to +Peking to engage in the pleasant task of making +my preparations for a more extensive expedition. +I had not, however, been long in the capital +before I received from an authentic quarter +news which made my prospects of carrying +my plans into effect look somewhat dubious. +Confirming the rumours I had heard at Ta-Bol, +a Reuter’s telegram was published to the effect +that a battle in which 1200 Chinese soldiers had +been routed had taken place immediately north +of that place, and that the Hung-hu-tzes, once +a robber band, now authorised Mongol soldiery, +were plundering within a few hundred li of +Kalgan, and killing Mongols and Chinese without +distinction.</p> + +<p>The next thing that happened was that one +afternoon at the British Legation, forty-eight +hours only after my return from the north, I met Mr.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</span> +Edward Manico Gull, then of the Chinese Maritime +Customs Service, who, like myself, undeterred by +the question of risks, was keenly desirous of crossing +the Gobi and of visiting Urga with a view of +learning at first hand something of the political +conditions which led up to the rebellion of Mongolia +against Chinese rule. A few days later he +propounded the very practical suggestion that +it would be decidedly economical, and, what was +of far greater importance, very much safer, if we +joined forces in order to make the attempt. Plans +then grew apace. Mr. Gull left for Kalgan almost +immediately, and spent a weary fortnight in +making strenuous efforts to secure first camels, +and then a Mongol to accompany us as guide. +Only people who have had this sort of experience +can realise the constant disappointment, +the promises, the breaking of promises, the endless +procrastinations and delay that attend an +endeavour to persuade the Asiatic into doing +something concerning which he has misgivings—it +resolves itself into a perfect see-saw of anticipation +and disillusion.</p> + +<p>At extortionate rates, camels were commissioned +over and over again; a southern Mongol +undertook the duties of guide. When the time +arrived for their appearance there were no camels. +The Mongol backed out of his bargain. For my +part, I undertook the purchase of stores—a +somewhat unknown quantity, for under the +unsettled conditions of the country it was wise<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</span> +to be prepared for all emergencies, such as +dodging the fighting forces, which conceivably +might mean making a détour taking weeks. I +also bought a capital pony—alas! only to sell him +back again to his owner a few days later. But +I at Peking was less sanguine than my friend at +Kalgan. The little experience I had already had of +Mongolia had taught me something of the difficulties +of the situation, and by then the frontiers +were so tremendously guarded that there was never +the ghost of a chance of getting out of China nor of +our caravan going through the lines.</p> + +<p>To the kindness of certain friends at Peking +at this time I owe more even than perhaps they +realise. Plans had of necessity to be kept private +under the circumstances, and the sympathy as +well as the practical assistance in preparing my +outfit that were given to me in the most generous +manner possible by the two people who were in my +confidence can never be forgotten. But to cut a +long, and to me a heartrending, story short, we had, +after straining every nerve to achieve our object, +to abandon the notion of crossing the Gobi, and, +travelling by train in the most prosaic manner +possible through Manchuria and Siberia, we +arrived at Verkne-Oudinsk on the Eastern side +of Lake Baikal. The journey thither, had not +the vision of all we had missed in being forced to +cut out the Gobi from our calculations loomed +large on our horizon, would have been very +interesting. As it was, I broke my journey by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</span> +the South Manchurian Railway for twenty-four +hours in order to see something of the old capital +and metropolis of Manchuria, Moukden, while Mr. +Gull travelled on to spend a few days with some +friends at Harbin.</p> + +<p>Moukden attracted me on several counts. I +wanted to see with my own eyes something of +the effect of the Japanese influence (the line +from Peking to Ch’angch’un is Japanese) on the +Chinese in Manchuria, as well as to visit what had +been the scene of great slaughter during the Russo-Japanese +war. Most of all was I anxious not to +miss the opportunity of inspecting the small but +fine collection of Ch’en Lung pictures which +interested me deeply. These, together with an +enormous collection of porcelain, are kept, thick +with dust and but rarely seeing the light of +day, in the old palace, the ancestral home of +the late dynasty, perilously exposed, it seemed, +to danger from fire, but perhaps safer as regards +looting than they might be in China proper. One +of these days one fears that a needy Government, +if it continues to sail under Republican colours, +will cast its predatory eye on this mass of treasure, +and a long purse from the United States will +replenish the coffers of the iconoclasts at the +expense to the nation of some of the most precious +heirlooms of the faded monarchy, the priceless +possessions of Ch’en Lung the magnificent. The +tombs of the Manchu sovereigns a few miles out +of the city also helped to convince me that it had<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</span> +been well worth while to break my journey at +Moukden.</p> + +<p>From Ch’angch’un to Harbin one travels under +Russian auspices on the Chinese Eastern Railway. +Never in all my experience have I arrived +at a more depressing place than Harbin, some +eighteen hours’ journey on from Moukden. Never +have I felt more of a stranger in a strange land. +Chaos reigned among the cosmopolitan crowds on +the platforms, and I was in despair at securing +my luggage before the train went on. A friend +in need, in the person of a hotel porter, came to +my assistance after I had effected the whole +business myself, and haled me off to the dreariest +hotel it has ever been my lot to enter. Of +mushroom growth consequent on the opening +of the Siberian Railway, there is little that is +attractive in Harbin, and it was depressing to +find that Russian holidays, when all shops are +closed, necessitated remaining there for several +days in order to make final purchases. I could +find no redeeming feature in Harbin, although it +was there that an extraordinary piece of good luck +befell us. In a dismal tea garden, Mr. Gull and +I were using up a great deal of energy in the endeavour +to persuade a Russian waitress to provide +us with bread and butter, when a handsome old +man turned round and in dulcet tones said, “Would +you like me to interpret for you?” We did +indeed like, and still more did we enjoy the +conversation that ensued. We learned that our<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</span> +friend, a much-travelled man, had been in Urga, +and was therefore able to give us most valuable +information as to the means of getting there. In +the kindness of his heart, he even presented us +with introductions to a Russian who had it in his +power to be exceedingly useful to us, but who +unfortunately was absent from Mongolia when we +arrived there. This kindness on the part of a +perfect stranger was truly refreshing, not to say +inspiring.</p> + +<p>Leaving Peking as we had done by so entirely +different a route from that we had projected, we had +been unable to provide ourselves with the permits +necessary for carrying firearms in Russia. The +Russian customs are the bugbear of trans-Siberian +travel. Even when all is in one’s favour, passports +duly <i>viséd</i>, every detail <i>en règle</i>, endless +difficulties are apt to crop up, and sad and varied +are the stories with which passengers regale each +other of lost luggage, missed trains, and other +uncalled-for troubles, one and all resulting from—shall +we say excess of zeal?—at the customs. +The Russians still seem to think that they are +doing one a favour in allowing one to travel in +their unattractive and expensive country, in which +I for one certainly encountered more sheer discomfort +than in any other place I have stayed in.</p> + +<p>The settlement, it is scarcely worthy of being +called a town, of Manchuli is separated by some +forty-eight hours’ journey from Harbin. It is solely +of importance as being the Russian frontier, and is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</span> +the scene therefore of all that is exasperating +in connection with customs. It was here that we +anticipated trouble with our guns, revolvers, and +ammunition. But good fortune was beginning to +shine upon us, and owing to a little kindly advice +from another casual acquaintance, we experienced +no difficulty at all. We had been warned that +if the guns were too much in evidence they +would unquestionably be confiscated and that imprisonment +without the option of a fine would +result without doubt. Stories of the awful dungeons +on the Volga floated through my mind.</p> + +<p>My gun, therefore, was taken from its case (the +latter being sent back by post to Peking) and the +three sections wrapped up and packed among the +underwear in my trunk. The ammunition, I was +advised, should be so distributed as to give no +clue to its presence. This was by no means an +easy matter. Over a hundred rounds packed +away into a tin jug and basin, with walnuts placed +on the top, were made into an untidy brown paper +parcel. The remainder was carried in a haversack. +It being generally agreed that the less likely of +the two of us to be suspected was myself, I +undertook to do my best to perpetrate the deception. +Underneath my Burberry I slung the +Mauser pistol and a large Colt revolver; my +smaller weapon I carried in my pocket. The +ammunition for all these I had also spread about +my person. Outside my coat was the haversack, +the strap concealed round my neck, and in order<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</span> +to suggest the lightness of—food, shall we say?—I +carried this jauntily on the tips of two fingers. +The total was somewhat weighty, and I felt for +all the world like a Gilbert and Sullivan pirate.</p> + +<p>The examination of my small trunk was to me +a nerve-racking performance. To present a bland +appearance to the officials who conducted the +search was, under the circumstances, rather hard. +Layer after layer was lifted out, but when on the +verge of disclosing my disjointed gun the generalissimo +in command stayed the hands of his +underling and all was well. But it was touch +and go.</p> + +<p>Upon our box of stores we had fully expected +to pay duty, since everything entering Russia is +liable, and a few days previously I had been told +of a lady travelling home by this route with her +baby being charged full price on sixteen tins of +milk which she had purchased for her journey. +But the officials were content with the turning +out of the entire contents of the box, when finding +that there was no one article in sets of dozens, +they were good enough to pass the lot through +without charging us a penny.</p> + +<p>The remainder of the journey to our destination, +Verkne-Oudinsk, was pleasant enough by the +ordinary trans-Siberian daily express, and without +incident worth recording. There was no +restaurant car, but the station buffets all along +this route are excellent, and in taking advantage +of these for meals we were able to husband the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</span> +contents of the food box for Mongolian emergencies. +We drew up at more or less suitable +times for meals thrice daily, and soon learned to +accommodate ourselves to these or to go without +altogether. At the buffets we found capital food +at very reasonable prices, and it was usually +cooked to the minute of the train’s arrival. At +wayside stations too, we were able to buy wild +raspberries in any quantity, but never were we +able to hit these off at the same station at which +we bought beautiful cream—the equivalent of +about half a pint for a penny. Food on such a +journey (there were about fifty hours between +Manchuria and Verkne-Oudinsk) plays no unimportant +part, and for the sake of those who +fear lest they may go hungry should they have +the courage to travel other than by the <i>train de +luxe</i>, I will just mention in passing that the little +spatch-cock chickens fried in egg and breadcrumb, +after a liberal helping of the famous Russian +Bortsch (which indeed is a meal in itself) make a +dinner hard to beat. Travelling second class for +economy’s sake—for we were in utter ignorance +as to how our financial resources would hold out +in Mongolia—our travelling companions were +mainly Russian officers and their families, and +from time to time a couple of priests of the Greek +Church would get in. But one of all these knew +any language other than his mother tongue. To +find the wonderful linguists with which Russia is +usually accredited one must go, I fancy, into the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</span> +society of Petersburg or Moscow. This particular +linguist, a priest, had lived in America. The +conductors on the trains, though civil enough, +spoke Russian only. The well-equipped washrooms +at the end of each compartment were +dreadful traps for losing things, and an unpleasing +coincidence occurred when we discovered the loss +of our respective watches both on the same day.</p> + +<p>They were undoubtedly stolen. Mine was less +easily explained than that of my fellow-traveller. +For less than two minutes he had left it on the +edge of the lavatory basin, and on becoming +aware of this second loss it seemed that the time +had come for complaint. Complaint in Russian, +however, is not so easy when one does not know +one word of the tongue, and we resorted to the +primitive method of drawing the watch, and then +making pantomimic enquiries of our companions—at +that time a couple of priests and the two sons +of one of them. It was one of these latter we +had reason to suspect, and going sternly up to them, +I brandished the drawing in their faces and demanded +the watch. The father broke out to our +astonishment in voluble English, and assured us +(what parent would not have done?) that his were +good little boys, and would not think of keeping +the watch had they found it. Our surprise was +even greater when the second priest produced his +cigarette case, opened it, and disclosed the watch. +He presented it to me with an unctuous bow, explaining +that not knowing to whom it belonged he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</span> +had retained it. I am afraid that we must have +mingled incredulity with our gratitude, or perhaps +his uneasy conscience smote him, for he pulled +forth a large crucifix from his voluminous garment, +kissed it sanctimoniously, held out his hands to +both of us, and before we had time to realise the +situation kissed first one and then the other of us +amid great protestations of honesty. A most revolting +person.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“Whom Heaven has endowed as a fool at his birth it is a waste<br> +of instruction to teach”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">O</span>UR real difficulties had, however, barely +begun, and it was upon arrival at the +Hotel Siberie at Verkne-Oudinsk that we +felt completely at sea in the absence of one word +of a common language. Reaching our destination +late at night we had the greatest trouble in making +them understand that we were hungry and wished +to have supper before seeking our rooms. Eggs, +we thought, would be the simplest and most easily +obtainable fare. I therefore drew an egg. What +they did <i>not</i> think it was meant for can hardly be +described; that it was an egg never occurred to +them. Certainly an egg drawn in a hurry might +be many things. Therefore I added an egg-cup +to my sketch; and at this they stared in blank +astonishment. I think they had never seen such +a thing. I then tried to draw a chicken; at which +they laughed, but had no conception as to my +intention. With all the resourcefulness of the +superior sex, Mr. Gull had a brilliant notion. Out +of all patience—he is a peppery little man—he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</span> +pointed to my picture, and, violently flapping his +arms, he squawked “Cock-a-doodle-doo” at the +top of his voice. Delight on the part of the staff. +The demonstration had penetrated their thick +skulls, and we had eggs for supper that night.</p> + +<p>Next day our intention was to find out all about +the steamboat which was to carry us up the +Selenga River to Kiachta, but how to encompass +this was almost an insurmountable problem. The +clerks of the telegraph office had been our solitary +hope, but on acquaintance we found that this +means was worse than useless. They knew not +one word of French, German, or, of course, +English. We wandered, somewhat disconsolate, +along the dusty streets, wondering what we should +be able to do, when, when coming away from a +private house, we encountered the amiable countenance +of a Chinaman. We seized upon him, and +our troubles were, for the time being at least, at +an end. What he did not know himself, he put us +in the way of finding out, and retracing his steps +into the house he invited the master thereof to +come forth and to speak with us. This gentleman +turned out to be a German-speaking Russian engaged +in one of the more important businesses of +the place, and of his kindness we have the most +grateful recollection. He helped us to order +dinner, he walked with us, and drove with us. +He took us to the steamship company’s office, +purchased our tickets, and finally put us and our +luggage on board the “Rabatka,” waving us<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</span> +farewells from the wharf like the good friend that +he was.</p> + +<p>Verkne-Oudinsk is not a place of many attractions. +Once a penal settlement, now a military +stronghold, its main feature is the huge white +prison standing on the banks of the Selenga River +a short distance outside the town; it seems +out of all proportion to the population of some +40,000 inhabitants. This prison is capable of containing +600 men and women, and in some of the +rooms there are as many as seventy persons +herded together. Criminals of the worst order, +as well as those prisoners who have escaped and +been recaptured, are isolated, confined in dungeons, +and wear fetters on their ankles. Of +Verkne-Oudinsk’s 40,000 inhabitants some 10,000 +are said to be Chinese, while of the remainder an +appreciable proportion is no doubt composed of +Russian political exiles and ticket-of-leave men +with their families, or their descendants.</p> + +<p>In relation to the size and position of the place +the shops of Verkne-Oudinsk are fairly good. +There are also a couple of factories, while a brisk +trade is carried on at certain hours of the day in +the big market square. Considerable business is +transacted in Verkne-Oudinsk in connection with +skins, fur, wool, and timber. The first-named are, +however, exported in their raw condition and +therefore not a great many people are employed +in this trade. As in most Russian towns, the +church forms the dominant feature, and that in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</span> +Verkne-Oudinsk, with its copper-green roof and +white walls, is decidedly attractive to the eye, +standing as it does, on the banks of a flowing river.</p> + +<p>The houses, mainly of wood, and often composed +of rough logs with the bark remaining, are for the +most part of one story and border the roads on +which the dust is habitually ankle deep. The only +possibility of comfort under such conditions is to +wear the long soft top boots of the country. Yet +it is only the men of the place who do so, and the +women for the most part go about in trodden-down +slippers and with shawls over their untidy heads.</p> + +<p>The weather was by this time growing hot, and +the prospect of two days’ travelling on a river +steamboat sounded exceedingly pleasant after the +shadeless, dust-laden streets of Verkne-Oudinsk. +But we had reckoned without the mosquitoes. +The “Rabatka” can hardly be called a luxurious +boat, and the vibration and noise from the paddle-wheels +were at first not a little trying. The cabins, +arranged with three hard, velvet-covered seats in +place of berths, were very small, while the necessity +that arose for the thick wire-gauze screens +over the windows as soon as the sun went down, +rendered them almost unendurably hot. There +was a roomy upper deck upon which we had +fondly contemplated spending all our time, but +alas! the funnel emitted, not smoke, but a continuous +rain of red-hot charcoal, and in view of +the danger from fire there was, of course, no +awning.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</span></p> + +<p>The scenery, which was mildly pretty as we +passed between the pine-clad hills outside Verkne-Oudinsk, +soon became flat and uninteresting. +Selenginsk, the only village of any size and with +the usual large white church with green domes, +was passed about half-way between our starting-point +and Ost-Kiachta, and may be remembered +as having been during the early part of last +century the field of a group of English missionaries +who established there an excellent work +among the Buriats (a Russian-nationalised tribe +of Mongols). They lived there in complete exile +until Nicholas Imperator ordered them out of the +country in the early forties, the reason being that +it was English influence and not the Christianising +of the Buriats that was feared by the authorities.</p> + +<p>Delightful indeed it was to reach the little port +of Ost-Kiachta in the cool of the morning, to +make a bad bargain with the owner of a tarantass, +and to find ourselves driving along through country +which was in refreshing contrast to that we +had recently left—stretches of flowery moorland +bordered with pines and silver birches. At one +point across a shallow valley drifted sounds of +melody, which, we discovered later, arose from +the tents of an encampment of Russian soldiers. +This part of Siberia, in fact, bristles with bayonets, +and the ulterior motives of massing such numbers +of soldiers in territory so obviously peaceful is +significant enough. We must have driven for +some ten miles or more when we dashed through +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</span>the gay little town of Troitze-Casavsk, in which +churches and barracks seemed to dominate everything +right up to the door of the unpretentious, +one-storied, barn-like erection which called itself +the Hôtel Metrôpole.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f21"> +<img src="images/fig21.jpg" alt="casavsk"> +<p class="caption">TROITZE CASAVSK</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f22"> +<img src="images/fig22.jpg" alt="hostess"> +<p class="caption">OUR BURIAT HOSTESS</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f23"> +<img src="images/fig23.jpg" alt="jamschik"> +<p class="caption">THE JAMSCHIK AND HIS TARANTASS</p> +</div> + +<p>The place presented a depressed aspect, and +the bedrooms, like cells, opening off a long and +odoriferous passage, were far from cheering. +The washing arrangements, just a trickle of water +coming from a tin receptacle of doubtful cleanliness +fixed above a basin, and the sheetless, blanketless +beds were by no means inviting. The landlord, +however, a portly Serb, was a pleasant enough +fellow, and sent us in an appetising lunch, which, +after our picnicing experiences on both boat and +train was welcome. Kiachta, of which Troitze-Casavsk +is merely a division on the northern +side, we found to be a far more interesting place +than Verkne-Oudinsk. A great military centre, +with newly-erected barracks of strikingly ugly +design and capable of accommodating over 15,000 +soldiers, mars the foreground of what would otherwise +be a most charming view extending as far as +the eye can reach into Mongolia.</p> + +<p>A ribbon of no man’s land divides Kiachta from +Mai-mai-ch’eng (buy-sell city), a pretty little +Chinese township which fringes the northernmost +border of Mongolia opposite Kiachta—the +neutral territory being defined by a couple of +stone pillars on the strip of dusty waste. But +Russia has long ago broken the laws of neutral<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</span> +territory by the establishment of barracks within +five miles of the frontier, and Mai-mai-ch’eng is +depressed. They are very depressed indeed, for +the Russians are pressing the Chinese very hard +here, and, while the latter doubtless squeezed the +Mongol to the limits of his endurance, they in +their turn are being ground down and out of +existence by dues and taxation on both incoming +and outgoing goods, in face of the special protection +which is afforded to all Russian products. +The Chinese were very ready to talk about their +grievances, and we sat in their little shops and +drank excellent tea, in Russian fashion, in vast +quantities one hot afternoon while they poured +these grievances into our sympathetic ears. +Chinese, Mongols, and Russians live cheek by +jowl in Kiachta, but all told, apart from the +military, the total population numbers not many +more than a thousand souls.</p> + +<p>It is here in Kiachta that one first makes the +acquaintance of the Khalkha or Northern Mongol. +In the streets, in the market place, in the burning +heat where the sand refracts every atom of +glare, they are to be encountered. Always +mounted, they presented the most extraordinarily +picturesque appearance, and the first impression +fascinated me. One couple, an elderly rake and +his pretty young wife, we followed about while +they made their purchases. The girl, sitting +easily and gracefully on her pony, bartered for +things at the various stalls, while her elderly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</span> +swain doled out the roubles with a cheeriness +which made me think that she must surely be the +wife of “the other fellow”—it certainly was not +marital. At a Chinese booth she drank, what +looked like, sherbet, made an awful face over it, +whereat Don Yuan laughed derisively. Riding +astride, she appeared both eminently practical and +unpractical at the same time—the curious spreading +coiffure looking as though it would catch the +wind to any extent when she was going fast. This +seemed to me as though it might possibly have +been the forerunner of the Manchu headdress +which strikes one as being so attractive the first +time one sees it in Peking. The typical Mongol +swagger, of which later we were to see plenty, +was not absent from the pair, and the maiden +evidently enjoyed our interest, and was, moreover, +quite coy about it.</p> + +<p>How to get away from Kiachta was a problem +somewhat difficult of solution. Wild rumours +regarding the turbulent soldiery and the Hung-hu-tzes, +or “red-beards,” as these murderous +robbers are called, sent up the prices alarmingly. +By an European we had met in Verkne-Oudinsk +we had been told that our route might be infested +by such, and that on meeting a bunch of mounted +men in Russian boots and slouch hats we were to +shoot at sight and not to wait for them “to plug +the lead in first”. Hung-hu-tzes have the reputation +of killing first and robbing afterwards. How +sound this advice may have been it is difficult to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</span> +determine now, for fortunately we never had +occasion to put it into practice. Through the kind +offices of a solitary Dane in charge of the telegraph +system at Kiachta, to whom we were lucky +in having an introduction, we were able to come +to terms with the owner of a tarantass. The latter +is a rough cradle-like, hooded structure, virtually +springless, on four wheels, drawn by three fiery +horses, driven by a Jamschik or Russian coachman. +For sixty roubles (nearly £7), ten of them +in advance (which we inadvertently forgot to +deduct when we got to our journey’s end), our +ruffianly looking driver undertook to convey us to +Urga, but, he said, owing to the rivers at this +time of year being in flood, he would not guarantee +to do so under a week. From my point of view +this was no drawback; lingering on the road +enables one frequently to obtain an intimacy with +the local conditions which hurrying through +against time and under contract completely frustrates.</p> + +<p>I was glad to shake the dust of Russia from my +feet for a while and depart from the hotel which +at 8 o’clock on this perfect summer’s day was +still slumbering and slothful. Evidence of the +previous night’s debauch sufficed to make breakfast +in the dining-room an unattractive experience, +and it was not a place in which one cared to remain +longer than absolutely necessary. A charge +in our bill of something over five shillings for a +cooked cauliflower was proof enough that the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</span> +Russians love money though they do not love +work. Rather a Mongol yourt at any time than +an Hôtel Metrôpole in Siberia. Civilisation, so +called, is all very well, but more often than not it +destroys simplicity while in no sense augmenting +comfort.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“The Great Way is very easy, but all love the by-paths”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE sheer discomfort of our crowded +tarantass could not quench the glorious +optimism with which on the last day of +June we sallied forth on the highway to Urga. +Our driver, though he looked a ruffian, was not +unpromising on further acquaintance, and we +ended up by liking him very much. On the day +previous to our departure he had called to see +exactly how much luggage we wanted to take +with us, and this he was inclined to limit severely. +Needless to say it had expanded considerably +during the night, and we cudgelled our brains as +to how to get it into the tarantass without exciting +his criticism too much. The Jamschik was all +smiles in the morning however, and took no notice +as package after package was stowed away. +The awful thought passed through my mind that +perhaps he was in league with the Hung-hu-tzes +and felt that the more the stores the better the +booty. We were far too crowded to be comfortable. +Experience, however, had taught us that +in due course one shakes down to anything, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</span> +anyhow we were feeling altogether too pleased +with life to worry much at this juncture. With +us, surrounding us, and suspended above our +heads from the roof of the tarantass, making hard +corners and lumps when we tried to sit on or lean +against them, were our food supplies for the double +journey (which as regards time limit was exceedingly +vague), a modicum of personal baggage, our +bedding, and, not least, our cameras, firearms and +cartridges. The weapons had to be so arranged +as to be immediately available. We had but one +desire—to get to Urga.</p> + +<p>The tarantass was drawn by three horses +abreast with a fourth tied up and trotting alongside +always—in the way, poor little chap, being crowded +up banks when the road narrowed and coming +in for the sharpest cuts from the long whip on +account of his ill-luck every time. Our last stop, +long before we had shaken down into anything +like comfort, was at Mai-mai-ch’eng, just across +the frontier, where we had hoped to lay in a stock +of cigarettes, to purchase fresh bread, and to post +final letters. But, Russian influence prevailing, +Mai-mai-ch’eng had not waked up, the post-office +and bakers’ shops were still shut, and our sole +catch was cigarettes. Once out of Kiachta and +through Mai-mai-ch’eng we were actually in +Mongolia proper, speeding over undulating country +on tracks rather than on roads, driving across +flowery prairie, having said good-bye to all +civilisation and houses for the time being. At<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</span> +midday we fetched up at the first Russian resthouse, +a new and therefore fairly clean log-hut, +and congratulated ourselves upon the prospect of +simple comfort when a blue-eyed, blue-bloused +young Russian produced the ubiquitous <i>samovar</i> +and made for us even here tea the like of which +you can get neither for love nor money outside +Russia. While we ate our lunch the Jamschik +amused himself by detaching and thoroughly +oiling the wheels of the tarantass, a business +which delayed us considerably and which it seemed +to us might very well have been performed before +we started.</p> + +<p>The day which had begun so well grew dull, +and grey clouds turned into steady rain which +made us anxious as to what the night might have +in store for us. Through pretty country, grassy +and well sprinkled with flowers, a small species +of scarlet and yellow tiger-lily growing in +abundance everywhere, we drove on for four +or five hours before pulling up in a torrent of +rain at dusk, at an unexpected shanty surrounded +by three or four yourts out of which several +Mongols promptly appeared. On further acquaintance +we came to the conclusion that they +were Buriats, but be their nationality what it +may, they gave us a warm welcome; the woman +who appeared to rule the roost there did her +best to make us comfortable, dusting the rain +from us and even going so far as to wipe the +mud from Mr. Gull’s mackintosh with my sponge<span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</span> +which I had unfortunately unpacked a thought +too soon. The family appeared to be extensive, +both numerically and in size. They all helped to +carry in, and were eager to unpack, our belongings. +The good lady soon had a <i>samovar</i> bubbling +cheerily and a fire crackling in the mud stove +which occupied quite a third of the floor space. +She conveyed to us, entirely by pantomime and +we afterwards verified her statement that she +had once been in the Russian consul’s service, +that she was a Christian—there was an icon in +the corner of the room to which she pointed—and +that therefore she loved us very much and +would do anything she could for us.</p> + +<p>The men brought in a goodly supply of wood—it +was cold even in the early July nights—and +then stood and gazed at us solemnly. The entire +family and many friends from the neighbourhood +entered quite unceremoniously from time to time +to have a look at us. They would walk straight +in, stand and stare for a minute or two, finger +anything that attracted their notice, and go on +their way. Not so the little boys, of whom there +were three or four, who refused to leave us and +from whom, while they were picking up little bits +of food, we tried to pick up a word or two of +Mongolian. The sheep and goats too, squeezing +together under the eaves, tried to enter each time +the door was opened, and would have crowded +us out had we not been firm. As it was, they +kept up a melancholy “Baa, ba-a,” throughout<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</span> +the greater part of the night. There was here, +of course, no Kangue, and following our Jamschik’s +example, we spread all the available clothes and +rugs upon the floor. I lay awake for, it seemed to +me, many hours, the men snoring on the other side +of the stove, listening to the rain beating down, +and thankful to be in such relatively comfortable +quarters. Before 7 a.m. we were up again, +spreading our hard biscuit with blackberry jam +(how I regretted not having insisted upon taking +over the commissariat department and buying +bread!) and drinking our cocoa as hot as possible +in order to warm ourselves. The children came +in for the dregs, in return for which they did +their best to teach me to count up to six in their +mother tongue. I do not think that their own +knowledge went beyond the figure.</p> + +<p>It had rained all night and continued to do so all +the next day, and the night following that again, and +we were not sorry when our Jamschik intimated to +us that we had better for the moment stop where +we were. We knew that we had shortly to cross +a river, and when he raised his arms above his +head and said “Ura Gol,” we rightly concluded +that the river, swollen high, was impossible to +negotiate. Besides, next night might, for all +we knew, mean camping in the open, and this +under the present conditions of weather was by no +means enticing. We had a very lazy day, writing +a little, reading and talking, playing with any small +Mongols who happened to put in an appearance.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</span></p> + +<p>By the following morning the river was said +to have gone down sufficiently for us to cross, +and we were well under weigh by 6 a.m. in none +too promising weather. The Ura Gol was not far +off, and we crossed the rushing waters by means +of a flat-bottomed barge pulled over by wire +hawsers. We all crowded together on our tarantass, +horses, and men, paying the Mongols who +thus transported us about three shillings for their +trouble. The banks were flat, and there was +nothing to charm the eye in this part of the river +or in the bleak and hilly landscape over which +a watery sun was making a futile attempt to +shine. By tiffin time we had accomplished our +third stage and drew up at a mud hovel depressing +to a degree. The heavy rains had partially destroyed +the roof and the floor was in consequence +a morass of filth. There were living here in +melancholy exile three or four unkempt and +murderous looking men, and a very unhappy +woman with three little boys clinging about her +draggled skirts—miserable and dissolute Russians +upon whom the hand of fate had fallen too heavily +to admit even the faintest ray of hope upon +their horizon. There is something peculiarly +pathetic in the sight of the reversion to this +condition of animal existence by people who +have obviously at some time or another belonged +to civilisation. What they lived on here was +more of a mystery than how they lived.</p> + +<p>The day had cleared to a perfect brilliance, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</span> +the world seemed a cheery place as we ascended +from the mosquito-ridden and marshy valleys and +wended our way among the hills to the highlands. +Coming over a long and somewhat tedious pass, +a tremendous view rewarded us at the top of the +climb—an immense plain, ascending by gentle +slopes to the mountains, a ribbon of wheel-tracks +running across it. It was evening when our +Jamschik suddenly turned in his seat and, pointing +with his whip, shouted out something as unintelligible +as it was exhilarating. In the twinkling +of an eye we seemed to be transplanted into +another life. There, right at our feet, was a huge +Mongol settlement, girdled about on all sides by +the low-lying mountains. Numbers of yourts, +clustered in twos or threes, formed the centre of +great activity. Colour, form, and motion were +literally rampant. What in the distance had +looked like ant-hills with ants swarming around +them turned out to be the yourts surrounded by +cattle and flocks. Brilliantly dressed Mongols +galloped around in every direction; hundreds of +horses were scattered about in herds over the +foothills. The men were rounding them up for +the night. From time to time some wayward +little beast would break away from the rest, proposing +to spend the night in mountain solitude. +A gaudy stalwart would dart off after it, standing +in his stirrups, leaning well forward in his saddle, +reins held high in one hand, while in the other he +trailed behind him what looked like a fishing-rod<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</span> +ending up in a loop of raw hide. With a twirl of +his wrist he would bring this flying round at the +right moment, and lasso the pony with great +adroitness, hauling it, subdued at once by the +tightening thong, back to the herd.</p> + +<p>Nearer the camp, the women coped with the +gentler cattle and sheep, and by the time we +arrived numbers of cows were tethered with their +calves reluctantly allowing a modicum of their +milk to be diverted from its natural destiny. The +milking of a Mongol cow is less easy than it might +appear. The latter has far more character than +that cow which is confined to the proverbial three +acres, and on no account will the Mongol bovine +yield up her milk until her calf has had its whack. +I have seen them myself arching up their backs +and persistently refusing to allow one drop to be +drawn.</p> + +<p>“We shall be able to get new milk here,” rejoiced +my travelling companion, to which I replied, +“The newer the better,” and foraged for a jug +among the contents of our food basket. He was +all for buying some from the pail of a laughing +maiden who was drawing freely on the teats of a +cow tethered near by. I, however, having been +brought up for so many years under the direct +jurisdiction of those who frame the public health +laws, did not fancy the milk that had filtered +through dirty fingers into a still more questionable +sheepskin pail. I therefore waded in on my own +account, and, tin jug in hand, walked up to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</span> +nearest cow, laughing and joking with the Mongols +who crowded round me, oblivious of a murmured +protest in connection with my “appalling cheek” +from Mr. Gull, and proceeded to milk her. But +no, the cow did not see the joke. She declined +to be milked by an impertinent foreigner. I +turned to another, a gentler creature, who was +quite willing. The Mongols greeted my attempt, +my successful attempt, I may proudly add, with +the utmost hilarity, and my jug was half-full when—what +I thought was—a furious old woman pushed +through the ring, and gave me very plainly to +understand that this was her cow, and that if I +stole any more milk she would set her equally +furious dog, which was barking loudly at her +heels, upon me. The other Mongols urged me +to continue, and soundly rated the old—man, I +discovered him to be—on his lack of hospitality. +To them it was a stupendous joke, and so popular +did the incident for the moment make me that I +might have milked every cow in the place after +that had I wanted to. My companion, while +strongly condemning my action, drank the milk +with keen appreciation—“Adam”!</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f24"> +<img src="images/fig24.jpg" alt="russian"> +<p class="caption">A RUSSIAN SAMSON SEPARATES THE COMBATANTS</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f25"> +<img src="images/fig25.jpg" alt="lama"> +<p class="caption">THE LAMA AND HIS MAIDEN</p> +</div> + +<p>In the meantime, Mr. Gull and the Jamschik +had fixed up our quarters for the night. A handsome +young lama had pressed the hospitality of +his yourt upon us, and intimated that the only +other occupants would be himself and the maiden +who appeared to be attached to him. There were +from thirty to forty yourts on the plain, some clean +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</span>and new, others filthy and in the last stage of +dilapidation. Ours was reasonably clean, and the +felt, with an effective decoration in black for +a border, was in good condition. As I returned +from my milking exploit, the lama beckoned me +to enter, and as I did so, mindful of my manners, +I laid my stick on the roof above the door. To +my surprise, the priest picked it up and brought +it inside—he evidently thought that such a handsome +foreign stick would be too great a temptation +to his enemies. A great fire sending forth +volumes of smoke was blazing in the centre of the +yourt, and I found my fellow-traveller suffering +greatly in consequence as he struggled with our +baggage and the unpacking of the food box preparatory +to the evening meal. We had arrived at +a satisfactory division of labour—the culinary side, +which included “washing up,” fell to my lot, the +unpacking, repacking and cording—which had to +be done with great thoroughness—was carried +out by my companion. The great tip in a smoky +yourt is to squat on one’s heels and so keep one’s +head out of the smoke which rises at once to the +roof leaving the ground more or less clear.</p> + +<p>Half a dozen Mongols besides our host and +hostess came and sat on the opposite side of the +yourt as we spread our supper in front of us. +They boiled the water for us and I made tea, +when a happy thought struck me. I poured out +two mugs full of tea, added plenty of sugar and +milk, and rising, we handed them respectively to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</span> +the priest and to the girl. They were delighted, +and the others chortled at the unexpected good +manners of the foreigners. They rose to the +occasion at once, poured the tea from our <i>mugs</i> to +their <i>bowls</i> (for which I was thankful), and, turning +to the pail of milk behind them, filled the mugs +and gave them back to us. In phraseology journalistic, +“an excellent impression was produced”.</p> + +<p>After supper, in total ignorance as to the rules +of procedure for going to bed in a yourt, we walked +about and watched night falling on the camp. +The fierce guard dogs were let loose, and we were +left alone with two or three little lama boys who +never ceased pestering us for cigarettes. Then +we turned in; our rugs and waterproof sheeting +spread along the periphery of the yourt in order +to catch all the air that was moving. They had +evidently been waiting for us. The lama entered +soon afterwards, and undressing to the extent of +only divesting himself of his long coat and boots +disposed himself quite near to my head and was +soon sound asleep. By and by, the little girl +crept quietly in, and pulling off her great boots +with their embroidered tops of black and green, +she curled herself round like a kitten at the priest’s +feet, and with sundry little grunts settled down +for the night. Shortly afterwards, the deep silence +of the wilds was unbroken save for the snores +of our trusty Jamschik, whose hefty form lay +stretched across the entrance to the yourt.</p> + +<p>I lay awake for some time trying to realise the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</span> +strangeness of my environment; trying to realise +that I had attained the desire of my heart for the +moment—primitive life among an unmistakably +primitive people—realising alas! too well, that the +freshness and novelty of all things wear quickly +away in the face of one’s amazing adaptability to +the immediate requirements and realities of life. +Then gradually, with that easy exaggeration that +attends the semi-conscious condition, I dawdled +off into the land of the wildest dreams, becoming +merged into that essential factor which is common +to all existence, be it primitive or civilised—sleep.</p> + +<p>Dawn broke amazingly soon it seemed to me, +and by 5 o’clock we had spread our breakfast in +the pale golden sunshine on the grass outside the +yourt. By degrees the settlement awoke once +more. The camp was alive again. The women +drove the flocks hither and thither suckling, their +babies at the same time, astonishingly picturesque +in their wonderful headdresses of hair flattened +out into the shape of rams’ horns, finished off with +long plaits, at the extremities of which were suspended +coins, as often as not of Russian origin. +There was again a great deal of tearing about on +ponies, and one could but admire the splendid +horsemanship as the men sorted out their animals +and drove them to browse upon fresh pastures. +After breakfast, I watched our hostess of the previous +night making little cakes of koumiss, which +she did by squeezing the thickened mares’ milk +through her grubby little hands. She presented<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</span> +me with a cake, and watched to see whether or +no I would eat it. As she finished them she placed +the cakes on a large bamboo sieve and put them +to dry in the sun on the roof of the yourt. If one +could dissociate the taste from the appearance of +the fingers that had made it, the koumiss was not +at all bad, and reminded me strongly of a certain +cheese which, but a few years ago, promised long +life wholesale to mankind on the dictum of a great +name in science. I should have liked to remain +there for weeks, and we left the settlement most +reluctantly. That one experience alone made my +visit to the East worth while.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> +</div> + + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“I would that I were as I have been,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Hunting the Hart in Forest Green,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">With bended bow and bloodhound free,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">O that’s the life for Joy and me”</div> + <div class="verse indent34">—<i>Scott</i></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE wisdom of an early start soon became +apparent when we were obliged literally +to cut our way through forest undergrowth +for hours on end. Starting with a steep +climb, we had to dodge the water which was +pouring down in rivulets between the trees. The +erstwhile track had been washed away and now +formed the bed of a torrential river, which having +scattered the loose material was in parts quite +deep. The horses floundered about in great distress +and uncertainty for some time, and finally +we decided that there was nothing for it but to +make a path for ourselves through the thicket—fortunately +not of a particularly dense description. +To make the whole concern narrower, one pony +was unhitched, and I led him, while the men +struggled to get the tarantass through the trees, +branches from which had from time to time to +be hacked off in order to let it pass. Frequently +we had to negotiate rushing streams. One of us<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</span> +would leap over first to receive the leading rein +of the loose pony—anything but a docile little +beast—which would then jump across. It went +down once, but fortunately was none the worse, +and the Jamschik was on ahead and did not see it. +I also went down once, in the very middle of a +stream, the banks of which had not afforded a +very good take-off. Amusement in that instance +seemed to deprive my fellow-traveller of all +sympathy.</p> + +<p>Our gymnastic feats, however, were not such as +to swamp our appreciation of the scenery around +us. It was as though one gardener had decided +to make a rockery of ferns and foliage whilst the +other had come along and sewn seeds of every +variety of flowers among them. We feasted on +the sight and scent. It was marvellously pretty +here, and we lamented that the Jamschik saw fit +to press on, and bring us, after some strenuous +hours, to an open hill-side before he would allow +us to outspan and have tiffin. Certainly it was +dry enough there; hot beyond expression. The +weather had undergone a sharp reaction, and we +sat grilling in the sun until our thoughtful driver +rigged up a sailcloth, when the effect of our hard +morning’s work, to say nothing of lunch, induced +us to succumb promptly to a siesta in its shade.</p> + +<p>As to why the Jamschik should loaf now when +but a few hours previously he had hurried us uncomfortably, +we could not fathom until in the late +afternoon we arrived on the banks of the Hara<span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</span> +Gol, the most important river on our route, and +found it to be so high that it might be another +two days before we could get over in safety. +Other people had been hung up in the same way, +and we fraternised with a large family of Russians +whose destination was the gold-mining district +to the north-east of Urga. It was here that my +fellow-traveller and I had our first—and almost +our only—difference of opinion. I had my own +notions as to suitable places for camping out, and +did not at all wish to do so upon ground that from +time to time was covered with water, and which +after all was only temporarily dried-up swamp. I +was certain that we should be much harassed by +mosquitoes. We were both rather tired, and—shall +I admit it?—I, at least, felt a bit irritable. +In turn we had each indulged in a considerable +bath in the river, but I, being in no sense a strong +swimmer, had to content myself with a muddy backwater, +instead of plunging into the stream. On +my return I found that the superior sex had settled +matters and had unpacked upon a piece of ground +about 300 yards only from the little encampment +belonging to our Russian neighbours, instead of, +as I had wished, driving back a mere mile to a +delightful hill-side where we should be free from +the pest which had been my greatest trial throughout +my sojourn in the East. As a matter of fact, +the Jamschik had had, I suppose, the casting +vote; moreover, our neighbours might have felt +hurt had we gone so far away, so, with his usual<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</span> +consideration for the feelings of others, my fellow-traveller +had given way during my absence.</p> + +<p>I was, again I admit it, decidedly cross, and found +great relief in putting my gun together (for the first +time, for it was practically a new toy), stuffing my +pockets full of ammunition, and stalking off by myself +to some marshy land at a considerable distance +from the camp. My new toy was tremendously +soothing to my feelings, and I banged away a dozen +or so cartridges—incidentally killing a wild fowl +which I was unable to retrieve—with great satisfaction. +A small lame boy appeared from nowhere, +and followed me about in delighted anticipation +of empty cartridge cases. I tried to kill at +too great a range. There were wild geese and +duck in plenty, but they circled above my head, +making derisive squawks at me; and finally with +the lightest of light bags I got back to our camp +happy and hungry. I managed to maintain a +dignified reserve throughout dinner, at the end of +which, however, rested and replete, we decided +that formality and strained relations on the banks +of a river a thousand miles away from civilisation +were hardly consistent with our philosophy. A +confidential little talk during our after-dinner stroll +in the dusk put matters right again.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact we scored decidedly in +making friends with the Russian miners. One of +the party spoke a little German, and we were +thus enabled to trade tinned food and chocolate +for the fresh meat and bread which they had<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</span> +killed and baked on the river banks. Next day +we fed royally, and I maintain that the best +râgout I have ever tasted was the result of my own +genius in allying well-soaked, dried apricots with +half a leg of mutton, and stewing the lot for hours. +The apricots made an admirable substitute for the +vegetables we were unable to procure. The smell +arising from our delicious stew, must, we thought, +be making the Jamschik’s mouth water considerably, +and at some sacrifice to ourselves—it was +hungry work, this trekking—we decided to invite +him to share the feast. What was my disgust, +chagrin, when he dug his jack-knife into the +saucepan and speared out the meat, deliberately +pouring off all the gravy and apricots upon the +ground. There was nothing to be done, but I +swore there and then that this was the last time +I would invite any foreigner to share pot luck of +my providing.</p> + +<p>But if the Jamschik did not appreciate the +râgout, the dogs did. I had been driven by the +onslaughts of the mosquitoes to sleeping rather +uncomfortably in the tarantass, and all through the +night I was disturbed by these horrible animals +prowling about underneath, sniffing round the sleeping +forms of the men under the sailcloth. They did +not appear to be conscious of them, but later I discovered +that the Jamschik slept with one ear at +least on the “qui vive,” for apparently he knew his +own horses’ footsteps among a hundred, and got +up in the dead of night to hobble them when they<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</span> +wandered together with scores of others too near +to the camp.</p> + +<p>Apart from the dogs, the persistently inquisitive +Mongol boys, and the mosquitoes, camping on the +banks of the Hara Gol returns to my memory as +one of the pleasantest episodes in the journey. I +found a perfect bathing place a little lower down +the river, with a hard, shingly bottom, and though +not in the current it was perfectly clear and away +from the public gaze. From yourts far and near +we were visited by Mongols, who usually, when +they found that we did not speak their language +and could convey no news to them in consequence, +spent but a few minutes in making their inspection +and rode off again. On one occasion we witnessed +a very amusing sight. We had given a particularly +ragged lama some odds and ends of food, and +a squabble immediately arose between him and +another. They quickly came to blows, when the +smaller man, finding himself outmatched, stopped +suddenly, and picking up a large boulder proceeded +to hammer the head of his adversary. The +Russian sense of fairplay could not stand this, and +a huge man with the ruddy countenance of a +David and the flaming beard combined with the +muscularity of a Samson, walked in, and seizing +each man by the scruff of his neck, hurled the +twain apart, to the great glee of the onlookers.</p> + +<p>At a very early hour of our third day’s camp, I +was awakened with the news that the river had +gone down sufficiently to admit of a trial trip to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</span> +cross it. A great deal of preparation was necessary +in order to keep things dry, and when we +were about the middle of the river it was just +“touch and go” lest the water would overflow the +sides of the tarantass. A great caravan of us +crossed together, Russians, Chinese, and a rabble +of Mongols, who, stripped almost naked, carried +over our loads on their saddle bows. I regretted +afterwards that I took no photograph of the +crossing, but I was far too much occupied in +keeping my camera and cartridges dry to think +of doing so.</p> + +<p>The next two stages offered no special attraction +in the matter of scenery, and we broke into +the routine of the day only by leaving our tarantass +for the space of an hour that we might inspect at +closer quarters what looked uncommonly like a +foreign building about half a mile away from the +road. It turned out to be quite a large flour mill +called Wang Ch’ang Shan, belonging to a Chinese +firm, and employing apparently some twenty-five +to thirty men. Although they offered us tea and +sold us some eggs and stodgy little dough rolls at +high prices, they maintained that baffling reserve +as to their business, which amounts only to the +polite Chinese method of telling you to mind yours. +Another couple of hours brought us to an unexpected +little oasis in the shape of a promising +and well-built house in Russian style, but owned +fortunately by a young Chinaman, who welcomed +us most warmly and who could not do enough for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</span> +us. We sat on chairs and ate a delicious tiffin of +lightly boiled eggs, toasted dough rolls, and +<i>samovar</i> tea, at a table in great comfort, after +which Mr. Gull thought to crown all by indulging +in a luxurious siesta in—what looked like—a +nice clean little bedroom adjoining. I sat and +read a book over a final cup of tea. I had not +settled down for more than ten minutes when +the peace was suddenly disturbed by execrations +coming from the other room, and an earnest entreaty +that I should send in the Chinese proprietor +at once “to see”. He did so, and found the +usually philosophical Englishman rampant and +furious. Biting him, crawling over his clothes +and on the cork mattress which he had taken in +with him, were numbers of large and lively—I +must write it—bugs. Nothing but a complete bath +in a very small basin, followed by a change of +all his clothes—which involved the entire unpacking +of the tarantass—would soothe him. The incident +had really a humorous side, for we had, in +theory, contemplated encounter with every variety +of carnivorous insect on our journey; and then at +first sight to produce such a hullabaloo!</p> + +<p>Our Chinese host was careful to explain that +the majority of his guests who made use of his +rooms were less cleanly than ourselves, and that +the Russians who were his most frequent visitors +were “dirty pigs”. He was himself suffering +from a highly inflamed condition of both eyes, +and was mightily pleased when I gave him some<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</span> +“foreign medicine” with the use of which I +predicted a speedy cure, as well as showing him +how to open his eye in a wine-glass. I bore the +mild contempt of my fellow-traveller with the +patience bred of faith, and nobly refrained, when +some weeks later we returned from Urga and +found that the solution of boracic acid had done +its work in effecting a complete cure, from saying, +“I told you so”.</p> + +<p>The night following we were far away from all +humanity and passed the night sheer out on the +open hill-side down by the wheels of the tarantass. +We had had a long and somewhat dreary drive, +twelve hours in all, exclusive of a midday rest. To +go to sleep with a vision of heaven beyond the +twinkling stars is one thing—to wake up in the +cheerless grey dawn, saturated with dew and stiff +with cold, is another. We had little difficulty in +starting off at four o’clock that morning, and I do +not remember that there was a great deal of +conversation between the three of us for the +first couple of hours or so.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“Better good neighbours than relations far away”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">O</span>UR proximity to Urga became now apparent +in the increasing traffic over the +prairie. From the hill-side on which +we halted at breakfast time we watched the life +of the plains—little groups of horsemen sitting +casually in their saddles, turning round to stare +at us, standing in their stirrups, sped quickly past. +A settlement was in process of striking camp; +the trellis and felt of the yourts were folded up +and piled on the backs of the unwilling camels. +A splendid Mongol riding proudly at the head of +a string of camel carts came along from the +west, dismounted, stretched himself, and climbed +up to see what we were doing. By unmistakable +signs he invited us to descend to his caravan +below. In the first cart were his wife and two +little sons, the jolliest little creatures imaginable. +In pukka Oriental style I admired and fingered +the headdress of the lady, and then dandled the +children, expressing my appreciation of their +weight and beauty. The man quite grasped the +photographic idea, and posed his family for my +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</span>benefit. Afterwards he surprised us greatly by +asking for money; despite the fact that one +string of his wife’s pearls would have fetched +far more than we were able to raise between us. +But he did not resent our refusal, and hailed us +with the cheery greeting of “San bainu” when +we overtook him later in the day.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f26"> +<img src="images/fig26.jpg" alt="plains"> +<p class="caption">A MONGOL AND HIS FAMILY ON THE PLAINS NEAR URGA, POSED FOR THE AUTHOR’S BENEFIT</p> +</div> + +<p>Moving on from the plains which stretched +away into the mountains and valleys on all sides, +we soon began the steep ascent of the Urga Pass +when the subtlety of our Jamschik showed itself +in suggesting that in the bordering woods hereabouts +there was any amount of game. We +jumped out of the tarantass—which was soon out +of sight—in a sanguine frame of mind, and guns +over our shoulders we trudged and trudged up +that mountain side. Tiring it was, in the fierce +July sun, beyond expression, and we got—never +a shot. But the scenery here was well worth +the fag of the climb. Range upon range of +mountains disclosed themselves as we ascended +among a perfect wilderness of flowers. Peonies, +roses, and delphiniums, Japanese anemones, blue +columbines, red and yellow lilies—a background +of dark pine forest, and away in the distance, +blue mountains beneath a canopy of soft masses +of rolling clouds.</p> + +<p>Half-way up, we were overtaken by a number +of Russian officers who looked, as well they might, +in astonishment at the sight of a couple of English +people, apparently without belongings or<span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</span> +conveyance, calmly strolling up a mountain in +the heart of Mongolia. We met them again at +the summit of the Altai Berg. Their Mongols +were having a rest, and incidentally, I dare say, +“gaining merit” by adding a few stones to the +great cairn, from which numbers of dirty rags +serving as prayer flags fluttered. I think the +officers were waiting in order to discover what on +earth we were doing there and what was our +object in going to Urga. They did not, however, +make much headway with us. Their knowledge +of German was very limited and we on our side +did not see the force of burdening them at this +juncture with our confidences. They, needless to +say, had remained in their conveyances all the +way up. The latter were being drawn Orton +fashion by four mounted Mongols. A pole is +fixed across the thin ends of the shafts, and is +carried by the Mongols between the pummel of +their saddles and their stomachs. Usually a couple +of men ride on either side of the shafts. Six to +eight Mongols accompany each carriage, women +as well as men taking turn and turn about. They +laugh and fool about all the time, tearing up hill +and down dale, the tarantass swaying about with +plenty of play at the other end of the shafts. They +are absolutely reckless and care not one straw +what happens—as we learned to our cost later on.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f27"> +<img src="images/fig27.jpg" alt="caravan"> +<p class="caption">THE AUTHOR’S PARTY INSPECTING A CARAVAN</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f28"> +<img src="images/fig28.jpg" alt="berg"> +<p class="caption">THE SUMMIT OF THE ALTAI BERG</p> +</div> + +<p>Our Jamschik greeted us cheerily when we met +him again at the top of the pass, and at once +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</span>“took on” the Mongol outriders for a race down +into Urga. We did not know the Russian for +“not so quick” or “steady,” and we flew over +the ground holding on like grim death, our three +horses galloping and taking the most reckless +short cuts at breakneck speed. Down, down we +tore, over the roughest and most impossible +tracks to an accompaniment of terrific jolts and +bangs. The Mongols kept up, yelling and laughing +as they rolled about in their saddles. It was +no less terrifying than it was painful, but personally +I was far too tired to care much what +happened, or to feel as alarmed as I do even +now in retrospect. But we got in ahead of the +Russians, which was a great crow over for us.</p> + +<p>Urga was at length in view. Situated on the +north bank of the Tola River, it lies 600 miles +north of the Chinese frontier at Kalgan, and 200 +miles south of the Russian frontier at Kiachta. +A long straggling vista of gaudy temples and +groups of yourts, little wooden houses enclosed +by high palisades, numbers of brightly painted +sheds which we found afterwards to contain the +Tibetan prayer wheels, a few foreign bungalows +looking like dolls’ houses and built of pitch-pine, +as well as clusters of Chinese houses—such was +our first impression of Mongolia’s capital. On +the western side lies the Holy City, where, it is +estimated, dwell some thirty thousand lamas, and +in which no lay man or woman may remain after +sundown. The Chinese city, Mai-mai’ch’eng<span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</span> +again, is situated to the east, and between the +twain are a number of untidy, depressing little +shanties, as well as the pleasant Russian consulate, +out of all harmony and character with the rest, +belonging to the ever-increasing army of Russian +traders. Closed in on all sides by mountains, some +of considerable altitude and densely wooded, the +sacred mountain of Bogdo N’or dominates the +city. Bogdo N’or abounds in game, but nothing +must here be killed, and no one may pitch a tent on +that side of the Tola River which separates the +holy ground from the plains upon which Urga is +situated. Death is the punishment for the Mongol +who so far forgets his traditions as to kill bird, +beast, or fish on Bogdo N’or, and imprisonment +for life—the far worse fate—for any foreigner who +should be rash enough thus to transgress.</p> + +<p>One trusts to luck very largely in travelling +under such circumstances, and we had no very +definite idea as to what we were going to do +when we reached Urga. At the time of our visit, +exclusive of Russians there were only two Europeans +in Urga, probably in Mongolia, and Mr. +Gull and I were the sole representatives of Great +Britain and Ireland. The two Europeans were a +Norwegian and a German, both engaged in trading +with the Mongols. The latter I had already met +in Kalgan, and he was certainly as good as his +word and twice as hospitable when I saw him +again in Urga. To the former Mr. Gull had an +introduction, and on arrival we made straight for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</span> +his compound where he received us most kindly, +allowing us to make our headquarters with him +during our stay in Urga, as well as letting us go +shares in his commissariat for the time being. The +Russian Agent, to whom we reported ourselves +next day, treated us with the greatest hospitality +and contributed greatly to our comfort by lending +me some chairs and other luxuries for the tiny +Chinese house provided for me in the Norwegian’s +compound. Our luck held good.</p> + +<p>Anxious to see the Mongols as they really are +and through the unprejudiced eyes of those unconnected +with political considerations, we were +fortunate indeed in having for our host a man of +such intellectual qualities and broad sympathies +as Mr. Mamen. Speaking their language as one +of themselves—he had, I believe, lived in Mongolia +for under two years—this young Norwegian of the +appearance and stature of a Viking, was on friendly +terms with most of the Mongol princes and officials, +evidently being well-liked and trusted by +them.</p> + +<p>One has but to forego for a short time what +are regarded as the commonplaces of existence in +order to appreciate them at their true value, and, +after a week of far from restful nights, I could +have dilated at length upon the sheer luxury of a +very tenth-rate bed. It was a day or two after I +reached Urga that I felt my old appetite for sightseeing +return, and this was whetted by a curious +little ceremony of daily recurrence, a good view of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</span> +which was obtainable without going beyond the +limits of the compound. Less than two hundred +yards away there appeared above the compound +wall a small stage about four or five feet square +supported by a rough scaffolding of perhaps +twenty-five feet high. Each day when the sun +was well up, two lamas, climbing laboriously up +to their perch, would don their official yellow +Chanticleer pull-on caps, queer ragged capes of +many colours, and proceed to call their gods to +the Temple. Turning to the east, north, west, +and always ending up with the south, thus facing +the sacred mountain, they would, first one and +then the other, produce prolonged and continuous +blasts by blowing upon a conch shell, the melancholy +and hollow note of which seems to come +back to me over time and space.</p> + +<p>Living as we were in the Chinese quarter of the +place, and an intolerably gritty road of almost two +miles in extent separating us from West Urga, +obviously the first thing to be done was to obtain +ponies. I was all for purchasing a couple outright, +but other counsels prevailed and we hired +them, thus placing ourselves at the mercy of a +scallywag horse-dealer, a lesser mandarin by the +way, who imposed upon us from beginning to end. +The price, small though it sounds at home, was +high at thirty roubles (then £3) a month for each +nag (in a place where one can purchase a very +nice little beast for less than double that amount), +even though it included such feed as could be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</span> +picked up on the plains during the night, and +when we were not using them. I really think +their owner must have had his tongue in his +cheek when he sent along the first pair for us to +try. Mine had the appearance of a worn-out van-horse—a +tall, thin brute, with a mouth of iron and +legs that scattered in all directions when I forced +him into a canter—which was not very often. +I kept him for one day only. For Mr. Gull +a miniature pony was provided. It had a sore +mouth which made it extremely irritable. Together +we certainly presented a very comical +appearance. But any mount in dusty Urga is +preferable to none, and on sight-seeing bent it +really did not matter much that our nags were +“crocks”; the fact that with patient, drooping +heads they would stand for any length of time, +was perhaps, under the circumstances, rather convenient +than otherwise.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“He that does not believe in others finds that they do not<br> +believe in him”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">O</span>UR very first ride took us right into—what +any Mongol other than a lama would, I +am sure, describe as—the heart of Urga. +At the foot of the hill upon which the holy city, +K’urun, stands is the centre of activity in Mongolia’s +capital—the horse and camel market. All +day and every day the bartering goes on, and it is +here perhaps that you may study with the greatest +advantage the salient characteristics of the race. +The Chinese, I believe, invariably score off the +Mongols in business transactions, but not so in +connection with horses. The Mongol is born, +bred, gets drunk, and dies in the saddle, and, like +many others with a knowledge of horse flesh, he +would cheat his own grandmother over a deal of +this nature—except for the fact that the old lady +would probably be one too many for him.</p> + +<p>In a dusty expanse, fringed on either side with +small Chinese shops crowned with low curved +roofs, painted poles, and swinging signs with gold +characters carved large on them, stand the ponies<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</span> +in their hundreds, and the supply would seem to +be well-nigh inexhaustible. Generally speaking, +the animals are small and unattractive looking, +and it would certainly require the “seeing eye” +to make a selection from this mass of unkempt +little beasts who, until they are mounted, show +not the least suggestion of the spirit that is in +them. The camels are few and far between, and +I have never seen anything approaching a fine +beast on sale here. One has to penetrate into +the compounds of the camel owners in order to +buy the best, I think, for usually it is but the +indifferent and unwanted that find their way into +the open market.</p> + +<p>Urga, the Da Huraz (the first monastery) or +Bogda Lama en Hurae (the encampment of the +supreme lama) as it is severally described by the +Mongols themselves (Urga being probably a +Russian corruption), Urga, the religious centre +as well as the capital of Mongolia, may be split +up into three distinct and separate divisions, the +market-place serving as a link between two of +them, the holy city and the Russian quarter. +The former, in shape resembling a gigantic dust +mound and in appearance a piece of crazy patchwork, +is covered with a perfect rabbit warren of +compounds, in most of which felt yourts take the +place of buildings. By circuitous paths between +the high palisades which cut one compound off +from another, one reaches as one nears the top +the so-called University buildings, “the Gando,”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</span> +from which at certain hours of the day lamas in +their thousands may be seen pouring forth.</p> + +<p>Crowning the hill is the great white temple, +newly erected and barely finished when I saw it. +In walking round a temple, either in or outside, +foreigners should remember that sacred objects +should always be kept on the right hand as a +mark of respect. Inside the temple is one of the +largest Buddhas in the world; an immense brazen +figure with four arms rising nearly one hundred +feet out of the centre of the symbolic lotus flower. +This was presented by Bogdo, the ruler, spiritual +and temporal, of Mongolia—a thank-offering for +restored eyesight (which I heard is now as bad +as ever) at a cost of 1,500,000 roubles. Facing +the idol, and in direct violation of all Buddhistic +principles which ordain the celibacy of its priesthood, +two thrones, equal in every respect and +draped in royal canary-coloured silk damask, are +placed for the lama pontiff and—his consort. +This really beautiful temple, with its mass of +gilding and harmonious decoration, forms a +perpetual testimony to the inability of the +Mongols to go far independently of Chinese +assistance, for one does not contemplate as a +likely event in the near future the building and +decoration by Russian workmen of what they +would regard as pagan edifices. This Mongolian +building, with all its Tibetan ornamentation and +detail, was erected entirely by Chinese hands, +the brass for the Buddha being brought across +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</span>the desert from Dolo N’or. In no sense do +politics come within the sphere of my observations, +but having seen a certain amount of Chinese, +Russians, and Mongols in juxtaposition, there +appears to me to be but little doubt as to which +two nations form natural allies. The Mongols, +beyond breeding ponies and cattle, making the +felt of their yourts and engaging in a certain +amount of transport business, do practically +nothing, make practically nothing, for themselves. +Their very clothes and ornaments are of Chinese +manufacture, and certainly it is the Chinese who +are alone responsible for anything that is beautiful +in Urga.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f29"> +<img src="images/fig29.jpg" alt="temple"> +<p class="caption">THE GREAT WHITE TEMPLE, URGA</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f30"> +<img src="images/fig30.jpg" alt="market"> +<p class="caption">THE HORSE AND CAMEL MARKET, URGA</p> +</div> + +<p>I, as other travellers in Mongolia have done, +found it very difficult to buy any characteristically +and exclusively Mongolian objects, and was +therefore delighted to discover, not many days +before my departure, that a Mongol auction was +in progress immediately outside the great temple. +I went boldly in amongst the crowd and made +bids for various things belonging, so far as I could +make out, to departed lamas. The articles on +sale were in the main clothes, altogether too +dirty to handle, but with a few interesting little +objects connected with the temple services among +the rubbish, of which two, a priest’s bell and +a small brass drumstick, passed into my possession. +A fine milk-jug in white metal with thick +raised repoussé bands became mine at the price +of five roubles. Instead of an aperture, the top<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</span> +was covered in and holes pierced through the +metal to allow the milk to be poured into the jug. +Thus, there was not the faintest chance of its +ever being properly washed out, which, seeing +the use to which it was to be put, seemed a +drawback.</p> + +<p>A very decorative pail, of copper and brass, +much worn, and certainly without great expectation +of life before it from an utilitarian point of +view, greatly excited my envy, and I made a bid +for it—two roubles. A Mongol promptly offered +a few kopecks more, and my price finally rose to +three roubles or six shillings. No one outbidding +me, so far as I could see, I was fully under the +impression that the pail was now my property; +but not so. In company with the auctioneer and +three or four others, I went the round of the +neighbouring yourts to find out whether or no +anyone else wanted it and would give more. The +man, however, whom the auctioneer thought +might care to make a higher bid was not at +home, and after hanging about for fully a couple +of hours I came away without my pail, and learned +once more that hurry is a word unknown in the +East. There is apparently no time limit for bids +at a Mongol auction, and a transaction frequently +takes several days to complete.</p> + +<p>The Russian quarter is adjacent to the holy +city and separated therefrom, as I have said, by +the horse market and the Chinese shops. It +boasts of some half a dozen general stores, at<span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</span> +which tinned foods, boots, and materials for +clothes can be purchased at ridiculously inflated +prices; there is also a restaurant of a most +depressing description, as well as a chemist’s shop. +It may well be imagined that, the majority of the +Chinese traders having been driven forth during +the rebellion in 1912 on the one hand, and the +virtual suppression of Chinese goods by a grinding +taxation on the other, Russian retail trade in +Urga is in a flourishing condition.</p> + +<p>The Mongols are now to all intents and purposes +forced very largely into dealing with +Russian stores, and when one is told that 40 +to 50 per cent is regarded as a reasonable profit, +one can only wonder how long it will be before +the natives realise that they have exchanged the +frying pan for a remarkably fierce fire. But +it is to be trusted that this condition of affairs +will right itself again in time. Russian enterprise—should +it develop—will probably fail through +lack of labour. Their own command of labour +in these regions is practically <i>nil</i>, and the cost +of imported energy would be likely to spell failure +to anyone engaging in business. On the other +hand, the Mongols never have worked and it is +highly improbable that they ever will. Mongol +requirements are simple, but such as they are +it is clear that they need the Chinese to supply +them.</p> + +<p>This Russian quarter forms the least attractive +division of Urga. The houses are small, squalid,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</span> +and untidy; their inhabitants possess apparently +not the faintest knowledge of sanitation. What +must be the civilising effect, of which one hears, +of the Russian influence upon the Mongols, it is +not difficult to foretell. The Chinese may be +dirty, are extremely dirty in some respects, no +doubt, but at least they do not appear to lose +their sense of the artistic for all their defects +in this direction, and under normal conditions +even in the poorest quarters of their cities, a +certain “esprit,” a “joie de vivre,” is seldom +absent. It is exceedingly difficult to arrive at +anything representing even an approximate +estimate of the number of Russians in Urga. +Of civilians, perhaps 1000 forms a liberal estimate, +but all enquiries as regards the military +strength are politely but firmly repulsed. The +people in the Russian quarter, in the shops, +restaurant, and on the streets, are a surly looking +lot. Their suspicious character is plainly painted +upon their uncouth faces, and every one with +whose business in life they are not entirely “au +fait,” they regard as a spy of some sort. +Throughout our stay in Urga it was significant +that we rode nowhere but that we met the same +Buriat soldier ostentatiously uninterested in our +existence.</p> + +<p>Urga must have presented a gayer appearance +under Chinese rule, when the great untidy stretch +of waste land reaching almost from West Urga +into Mai-mai’ch’eng, waste land formerly bordered<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</span> +with Chinese shops and houses, would have had +a far more cheery atmosphere than it possesses +nowadays. Now the few Mongol yamens stand +isolated and unsupported, and the merry “va-et-vient” +of commercial prosperity is no more. At +night it is said to be rash to venture across it unaccompanied, +and indeed on more than one occasion +we encountered a Cossack riding full pelt +across the stony expanse, brandishing his naked +revolver in his right hand. But latterly there +appears to have been a somewhat arbitrary planning +out and dividing up of the main part of Urga by +the Russians, and an expanse which must be of +dimensions approaching something like two miles +long by three-quarters of a mile wide in the very +heart of Urga, and in the centre of which the +Russian consulate happens to stand, is to be doled +out in concessions to Russians and to Russians +only. To the north of this desolate scene are +sundry temples, and outside them stand a number +of brightly painted little sheds containing the well-known +Tibetan prayer wheels. Sexagonal in +form, and with the characters representing “Om +Mani Padme Hum” painted in red letters upon +the panels, these prayer cylinders turn on a central +pin, and anyone giving a hefty swing to them as +he passes says his prayers with a minimum of +trouble for a maximum of result. The Mongols, +both lamas and laity, use the wheels devoutly, and +one’s ears grow accustomed to the light creaking +sound long before one realises whence it comes.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</span></p> + +<p>The Russian consulate, in the midst of a heterogeneous +collection of barracks, officers’ quarters, +and outbuildings, is a pleasant house enough, +English in style and furnished, the Russian diplomatic +agent told me, to resemble an English +country house inside as far as possible. Of modest +dimensions, it stands back from the road in an +untidy compound, over the gates of which the +Imperial standard looms large and menacing. The +present agent is a man of marked ability, and +speaks, I believe, no less than eight modern +languages with a fluency equal to his native +tongue. He has obviously succeeded in bringing +the Mongol authorities to heel in a surprising +degree as was evidenced not long ago when he +insisted that the Hut’ukt’u, the ruler of all the +Mongols, supported by some of the chief men of +his country, should toe the line in person and +make profound apology at the consulate for some +slight that had been shown to the Russian flag. +Whether or no this was a well-calculated action +has yet to be proved. But that the Mongols are +making a desperate effort not to be swallowed up +exclusively and irrevocably by Russia is strongly +suggested by their recently expressed desire to +the other powers that the latter should be represented +by consuls in Urga “in order to conclude +treaties of commerce and friendship”. It is moreover +rumoured that the Mongolian Government +has recently issued an order forbidding the Chinese +to sell any land in Mongolia to Russians. The +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</span>only other house of any size or importance is the +hideous red-brick erection which forms the headquarters +of the Mongolore Company, which represents +an important concession of gold-mining rights +granted to the Russians prior to the declaration +of independence.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f31"> +<img src="images/fig31.jpg" alt="temple"> +<p class="caption">A BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE AT MAI-MAI’CH’ENG</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f32"> +<img src="images/fig32.jpg" alt="princess"> +<p class="caption">A MONGOL PRINCESS IN HER OFFICIAL ROBES, ACCOMPANIED BY HER TWO LADIES</p> +</div> + +<p>In so far as the structural picturesque is concerned, +this is undoubtedly now centred in and +confined to the Chinese quarter, Mai-mai’ch’eng, +where fine gateways and a very beautiful little +temple remain as evidence of the prosperity enjoyed +under Chinese rule. Now the entire place, +which is surrounded by a strong stockade of +fourteen or fifteen feet high, which, in a country +where stone is so rare and labour so expensive, +takes the place of the usual encompassing wall, is +almost entirely deserted, and one may walk from +end to end without encountering half a dozen +people. The courtyard and temple far surpass in +decoration and cleanliness anything that I saw in +China. The mural paintings illustrate Chinese +fables and are exceptionally well carried out and +preserved. They have evidently been most carefully +cherished by the guild of Shansi merchants, +the Shih Erh Chia, of whom it is the headquarters. +The Mongols use the temple as much as the +Chinese do, and I watched a Mongol princess in +her official robes, accompanied by her two ladies, +most devoutly performing her prostrations one +day. She allowed me afterwards to take two or +three photographs of her, but it was difficult to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</span> +persuade her into sufficient light to make a very +satisfactory picture.</p> + +<p>Immediately outside the north gate of Mai-mai’ch’eng +is the Chinese cemetery, where hundreds +of unburied coffins are piled awaiting, I gathered, +the far distant day when they might be carried +back to be interred in Chinese soil. The poorer +Chinese, for whom there was never such happy +prospect, are buried in alien earth behind the +Russian consulate—a series of little mounds like +magnified molehills being all that remains to indicate +the fact.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“Since men live not for a hundred years it is vain to scheme<br> +for a thousand”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">W</span>HEREAS in Inner Mongolia I did not +see the Chakhars in sufficient numbers +to enable me to form even an +impression upon which to base a generalisation +as to typical characteristics, the Khalkha or +Northern Mongol struck me as being of rather +superior build. Roughly speaking, I think that +the average height of a Khalkha man must be in +the neighbourhood of five feet eight inches, while +a large number of them are really tall. The +women are strikingly smaller, and, generally considered, +are not less than ten or twelve inches +shorter than the men. The recollection I have +carried away of them is that they are a fairly +handsome race. Masses of black hair surmount +almond-shaped, strikingly bright and responsive +eyes; the cheek-bones are high and slightly +flattened. Small, well-formed aquiline noses +above shapely mouths and firm chins lend a suggestion +of strong character. The teeth are, as +a rule, beautiful, and a ruddy colouring showing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</span> +through the sun-scorched, wind-weathered skin, +gives them a very healthy appearance.</p> + +<p>The principal difference in dress between the +northern and southern Mongol lies in the arrangement +of the hair of the married women. In +Inner Mongolia the form of headdress might be +described as a skull cap of silver filagree, from +which long chains studded with precious stones +are suspended. The hair is fastened up and +hardly shows at all.</p> + +<p>The Khalkha matron, however, is contented +with nothing so simple. Her sleek locks are +strained over a wire frame which spreads out like +wings above her ears, and are held together by +some resinous preparation, with jewelled slides at +intervals to keep the whole in place. Surmounting +this is the filagree skull cap, often richly set +with turquoises and pearls, and from it hang +tassels of pearls ten or twelve inches in length. +In poorer circumstances the jewelled slides have +their counterparts in little strips of bamboo, and +the pearls would be substituted by chains of silver +and strings of coral. One and all adopt this +obviously inconvenient style of coiffure, the unmarried +girl alone wearing her hair in long plaits +and entirely unadorned. The Khalkha women +must have exceedingly long tresses, for although +nine or ten inches are thus taken up by the wings, +the remainder is of sufficient length to form into +long plaits which, as shown in the picture of the +princess, are either confined in highly decorative<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</span> +silver tubes, or are allowed to fall free on each +side of the figure to the waist.</p> + +<p>Hat pins being an unknown weapon in Mongolia, +it was a matter of much conjecture to me +as to how these ladies contrived to keep their +smart little hats so securely perched on the summit +of this elaborate headdress. The hats themselves +are very trim and dainty. Made of course +by the Chinese, who are always great hands with +the paste pot, a shape is first created from bamboo +paper, hard and unpliable, not unlike a jelly mould. +Over this is stretched yellow satin, while the brim +is turned up with black velvet in summer, or with +a handsome piece of fur in winter. The crown of +the hat tapers to a point embellished by a gold or +silver ornament, which in the case of men supports +the ball of coloured crystal denoting by its +colour the rank of the wearer. Men’s hats are +otherwise similar to women’s, and if the wearer +belongs to the mandarin class a peacock’s feather +protrudes horizontally from below the crystal ball. +The main difference, headdress apart, between +men’s and women’s clothes is that the former +sport a sash bound round and round their waists +with the ends tucked in. All wear long coats +and trousers, the women having their shoulders +padded up into little peaks such as were worn in +Elizabethan days. All have very long sleeves, +the cuffs of which are turned up with pale blue—no +matter what the colour of the coat—and +cover the finger-tips.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</span></p> + +<p>The material from which the clothes of the +more wealthy are made is such as we use for our +Court trains. In really beautiful satin brocades +and thick soft silks both men and women are +attired in this remote corner of the globe, and I +can well believe that dress forms a heavy item in +Mongol expenditure. Extremely fond of colour, +the Mongol taste, or rather that of the Chinese +Worth or Paquin who dictates to them, runs to +rich harmony rather than to garishness, while their +constancy to the prevailing fashion, which here is +the very reverse of fleeting since it probably has +not modified in any way for the past hundred +years—maybe much more—renders the finish and +workmanship quite excellent. While possessing +small and well-shaped hands and feet, the Mongols +thrust these latter into clumsy boots which we +should consider many sizes too large for them. +They are made of inferior looking leather and the +toes turn skywards; their loose tops, coming half-way +to the knee, are usually ornamented with +very pretty green and white sticking.</p> + +<p>Of their character one must speak of course +almost entirely by hearsay. Their very name is +suggestive, “Mong” meaning “brave,” while +volumes might be filled with legends concerning +their prowess. It would indeed be absurd to +generalise at all upon those with whom one came +into personal contact in the space of a few weeks, +and in the complete absence of knowledge of the +language. That they have a keen sense of humour<span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</span> +is apparent to the most casual observer, and anything +in the way of a practical joke played off on +the foreigner or equally upon one of their number +will produce hilarious merriment. In common +with most people who preserve a simple life and +do not allow their desires to advance beyond the +possibility of fulfilment, the Mongols are, in the +absence of a cause which provokes them to anger, +very good-tempered, and most distinctly are they +philosophical. An angry Mongol is, however, an +ugly sight, and one, if possible, to be avoided. Of +his capacity for endurance there can be no doubt. +It is constantly exemplified in everyday life. I +have indeed heard it stated that a Mongol will +ride 600 miles in nine days, using the same horse +throughout. An instance of their toughness was +shown by the cheery old mafu who looked after +our host’s ponies and occasionally rode with us +while we were in Urga. A somewhat heavy fall +from his horse one day resulted in a trio of broken +ribs, and the man, whose age must have been in +the neighbourhood of sixty, remained huddled up +in his yourt for twenty-four hours. For bed, however, +in our sense of the term, the Mongol has +but little use, and if he cannot live his ordinary life +he usually dies in preference. The mafu turned +up the day following his accident, and upon +enquiry as to the damage to his ribs, admitted that +“It hurts a little when I cough”. On another +occasion, in the depth of winter, one of the ponies +in his charge strayed, and for thirty hours was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</span> +missing. Taking another horse, the old mafu +went out into the neighbouring mountains to find +him, and as the hours went on his employer grew +anxious. Night fell, and the thermometer descended +two or three degrees below zero. It was +evening on the following day when he re-appeared, +none the worse for his exposure, nor from the +fact that he had not broken his fast throughout +the day and a half he had been absent.</p> + +<p>That the Mongols are wantonly cruel, I have +never heard any evidence. Certain cruelty arises +from a dogma in their faith rather than from any +direct idea of being maliciously hurtful. They +will, for instance, leave an animal to die in anguish +rather than put it out of its misery, for nominally +they are not allowed to take life, and consequently +do not trouble themselves to perform an act of +humanity for its own sake. That they will be +brutally cruel when it is a question of revenge +there can be no doubt. On the other hand, that +they are capable of real devotion to their animals +is, I think, suggested by the following incidents, +written down as told to me one evening by the +Norseman, when we were sitting on a river bank +waiting for wild duck to come up.</p> + +<p>“The man will never get over it,” he said. +“He was overwhelmed by his grief. He loved +those two fine dogs of his and he kept them only +for his hunting. He took them with him to the +mountains to hunt lynx in the dense forest which +cover them over there. Three or four days at a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</span> +time, he would go out and his bag was never less +than two or three, sometimes four or five, skins, +worth from twenty to thirty roubles apiece. +Then for two days he would sit in his yourt, resting, +and cleaning his guns, feeding heavily, and +perhaps drinking the vodka the Russians had +given him when he sold his skins. Pig should be +his next object, he decided, and with one companion +and his two dogs he sallied forth to the +mountain side. From a thicket, out rushed four +great boars. Off flew the lynx hounds after +them. Bang, bang, went the guns, and the quarry +was slain. But alas! the trusty hound who had +leapt up to it was slain too—shot through the +heart. The hunter returned to his yourt on the +plains near Urga, leaving the slaughtered pig +behind him on the mountain side, but bearing with +him only the corpse of his dog. Never before +has a Mongol been seen to weep like this man. +For three days he sorrowed terribly. He would +take no food. He desired speech with no man. +In life there was no comfort for him because of +the thought that with his own hands he had shot +his dog. And now he goes hunting, taking with +him his one lynx hound only, and does not do so +badly. The better of the two dogs is the survivor, +but the hunter will never admit this fact.</p> + +<p>“It was this man’s own cousin I often went +out with,” continued my companion, “and he was +every bit as keen on dogs. Once when I was with +him up beyond that ridge to the west there, a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</span> +powerful bull elk broke cover, and in the twinkling +of an eye the dogs were upon him. A careful aim +was taken by the Mongol and—his gun dropped. +With a tremendous kick the elk had freed himself +from his pursuers, and uttering a cry of acute +agony the dog fell and lay helpless on the turf. +The elk’s hoof had caught her full in the muzzle, +and the space of time during which she would +have the power to breathe through the pouring +blood could be but short. His master ran up, +calling to the other man to hurry. ‘Do what you +can for her, do all you can to save her life.’ He +knew it was hopeless, and he left to his friend’s +care his dying dog. Revenge surged up in his +heart. He thought of nothing but that cruel kick +from the elk’s hoof, and nothing did he consider +as to where he was going, nor as regards provision +for the hunt. For two days he pursued +his prey, foodless, drinkless—and he returned +empty handed to the camp. ‘I have killed that +elk,’ was all that he vouchsafed when he came +back, and he straightway went out to look at the +frozen body of his dog with its mangled muzzle.”</p> + +<p class="gtb">******</p> + +<p>The Mongols are astonishingly fine shots, and +it would take a very accomplished sportsman to +compete with them in potting the pretty little +sable-like tarbagans, whose heads flash in and out +of their holes on the prairie hereabouts with +lightning-like rapidity. While some of the well-to-do +Mongols possess fine weapons (rifles of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</span> +most modern design, which I was told were imported +from Germany on very easy terms), the +majority of the hunting fraternity content themselves +with old muzzle loaders. Practically all +Mongols rest their guns on some support when +aiming, and the muzzle loaders frequently have a +forked attachment which can be let down and +fixed in an instant.</p> + +<p>The Mongols possess that most enviable capacity +for putting away an immense amount of food +at a sitting, following which they can, if necessary, +fast for a very considerable time. The staple food +of the Khalkha Mongol appears to be meat in +direct relation to the length of his purse; horse, +camel, mule, antelope, mutton, nothing seems to +come amiss; he takes, too, preparations of milk, +farinaceous food, such as koumiss and millet, as +well as brick-tea made with milk. Added to these, +the well-to-do in Urga doubtless buy such delicacies +as the Russian shops provide when it takes their +fancy. In a general store we met one day a +charming old mandarin of obvious refinement and +high breeding. He was in company with several +ladies for whom he was buying sweets in the most +approved Western style. There were six of them +altogether, four ladies and two men. All were +gorgeously dressed, the ladies with most wonderful +ornaments and string upon string of pearls. +The men had fine single stones, one a pearl, and +the other a large aqua marine, set in front of their +caps. They tasted two or three kinds of sweets,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</span> +and finally, going in for quantity rather than +quality, the doyen of the party purchased a 7-lb. +tin of rather unattractive looking pear-drops, +which was wrapped in paper and tied up for him. +A moment afterwards the string broke and the +tin fell to the ground, burst open, and part of the +contents scattered on the questionable boards. +They took it most good humouredly, laughing inordinately, +and all of them went down on their +knees on the floor to retrieve the sweets. To us +they were exceedingly friendly, and the older +mandarin chatted away to us in indifferent Chinese +irrespective as to whether we understood or not.</p> + +<p>Drunkenness, said to be on the increase, is, +relatively speaking, far more common among the +Mongols than among the Chinese, and in Urga it +is no unusual thing to see two or three men going +about with the cangue, a wooden collar nearly +two feet square, padlocked round their necks as +a punishment for the recent lapse from the paths +of sobriety. A frequent repetition of the offence +results in the culprit being marched off to the +yamen and being severely beaten. The most +usual method of becoming intoxicated is by drinking +arac, a spirit which is produced by fermenting +mares’ milk. I understand that one has to drink +this in large quantities to attain to the condition, +but bulk, if in the end the object is achieved, +seems to offer no drawback to the inebriate, for +I have known Breton peasants who would put +away as many as ten litres and become gloriously<span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</span> +drunk before half their day’s work was done. A +certain amount of Chinese whisky derived from +grain is imported, but it is very much more expensive, +of course, and, generally speaking, even +with its more tardy result, distilled mares’ milk is +preferred by the Mongols. The lamas, whose +vows in addition to those of celibacy include +abstinence from strong drink and the flesh of +animals, are also to be found amongst the bibulous.</p> + +<p>The more degenerate Chakhar is said to be +addicted in a very slight degree only to the use +of opium, but so far as I was able to ascertain +the vice in Outer Mongolia is practically unknown. +In view of this fact it was interesting to read in +“The Times” immediately on my return from +Mongolia that an English syndicate at Harbin +had been reported to have made a proposal to +the Mongol Government to pay them £100,000 +annually for the privilege of importing opium into +their country. Upon the Russian Agent at Urga +protesting, the Mongol Government replied to +the effect that the danger arising from opium in +Mongolia was in no sense commensurate with the +advantages to be derived from the annual receipt +of a million roubles; also, that the opium would +not be for the consumption of the Mongols. +Under the present conditions of their relations +with China and the flight of the vast majority of +Chinese from Mongolian territory, this latter contention +carries its own confutation. The Chinese<span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</span> +in Mongolia are certainly in nothing approaching +sufficient numbers at the time being to justify +any syndicate in paying £100,000 per annum for +the privilege of providing them with the pernicious +drug. Besides, away from the influence of +Russians, whom he now undoubtedly resents as +having got the better of him, the Mongol when +you meet him on his own ground is a cheery, +friendly person enough, and under the most trying +and arduous conditions of travel it is the +Mongol who keeps his temper best and who remains +complacent when every one else is inclined +to grumbling and irritability. His utter laziness +and hopeless lack of gumption make him useless +in an emergency, and where, I always felt, the +Chinese are our superiors in their wonderful resourcefulness +and quick adaptability, the Mongol +is stupid and shiftless in the extreme.</p> + +<p>Tremendously under the influence of their +priests, the result of their religion or, perhaps it +would be better to put it, the application of their +religion, is not such as to compel one’s admiration. +Humanity, for instance, is by no means +one of their salient characteristics, and their +behaviour to old people, whom they will turn out +of their yourts to die on the dust heaps, is absolutely +barbarous.</p> + +<p>The loose matrimonial relations prevailing +amongst the Mongols are much condemned +amongst the Chinese, who, although they take +temporary wives during their sojourn in Mongolia,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</span> +where Chinese law will not allow their own +women-kind to accompany them, they never attach +themselves to Mongol women in any legal sense. +The Mongol women, on the other hand, are said +to prefer the Chinese to their own race as husbands +on the grounds that the former possess +kinder and gentler dispositions. The children +resulting from these mixed alliances, of which +there are a great many in Urga, are called +“orles” or half-breeds, by the Mongols. They +are easily distinguishable from the others.</p> + +<p>Women have no very respected position or +<i>locus standi</i> in Mongolia. If anything in the life +of the country can be called drudgery at all, it +certainly falls to the lot of the women. Their +claim on their menkind appears to be mainly +sexual, for while they are young and pretty they +seem to enjoy life and “have a good time” (I am +speaking, of course, of life in the capital). They +are often very pretty, chic, and healthy looking, +for, in sharp contrast with their Chinese sisters, +they lead a life of freedom and of open air, ride +about everywhere with the men, attend all the +festivities that are going on, wear gorgeous apparel +and lovely jewels, and, generally speaking, +“go the pace”.</p> + +<p>What they do not know about the gentle art of +flirtation is not worth knowing, and the young +woman who is unable to attract two or three +lovers to her side is, they say, generally looked +down upon. The northern Mongols appeared to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</span> +me to be remarkably merry and bright as compared +with the southern. There is on occasions +a great sense of gaiety in Urga when the people +seem full of the joy of life, and perhaps the women +are wise enough to accept their privileges rather +than to worry too much about their rights. Mongols, +however, are said to mistrust women greatly, +never taking them into their confidence, or allowing +them a finger in the pie of any important business +transaction.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> +</div> + + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“Each path with robes and various dyes bespread,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Seems from afar a moving tulip bed”</div> + <div class="verse indent40">—<i>Tickell</i></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + + + +<p><span class="dropcap">O</span>UR visit to Urga had been most fortunately +timed, and we were delighted to hear +within a few days of reaching the capital +that the great semi-religious, semi-athletic festival +of the Ts’am Haren, or sacred dance, was to take +place during the second week in July. A more +bewilderingly picturesque and fantastic sight than +this presented day after day—held at intervals +it prolonged itself over a fortnight—I never expect +to see. Proceedings included the presentation +of tribute to the Hut’ukt’u, followed by an +archery competition, continued with the dance of +the gods, a great wrestling tourney, and wound +up with a race meeting.</p> + +<p>Reminiscent in some degree of their past glories, +the Mongol princes and their banner-men came +from distant principalities of the dominion to take +part in these feats of strength and skill, and at the +same time to present their gifts and to do homage +to their spiritual and temporal chief. Bogdo, the +Hut’ukt’u (“he who is born again”), the Living<span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</span> +God of Mongolia, is nominally the ruling spirit of +these festivities, but although his chair of state +was always prominently in position, this mighty +ruler, whom his subjects believe to be the richest +as well as the most potent monarch in the world +(has he not 2000 white ponies and a 1000 white +camels?), did not come to sit in it. On one +occasion only did “He that can do no wrong” +put in an appearance, and that was when lamas +and princes assembled to hand over to him the +money and presents that had been begged from, +and squeezed out of, his subjects throughout the +length and breadth of Mongolia. Great were the +rejoicings when it became known that Bogdo was +to be present in person, to receive with his own +fair hands the offerings that had been brought to +Urga. Bogdo, the Djibson Dampa Lama (Holy +Reverence) Edsen Han, as he is severally styled, +the chief of all the Hut’ukt’us, by birth a Tibetan, +being son of a steward to the Dalai Lama, is a +man of middle age, already decrepit, in appearance +bloated, dissipated, uninspiring. The spiritual +head of the Mongolian Buddhists, he now lays +claim, since Mongolia is no longer subject to +Chinese rule, to temporal authority as well. Indeed +the position of this lama pontiff is of unusual +character, and might almost be said to embrace a +dual personality. On the one hand, the celibate +ruler of priests, the religious leader of the faith. +On the other, the crowned emperor of the +Mongols; crowned with his wife, and firmly insistent +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</span>that their ten-year old son should be +crowned as his heir, that there should be no +room for doubt as to his intentions in regard to +the succession to the Mongol throne.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f33"> +<img src="images/fig33.jpg" alt="bogdo"> +<p class="caption">BOGDO’S BODYGUARD</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f34"> +<img src="images/fig34.jpg" alt="tag"> +<p class="caption">LITTLE LAMA BOYS PLAY ‘TAG’ ROUND THE BARRIERS</p> +</div> + +<p>That all actions of the Hut’ukt’u must of necessity +be right is ingrained in the minds of his people, +and taken quite literally by his adherents. That +he, the reincarnation of the sainted historian Taranatha, +should openly, and I use the word advisedly, +for Mongolia is a wonderful country for winking +at things nominally taboo, take unto himself a wife +must, even though such action is a violation of all +Buddhistic principles, be right, because Bogdo +can do no wrong. There are many stories rife as +to the iniquities of their ruler, and one that I myself +heard on good authority made him responsible +for the cruel murder of a well-known Mongol +official, whom he is said to have forced into drinking +in his presence a cup of poisoned wine.</p> + +<p>Into Bogdo’s house we did not penetrate. It +would have been difficult enough under ordinary +circumstances to have obtained an audience, but, +as it was, the Hut’ukt’u was in a bad state of +health, and moreover it was rumoured that an +addition to his family was daily expected. A +pleasant ride along the valley of the Tola River +brought us to the confines of Bogdo’s compound, +and we were interested in the queer mixture of +styles the house presented. Built of wood, the +main part of the structure might have been an +English farm-house, but out of all character with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</span> +this was the square green tower in the middle of +it, and the many little Chinese turrets and pavilions +with yellow-tiled roofs. The compound was surrounded +by a rough fir tree fence and the place +presented an untidy appearance. There was +nothing to suggest the immense wealth with which +Bogdo is credited, beyond the insignificant fact +of a small herd of antelope inside a neighbouring +compound. Far more picturesque, at a stone’s +throw distant, was the residence of the Choi Gin +Lama, Bogdo’s brother, a well-planted garden +surrounding a number of small houses and a temple, +all with green roofs and Tibetan in style.</p> + +<p>The general arrangements for the Ts’am Haren +were carried out with great forethought and +method; the discipline and general order as one +event followed another would really rival the +management of like festivities in the Western +world. Our main difficulty was that we could +seldom ascertain within a few hours as to when +the performances began, and in consequence of +this we were always up to time and had a good +deal of waiting about. For the presentations to +Bogdo great preparations were made; the approaches +to the temple were well protected by +southern soldiers who supplement the body-guard +of the Hut’ukt’u, and the barriers around which +the little lama boys played “tag,” or a Mongolian +form of it, fenced off great spaces across which the +unwary foreigners might otherwise have cantered +their horses in disrespectful light-heartedness.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</span></p> + +<p>The Temple of the Gods, situated on the north +side of the stony expanse between the Consulate +and West Urga was the centre of a brilliant scene. +The body-guard in royal blue silk damask coats +with black velvet facings outlined with silver braid, +prune coloured waistcoats and pale lemon cummerbunds, +formed a valiant looking band enough; +their weapons were modern in type, and their +clothes apart from being picturesque were, what +is far rarer in the extreme East, smart, clean, and +in good condition. Quite satisfied with the impression +their appearance produced upon me, they +showed no little keenness to be photographed.</p> + +<p>Inside the barriers the ground was lined on one +side with a number of marquees, under which in +deep shadow sat the Mongol mandarins, silently +contemplative and out of the glare, the richness +of the blue-purple and chocolate of their silken +garments looking all the richer in the half light. +Opposite them, at a distance of 150 yards or so, +the rank and file of the lama community were +herded together, squatting on the ground and +standing in the back rows, thousands of them, +from whom from time to time darted forth some +naughty boy with the object of exchanging his seat +for a better one. A mass of dull Indian red was +the effect they produced, unrelieved but for the +wonderful banners that had been erected on great +frames of wood opposite the temple entrance. +The mob was kept within bounds by angry lamas +who cut at the people if they pressed forward or<span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</span> +got out of place with sharp little switches. The +faces of these men were quite diabolically hideous; +their expressions evil and cruel. There is some +idea, no doubt, that the uglier the face the more +alarming it is.</p> + +<p>A group of high lamas in gorgeous vestments +of orange and scarlet sat enveloped in their loose +folds out of the sun beating down upon an archway, +their hard gilded hats, in shape reminding +one of the tops of raised pies, glittering where +the light filtered through the roof with a metallic +brilliance. The crowds are moving now, lamas +and “black men” are mingled, although it is +an essentially lamaistic occasion and the predominating +tones range from lemon to vermilion.</p> + +<p>Final preparations are now being made, yards +upon yards of Imperial yellow cloth are stretched +in a golden pathway from the yourts hidden +away inside an inner compound, through the +great p’ailou, under which the priests shelter +from the sun, and away and beyond to the main +entrance to the Temple of the Gods. The yourts +behind the palisade form the robing and refreshment +rooms for the Hut’ukt’u, and we note a +cart drawn by a magnificent bullock pull up +outside in order that the huge pots of mares’ +milk may be lifted from it. Bogdo is within the +gates, and none but prelates and princes have +access to the sacred precincts. At the portals +high lamas sit, and two tall figures support the +great state umbrellas of silken embroidery on +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</span>either side. The heat is intense, and a row of +sleepy dignitaries doze uncomfortably on the long +benches under the portico. There is a drowsiness +about the day, and the hum of conversation is +subdued and soothing.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f35"> +<img src="images/fig35.jpg" alt="prince"> +<p class="caption">CHURCH AND STATE: MONGOL PRINCE AND HIGH LAMA</p> +</div> + +<p>Suddenly there is a stir, and a thrill of expectation +runs through all of us. A crowd of princes +and mandarins and their sons hurries forth from +the little tents and forms up in lines on either side +of the golden pathway. Lama officials come +forward and thrust lighted joss-sticks into each +of the outstretched hands. Space is left between +the long rows for three people to walk abreast. +A look of intense eagerness, even of anxiety, +spreads over the bronzed faces, for their god is +but a sick man. A harsh trumpeting presages +the approach of their incarnate deity; continuous +and raucous. Two heralds, each holding what we +suppose to be a glorified “hatag” on his upturned +wrists but made of leopard’s skin stuffed in the +form of an elongated sausage, made their appearance. +Following them are the trumpeters, first +one and then the other producing a long unbroken +wail from his copper and brass instrument which +resembles that which I bought as a war trophy +months past in Peking.</p> + +<p>A posse of lamas in robes and the mitred headdress +of high ceremony, looking for all the world +like a perambulating bed of nasturtiums in full +bloom, precede their pontiff, who, fat, pallid, and +ponderous, his diseased eyes protected by round<span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</span> +black glasses, supported (held up, it seemed to +us) by a priest on either side, walks labouringly +along the yellow cloth. The bearers of the +embroidered umbrellas are close upon his heels, +and the crowd of privileged persons, priests, and +laity, jostling each other for priority, follow in +his train to the Temple of the Gods. Humbler +lamas from remote corners of Mongolia stand +about in little groups. They are there to watch +the passing of their god. The feeling is tense. +Fervid adoration shines from their straining eyes. +Clasped hands stretch forth in expression of profound +emotion as the procession winds its way +into the temple, up to the tribute throne. There +is silence, save for the sound of the heavy footsteps +of the central figure as he stumps over the yellow +tissue covering the boarded pathway. In an +ecstasy of worship the monks prostrate themselves +near the threshold of the sanctuary. They +have beheld him whom they would fain see: him +whom they have travelled footsore and hungry +so many miles, for so many weeks, to honour. +They are happy. Their faces are sublime. They +have reached the haven of their desire.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f36"> +<img src="images/fig36.jpg" alt="umbrella"> +<p class="caption">THE GREAT STATE UMBRELLA OF SILKEN EMBROIDERY</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f37"> +<img src="images/fig37.jpg" alt="monks"> +<p class="caption">IN AN ECSTASY OF WORSHIP THE MONKS PROSTRATE THEMSELVES NEAR<br> THE THRESHOLD +OF THE SANCTUARY</p> +</div> + +<p>Lined up along a wall not far from the great +gateway to the temple, waiting with radiantly +expectant countenances, and bearing their gifts +in their hands, are some hundreds of ragged +pilgrims. Fifty men of Bogdo’s guard are in +attendance here, ready when the time comes to +marshal them into the Presence. They have +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</span>been waiting since dawn, but in a state of +supreme exaltation. They have drawn the lucky +number amongst their fellows, and carry their +offerings on trays and platters—little ornaments +for the temple altars, sometimes even food have +they brought to lay at the feet of their spiritual +sovereign. But their turn is not yet. Precedence +has been given to the princes and rich men in fine +raiment, and these, holding aloft in both hands +costly tribute hidden from sight in silken coverings +of daffodil yellow, make a wonderful procession +as the crowd opens out for them, and they pass +from a blaze of sunshine into the dimly mellow +light of the great temple interior. A low droning +chant rises and falls from the throats of Urga’s +priests as the doors open and close on the bearers +of treasure, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They +are so numerous that they can only be admitted +in sections of a hundred or so at a time.</p> + +<p>Less stirring perhaps, but every whit as +picturesque, was the meeting of the archers held +on the great grassy expanse between the sacred +mountain and the city. I rode out to it to find a +scene which suggested a herbaceous flower-bed +in bright autumn sunshine. A background of +wooded hills rose up in the distance across the +Tola River to some 1500 or 1600 feet. The +garments of the crowds—the laity were in preponderating +forces to-day—were indeed a study +in contrasts and harmonies. Pointsettia scarlet +vied with pure turquoise and lapis-lazuli blue;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</span> +lavender and rich violet, sober mouse colour, +pale lemon chrome ranging to vivid orange—the +brilliance of a field of parrot tulips such as brought +back to my memory the bulb farms in full bloom +which surround Haarlem. Cup day at Ascot +would seem pale and anæmic as compared with +this Mongolian toxophilite display.</p> + +<p>At one end of the ground were half a dozen +little marquees, light or dark blue linen <i>appliqué</i> +with yellow and white devices. Under them, +upon comfortable square cushions, sat the princes +and princesses, the mandarins and their wives, +with sundry other officials. Surrounding them +were the crowds, and again, like a wall beyond, +hundreds and hundreds of ponies were tethered, +for no one ever dreams of walking in Mongolia. +In front of the tents at the south end of the +ground were half a dozen stances for the archers. +They shot in pairs, princes and peasants alike, +and undistinguished save for the badge of office +in the form of the peacock’s feather which +protrudes horizontal from the crown of the round +pork-pie hat with red streamers, and by the richer +material of the garments. They had four shots +apiece, and their range was about seventy to +seventy-five yards distance.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f38"> +<img src="images/fig38.jpg" alt="archers"> +<p class="caption">THE MEETING OF THE ARCHERS<br> +‘RANGED THEMSELVES IN COUPLES AT THE STANCES’</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f39"> +<img src="images/fig39.jpg" alt="butts"> +<p class="caption">SCORING THE HITS AT THE BUTTS</p> +</div> + +<p>The competitors were in great force, and +coming out eight or ten at a time they ranged +themselves in couples at the stances, bowed low +to the magnates in the marquees, saluted the +butts likewise, and let fly their heavy, ivory-tipped +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</span>arrows—not at targets, but at birch-bark rings +piled loosely as a child might build a “castle” +with his bricks one on top of the other, and +making little low walls of perhaps ten or twelve +feet in length by eighteen inches high. At the +butts were a number of men scoring the hits, and +as the arrows flew they flapped their long arms +above their heads and chanted a sort of dirge-like +incantation, not dissimilar to that with which our +sailors accompany the hauling in of anchor cables.</p> + +<p>The song rose and fell, crescendo and diminuendo, +in harmony with the success or failure of +the competitors. A gentle swaying movement +of the crowds as their eyes followed the arrows +was like a corn-field shivering in waves as the +breeze stirs it. The umpires stood right in the +line of the hurtling missiles, and little lamas in +embryo, bare-footed and bare-limbed, gathered +the arrows as they fell, tripping back with them +to the archers like sun-kissed amorini with their +quivers full. The utmost order prevailed, and +this event, as were also the others, was organised +to perfection.</p> + +<p>The Dance of the Gods which took place in +the spacious outer courtyard of the temple was +similar in effect to the Devil Dances I had +watched with such interest at the lama temple +in Peking in the previous spring. The ground +was marked out in sections and all operations +were directed towards a canopy of yellow silk +ornamented with conventional devices in blue,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</span> +beneath which the throne of the Hut’ukt’u was +placed. That he would be present in <i>persona +proprîa</i> nobody expected, but in his absence all +honour was paid to the space which should have +been occupied by him.</p> + +<p>The status of Russia was officially recognised +by the erection of a special marquee not far +from that of the Bogdo, and under this the +Russian Consul sat cross-legged and perspiring, +supported by a number of officials, an interpreter, +and his handsome Persian valet at his elbow. +A large number of Russians also stood and looked +on at the weird gyrations of the masked dancers +which continued untiringly hour after hour beneath +a fierce sun beating mercilessly down upon the +thousands of spectators fringing this gritty and +treeless expanse. Picturesque and novel though +the dancing was, it became monotonous after +a while as troop after troop of actors, concealed +beneath the most grotesque masks which covered +their heads and shoulders, issued forth in turn, +and went through what appeared to us to be the +same evolutions one after the other. It is very +difficult to arrive at any exact interpretation of +such religious dances, but the most likely explanation +is that the scenes gone through are +a representation in pantomime of incidents in +the early history of Buddhism. The dancers are +masked to represent the gods, mythological +animals, and hideous devils, and they prance +about the chalked-in area to the strains of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</span>Tibetan trumpets and other weird sounds. The +gods, whose amiable and pallid countenances +very naturally bear strong resemblance to the +sublime expression of contemplation admired +by the Chinese, overcome the devils in due +course, but to our disappointment by the means +of peaceful exorcism and not by muscular conflict. +This sort of thing continued for the best part of +a day, and it was easy to see that the spectators +grew bored, for the majority were as ignorant, +we were told, as we ourselves as to what it was +all about.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f40"> +<img src="images/fig40.jpg" alt="mask"> +<p class="caption">A MASK AT THE DANCE OF THE GODS</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f41"> +<img src="images/fig41.jpg" alt="gold"> +<p class="caption">A MONGOL PRINCESS WEARING A HEAD-DRESS OF GOLD</p> +</div> + +<p>Attendance at the sacred dance may to some +extent have been a matter of obligation on the +part of a considerable proportion of the audience, +but for the subsequent event, the annual wrestling +competition, it was a very different story, and the +approaches to the ground were thronged by men, +women, and children, about whose keenness there +was little room for doubt. As far as the arrangement +of the ground was concerned, proceedings +followed to a large extent those of the previous +occasions. The main difference, as far as I was +able to observe, seemed to be that all the +princesses in Urga (if they were all princesses) +were present in order to lend encouragement +to their swains. Seated demurely enough in +rows, these charming little ladies displayed their +wonderful jewels and clothes to vast advantage. +Beneath their hats was to be discerned the gold +headdress that is worn only on very special<span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</span> +occasions. In shape similar to an inverted finger-bowl +and of open-work design, many of them +were made of gold and must have been uncomfortably +heavy on this hot day. Suspended from the +frame were strings of pearls, and a modest +estimate of these suggested that some of these +grand ladies wore from 300 to 400 pearls, many +of them as large as peas and quite perfect in +colour. In this great mixed assembly they +doubtless felt that their dignity behoved them +to present a formal appearance, but the brown +eyes and rosy lips looked merry enough, and one +caught mocking and seductive glances shooting +backwards and forwards in spite of all their +primness.</p> + +<p>The loose long coats worn habitually by the +Mongol men conceal successfully their proportions +and claims to physical development, and +it was with some interest that we watched the +wrestlers prepare for the ring. Their faces, +burned alternately by the strong sun and rasped +by icy winds, are usually weathered to the colour +of old copper, and one is astonished to see when +they are stripped that their bodies are as fair as +those of the average Englishman. Strong rather +than agile in appearance, these braves, lamas and +laymen alike, practice from the time they are +little boys and train seriously when the opportunity +offers; they are as hard as nails when the +time comes for their prowess to be put to the +test.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</span></p> + +<p>The signal is given, and four pairs of competitors +enter the gladiatorial ring, each being +arranged at a given point and closely watched +by a couple of umpires, who, acting as backers +into the bargain, never cease pouring advice +and encouragement upon them, occasionally even +punctuating their sentiments by administering +resounding smacks on the softer portions of their +anatomy. Before getting to work, however, +convention has prescribed, doubtless from time +immemorial, that salutations shall be offered to +the gods, or to the presiding deity, be he who +he may. Alas for the influence of Western ways! +The feet of the deity who should have presided +have developed perhaps just a shade too big even +for his Mongol boots, and salutations must be +made instead to that empty symbol of sovereignty, +the unoccupied throne of the absent Hut’ukt’u.</p> + +<p>Moving in single file towards the northern end +of the ground, exclaiming as they go, the gladiators +advance one by one to the empty chair literally by +leaps and bounds. Their prancing action brings +the knees up to the stomach with every step, and +they present the most ludicrous sight imaginable. +Arrived at the dais, the braves leap in the air, fall on +their knees, and touching the ground three times +with their foreheads, perform profound obeisance.</p> + +<p>The bout began, and to the eyes of the uninitiated +it appeared in some instances a trial of brains +rather than of muscles. A smart trick would send +one man down with lightning celerity, and at once<span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</span> +the victor would prance off again to tell that +vacant throne that he had won. In other cases a +pair would remain in close embrace for several +minutes, motionless, and apparently thoughtful. +Here one could only suppose that endurance was +playing its part, since for no apparent reason one +of the men would suddenly collapse, and the other +would fly off to tell the story. Notwithstanding +my lack of technical knowledge, I found this an +absorbingly interesting form of entertainment, and +rejoiced to hear from the Norwegian, German, +Russian, and Englishman that these well-made +specimens of humanity were sportsmen in every +sense of the word, that they played the game +as well as any Westerner. Indeed they may be +said in one respect to set an example to the +Western world in the total disparity of the reward +to the merit that had attained it. A handful of +little cakes, the greater part of which were distributed +among his friends by the victor, formed +the entire “purse” for which he fought. The +honour of the thing is good enough for these uncivilised +Mongols.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f42"> +<img src="images/fig42.jpg" alt="mongol"> +<p class="caption">A MONGOL GLADIATOR</p> +</div> + +<p>The closing event of the festival of Ts’am was +most enjoyable of all, and I feel that I cannot +improve upon the description given by Mr. Gull +in the paper which he read before the Central +Asian Society on his return to England. “The +race meeting was held in a beautiful green valley +a little east of Urga. We rode out to it in a merry +party of Mongols and their wives, who, though in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</span>gala array, rode astride. There were thirty entries +for a race over flat open country for five miles. +The jockeys were little boys and girls, the youngest +eight, the oldest not more than fourteen. The +ponies, their riders up and singing in chorus, +paraded in a circle between tents coloured light +and dark blue. Presently a lama in flowing robes +of yellow with a pennon at the end of a lance +placed himself at the head of the line, and the +slow parade broke into a trot. Four or five times +the circle was completed till the trot momentarily +quickening became a fast canter. Then the excitement +of the ponies worked up to a pitch, the +lama gave the signal. With a sweep of his lance +he shot off at a gallop the circle behind him uncoiling +like a lasso. It spread out towards the +plain racing towards a bend in the hills, the actual +starting-point. We followed for a little and then +dismounting we waited until in straggling file, +flanked by those who had gone all the way, the +competitors reappeared. The first home was a +girl with a sash of orange bound round her jet +black hair. A mounted lama caught her bridle +and led her up to each of the tents in turn. Before +each he intoned a prayer, and at the last the girl +was handed a bowl of milk, and milk was poured +over her pony’s head. Each of the competitors +was then taken up to the tents in turn, and each +pony anointed in the same way. At the end of +the afternoon the owners and others stripped off +their clothes and wrestled until the sun, crowned<span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</span> +with a floating splendour of flame sank behind the +hills.”</p> + +<p class="gtb">******</p> + +<p>The friendliness of the Mongols towards Europeans +was on this occasion decidedly marked, and +in company with half a dozen Russian officers who +had brought over a number of their men to see the +sport, we were entertained “at tea” in one of the +pale blue tents near the winning-post. We all +sat on the ground in a row, cross-legged, and the +lamas handed round queer little Chinese cakes and +bowls of mares’ milk. The latter looked dirty but +was really not at all bad to taste.</p> + +<p>Our meeting under these strange but pleasant +circumstances with the Russian officers led to the +establishment of cordial relations between us, in +spite of the fact, which surprised us not a little, +that one only of their number knew any language +other than their own. This great burly fellow, a +Captain in a Siberian rifle corps, was hail-fellow-well-met +directly he saw us, and, coming from the +Baltic provinces, spoke German fluently. We +took advantage a few days later of his invitation +to ride over to his quarters that we might see +something of the extensive new barracks which +are being built by the Russians. The soldiers are +at present mainly housed in barracks which were +begun by the Chinese, who in 1910 proposed to +keep a small force there. Anyone more hospitable +than these gallant Russians I have seldom met, +but their notions of entertainment did not run on +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</span>lines exactly parallel with our own, and it was +impossible to persuade them that I really did not +like my tea half-and-half with neat brandy, and +that in view of a very solitary ride home across +dangerous country there were limits to my capacity +for drinking vodka.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f43"> +<img src="images/fig43.jpg" alt="bout"> +<p class="caption">A WRESTLING BOUT</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f44"> +<img src="images/fig44.jpg" alt="lamas"> +<p class="caption">YOUNG LAMAS.</p> +</div> + +<p>I fancy that some of these officers, though +nominally this Mongolian exile is very distasteful +to them, manage to amuse themselves and to take +advantage of the great possibilities of sport that +this region offers; they extended to us a variety +of inducements such as expeditions after bear, lynx, +and wolves, to say nothing of wild-fowl shooting, +if we would remain in Urga long enough. There +is plenty of bird and animal life both in South and +North Mongolia, harrier eagles, vultures, sheldrakes, +bustards, geese, ducks, magpies, crows +and larks abounding, while in North Mongolia +beautiful herons, always seen in couples, were so +tame that they allowed one to get within very +short range before spreading their wings and sailing +away.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c15">CHAPTER XV</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“It is only kindness and not severity that can impress at the<br> +distance of a thousand miles”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>MONG all the brightness and sparkle of +life in Urga, there is alas! a very dark +and sinister side. Day after day, we +rode past a certain little inconspicuous enclosure +surrounded by a rough pine stockade, little recking +of the appalling amount of misery it encompassed. +How far circumstances and how far +sheer native cruelty are responsible for the terrible +condition under which the Mongols drag out a +ghastly existence in punishment for crimes either +great or small, and even prior to condemnation, +it would be difficult to establish. Deprivation of +liberty and rigorous confinement is the accepted +form of punishment held by the Mongols in common +with all nations of modern civilisation, and +the present form probably originated before there +was any other way of imprisoning malefactors +than the felt yourt of the nomad, from which, of +course, any prisoner could escape in ten minutes.</p> + +<p>Few, if any, Europeans other than Russians +have seen the inside of this Mongol prison; and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</span> +truly the dungeons at Urga beggar description. +Through the kind offices of one of our Russian +friends we obtained a pass from the Mongol +Government to enable us to visit the prisoners. +The authorities were not a little suspicious as to +our object in wishing to do so, and since a reason +had perforce to be furnished, they were informed +that we were merely humane travellers who desired +to distribute largesse among the suffering +inmates. Accompanied by a couple of Mongol +officials, three Russians, and Mr. Gull, I was taken +over the entire place, and I believe that none of +its horrors escaped me.</p> + +<p>It would indeed be a hard heart that did not +open to the hopeless misery of the prisoners. +Within a small compound fenced in by high spiked +palisades are five or six dungeons. The dungeons +are thrice enclosed by a stockade of rough pinewood +some eighteen feet high, and to gain access +to them many heavily bolted doors have to be +unbarred. All the doors were double, and two +great padlocks ensured the security of each. As +we entered, the gaolers, who struck us as being a +most unholy looking couple who literally gloated +over the misery of the prisoners in their power, +met us, and called our attention, quite unnecessarily, +to a trio of pale-faced Mongols sitting on +the ground just inside the gates. Their hands +and feet were heavily chained together, and they +fell on their knees when they saw us. We had +each contributed three roubles before entering the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</span> +prison, and, having reduced it to small change, +one of the party doled it out, making the sum go +as far as possible among the miserable suppliants.</p> + +<p>Passing on to the interior, we came upon a +heavy wooden chest, some 4 to 4½ feet long by 2½ +feet deep, iron-bound and secured by two strong +padlocks. To our horror we discovered that it +contained a man—one might have imagined that +a wild beast to be sent by train was temporarily +imprisoned therein! But a man! The hole in the +side was of sufficient size to enable the prisoner +to thrust out his manacled hands. This also +provided the sole means of ventilation. But +this unfortunate creature was well off compared +with the others we saw subsequently. At least +he was breathing in the open air. The dungeons, +we were told, were so full that this prisoner had +to remain outside. While we were discussing his +pitiable lot, clank, clank, went the great bars and +bolts, and the gaoler had opened the double doors +leading into the first dungeon. There must have +been from twenty to thirty coffins in this, some +piled on the tops of the others, and the atmosphere +was absolutely putrid. The two Mongol officials, +whose general tone I cannot say impressed us +very favourably, now very ostentatiously held +their long sleeves over their noses, accustomed to +smells though they were. One imagines that +there may have been some means of cleaning out +the coffins from underneath as is the case in +cages in a menagerie, for it was most strongly +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</span>impressed upon us that never under any circumstances +whatsoever are the prisoners allowed to +come out except for execution or—rarely—to +be set free. The majority are in for life sentences.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f45"> +<img src="images/fig45.jpg" alt="prisoners"> +<p class="caption">PRISONERS AT URGA, SHUT UP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR LIVES IN HEAVY IRON-BOUND COFFINS</p> +</div> + +<p>One’s eyes growing accustomed to the darkness—the +only light that penetrates it is from the +doors when they are opened—one became gradually +aware of wild shaggy heads poking through +the round holes in the coffin’s sides. I was standing, +quite unconsciously, close to a coffin, when, +glancing down, I saw a terrible face, nothing +more, almost touching the skirt of my riding coat. +Beside one coffin was a pool of blood which told +its own tale. Within it there was a poor devil +coughing his lungs up. The Russian officer, +knowing Mongolian well, spoke a few words to +one or two of them, but they seemed too dazed to +understand. Their minds, like their limbs, quickly +atrophy in this close confinement. After a breath +of fresh air in the tiny space that separates the +dungeons, which, by the way, are four or five feet +below ground level, another double door was unbarred +for us, and we entered the second dungeon +where there were a similar number of Chinese, in +the coffins. It struck us as infinitely sad to find +these gentle, highly civilised Chinese here, Shansi +merchants most of them, friends and neighbours +no doubt of the men with whom we had drunk tea +in their charming guild rooms adjoining the little +temple in Mai-mai-ch’eng. There they were, shut<span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</span> +up for the remainder of their lives in heavy iron-bound +coffins, out of which they could never under +any conditions or for any purpose move. They +could not lie down flat, they could not sit upright, +they were not only manacled but chained to the +coffins. They saw daylight but for a few minutes, +when their food was thrust into their coffins +through a hole four or five inches in diameter, +twice daily. In one way only did they score over +their Mongolian fellow-sufferers. Their narrower +Chinese skulls enabled them, painfully and with +difficulty, to protrude their heads through the +hole in the coffin side. The Mongol cranium is +too wide to do so at all.</p> + +<p>Mr. Gull talked to the Chinese as long as the +brutal-looking gaolers would let him, and I admired +the pluck which enabled him to remain so long in +that fearsome atmosphere. The men told him +that all they knew was that they were suspected +of supporting the Chinese Republic at the time of +the Mongol declaration of independence. They +had apparently had no trial, and they saw not the +slightest chance of escape from this appalling +situation. They seemed thankful to have a few +words with anyone in their own tongue.</p> + +<p>There were five dungeons and we went into +all of them. It was impossible in the dim light to +estimate how many prisoners they contained, and +one got very varying figures, but I imagine that +the total must be in the neighbourhood of 150. +One of the Russians wished to take a photograph<span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</span> +of the three prisoners outside, and the brutes of +gaolers held their hands when they tried to cover +their faces. I felt that one ought not insult their +misery by doing such a thing. Indeed, no matter +what their crimes, one had nothing but the deepest +pity for the prisoners. We were profoundly +moved by all the experiences of the afternoon +and rode back much saddened in the twilight to +Mai-mai-ch’eng. Nothing I can ever see in the +future will wipe out the memory of that terrible +prison.</p> + +<p>What I had learned of the prison system in +Urga helped me the better to understand what I +saw later on. I was present, not indeed from any +morbid curiosity, but in order to witness the much-vaunted +Mongol courage in the face of death, at +the execution of three Mongol soldiers, who six +months before had murdered their general, Gen +Dung Geng, and since that time had been dragging +out their lives in those awful coffins.</p> + +<p>A perfect July morning. The ride over the +short turf for miles along the wide valley to the +north-east of Urga made us forgetful for the time +being of the gruesome object of our expedition. +Three of the soldiers who had murdered their +general—the prince, who had led them 400 strong +against 4000 Chinese within the walled city of +Kobdo, and whose title was the reward of his conquest—were +to be executed. Discipline among +his ranks had been terribly severe; his soldiers +hated him, and the glory with which they were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</span> +covered as a consequence of their victory did not +outweigh the rancour in their hearts. A chosen +few were supported without exception by their +fellows. They were unanimous to a man.</p> + +<p>The prince must die. They rose against him +on the morning of an ice-bound day in January, +and twenty Mauser rifles emptied their lead into +his body. Miraculous seemed the strength possessed +by the General. A bullet shattered his +thigh, but he continued to run. The soldiers +hesitated when they saw that he did not fall. +For one English mile he fled from his pursuers, +limping but swift. To the city he fled, and people +ran out from their dwellings to ask the reason for +such doings. They were out of earshot when the +answer came flinging back to them. But as he +ran he called to those that would have come up +with him, “Stand away from me, or you also will +surely be killed,” and in his agony he pushed into +a place of safety some little children who were +in his path. His heart was tender in spite of the +severity of his discipline.</p> + +<p>He ran; and coming to a gateway where he +might hope to find sanctuary, he threw himself +with all his force against the door. He was a +strong man, and the door fell in, and he with it. +He lay as he fell. His own soldiers came quickly +up with him, and to the first he cried, “Kill me, +then, that I may enter the new life without further +delay”. And straightway the man shot him +through the head.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</span></p> + +<p>... And we sat on the hill-side and waited, +while our ponies found fodder more luscious than +that to which they were accustomed on the nearer +plains. We waited for over two hours. The +Mongols are not a punctual people.</p> + +<p>Presently, riding in twos and threes, they came +straggling over the hill; the hill that shall obscure +from view the bloody deed which must be carried +out without the knowledge of the gods, which on +no account may take place within sight of the +sacred mountain of Bogdo-N’or upon whose face +all Urga gazes.</p> + +<p>The horsemen rode slowly across the mountain, +for they knew that more slowly still would the +ox-carts with their mounted escort of soldiers from +the south wend their way around its foot. Besides, +there was no hurry. The prince’s soldiers, +three only of the many who were eating their +hearts out in those awful dungeons, were to die +to-day for his murder.</p> + +<p>Some sixty or seventy Chinese herded together +near us, a cheery, chattering crowd, make a jarring +note in this sombre atmosphere. They +rejoice to witness death, more especially when +a Mongol is to die. They sit apart from all +others. There is no natural affinity between +these warring races; and the chances just now +are that in the near future Mongolia’s relations +with her celestial neighbours may be fundamentally +altered.</p> + +<p>Suddenly round the bend of the valley appears<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</span> +a multi-coloured little group of riders, the predominant +tint being the blue uniforms of the +southern soldiers making general harmony with +the grey-green of the grass on the slopes. They +are quickly within range, and by the peacock +plumes in their velvet hats one sees that many +officials accompany the criminals. There, in the +midst of the soldiers, are the primitive little ox-carts, +two of them, and in them sit, arms tightly +bound to their backs, the shock-headed criminals. +Shock-headed and bearded they have become +during their sojourn in the coffins in which they +have been closely confined in Urga’s dungeons. +Death is indisputably preferable to imprisonment +in Mongolia. One of the trio, in spite of the +terrible six months through which he has passed, +is full of life and vigour, and he shouts up in a truculent +manner to the officials who have gathered +together in a little tent overlooking the stakes to +which later on the prisoners are to be bound, +“Hi, you there,” he calls, “don’t go and hide yourselves +inside the tent. You have to watch our +execution. Come out and see us die.” And +when the simple meal, with which they are served +immediately before the execution takes place, is +served to them—unable to feed themselves, the +bowls are held to their lips by the gaolers—this +same man demands his rights, and asks for meat +and tea instead of the water and tsamba which +are given to him.</p> + +<p>And then—having satisfied their hunger, they<span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</span> +are quickly and securely bound in kneeling posture +to the stakes. For the last time the sturdy +ruffian expostulates at not being allowed to face +the fire. “Why do you not let us face the guns?” +he argued. “Why will you not allow us to die +like soldiers?” This position is ignominious. +It is unworthy of their traditions. But no notice +is taken of him, and perhaps his earlier discipline +impels him to submit without further demur. +A lama, carrying in his hands a framed picture of +the Great Prophet, walks in front of the captives. +What he says to them we cannot hear, but one +replies, “I only want to be a soldier when I am +born again”. The three gaze reverently enough +at the Buddha, and perhaps pray to him that their +lot in the speedy re-incarnation, which they confidently +anticipate, may be cast in pleasanter +places. The lama retires, and with a startling +rapidity, three blue-clad soldiers have placed +themselves at close range, five yards at most from +the murderers, and then—thud, thud, and the dust +on the hill beyond puffs up in three little clouds. +The heads of two of the men fall backwards with +a jerk on their necks. The bullets have done their +work. But custom demands that a second and +even a third round shall be fired. Then we see +that one of the men, the central figure of the +group, is still alive, and the awful thing is that no +one but ourselves appears to give heed to the fact, +until the Norwegian runs down the hill to the unfortunate +victim and calls the attention of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</span> +Mongols to his condition. Five minutes—they +seem like hours—pass before one of the troop +of soldiers, already mounted and galloping up the +hill towards Urga, is called back. He dismounts, +kneels, and takes aim and fires. There is no mistake +about the despatch this time. The poor +wretch has died hard indeed.</p> + +<p>We are a very quiet little party as we ride +slowly homewards through the valleys. Away +behind us the kites circle round the spot we have +just left; waiting until the last of the crowd has +taken himself off. A human vulture has paid a +few kopecks for the privilege of stripping those +three poor bodies of the filthy clothes in which +they so bravely expiated their crime, and he too +waits until we are all out of sight before he commences +his gruesome task. And the dogs, the +ghoulish dogs that infest Urga, will compete with +the vultures.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c16">CHAPTER XVI</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“Those who know do not speak; those speak who do not know”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE Mongol belief in an immediate re-incarnation +leads them to be entirely careless +of their dead, and the only description +of tomb I saw in Urga were a couple of dagobas +erected over priests’ graves. “What does it +matter?” they say. “The body is only a case for +the spirit, and the spirit is at once born again +into a new case.” I think that herein lies the +reason they never seem to trouble to wash their +“cases”. Corpses are carried out on to the +hill-side on the tail of an ox-cart, a lama accompanying +the man in charge of it. The lama +selects an auspicious spot; the man whips up his +pony, jerks the corpse to the ground, and they +drive quickly off without looking back. The rest +is left to luck. If the body is rapidly devoured +by wild beasts and birds of prey, the virtue of the +deceased is established in the face of any evidence +to the contrary. If, however, the process of dissolution +is protracted, a bad name will cling to +the reputation of the departed and also reflect<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</span> +inconveniently on his surviving family as long as +spiteful memory permits.</p> + +<p>A lasting impression of Urga is that of a city +strewn with bones, and horrible, ghoulish, and +terribly savage dogs prowling among them. You +may count these dogs sometimes in hundreds +about the refuse heaps that surround Urga. +Often they may be seen silently gnawing, gnawing +away at something which makes you shudder +as you ride quickly past. One never ventures +outside one’s door unarmed, for in winter the +dogs are very fierce with hunger, and in summer +there is always danger of meeting a mad brute. +Only a few months before we stayed there a +young lama from the temple just outside our +compound was torn to pieces by these pariah +dogs. He was a fine strong young man, but had +gone forth alone one winter’s day and was without +a weapon. A number of dogs attacked him +and before anyone could respond to his cries they +had dragged him away to a neighbouring refuse +heap and there torn him limb from limb. The +dogs belong to nobody, and as well as being a +constant source of danger, they are most repulsive +looking creatures, always unsightly from +some horrible disease that seems to beset them. +The Mongol view is that these dogs act as +scavengers and so save them the trouble of disposing +of their refuse.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f46"> +<img src="images/fig46.jpg" alt="dagobas"> +<p class="caption">A TOMB IN URGA<br> +DAGOBAS ERECTED OVER PRIESTS’ GRAVES</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f47"> +<img src="images/fig47.jpg" alt="soldiers"> +<p class="caption">SOUTHERN SOLDIERS</p> +</div> + +<p>Cut off completely from the world, as it seemed, +I received neither letters nor news of outside +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</span>affairs, nor did I observe during this gala time at +Urga much evidence as to the unsettled state of +Chinese and Mongolian political matters. An occasional +telegram was received by my host from +his colleague at Kalgan telling him something of +the movements of the two opposing forces, but it +was little that we learned as to what was happening, +and if one had remained much longer there +one would certainly have come to regard Urga +as the centre of the universe, and to attach paramount +importance to Mongolia as a political unit.</p> + +<p>The news, therefore, that Mr. Grant, a young +Scotsman engaged in the Chinese telegraph service, +had been murdered by Mongol soldiery at +Ta-Bol was a great shock. We had met the companion +who set out with him, the preparations +for whose expedition I had watched with such +interest three months before from the mission +compound at Kalgan, when we passed through +Verkne-Oudinsk, and were told by him that Mr. +Grant would probably reach Urga before we left +it. The story as it came to us through Mongol +sources was that Hung-hu-tzes had descended +upon this poor young fellow for food at an isolated +telegraph station, and that when they had exhausted +his supplies, he, though resenting their +importunities, had despatched urgent messages +to the Chinese Government for relief. It is said +that a telegram was sent to Yuan Shih K’ai himself; +but the Chinese Government were apathetic, +or they did not see the force of feeding this robber<span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</span> +band whose object was to destroy their men, when +it was all they could do to supply their own soldiers +with the barest necessities. In any case, no relief +came, and Grant in desperation, no Chinese or +Mongol being willing to undertake the journey, +finally set off to Kalgan that he might obtain the +stores necessary in order to continue his tour of +inspection north. Why the authorities allowed +him to return under the conditions prevailing in +Inner Mongolia at that time it is difficult to understand. +Be that as it may, upon reaching Ta-Bol +again in company with three Chinese he was apparently +captured by Mongol soldiers, who met +him with the demand that he should hand over +his supplies and his Chinese as well to them. He +should go free, they said, if he complied, but if he +refused they would kill him.</p> + +<p>To his eternal honour be it recorded that Grant +stood by his Chinese companions. The Mongols, +although they murdered him in cold blood, have +at least been forced to admit that the white man +was their equal in their boasted bravery; that he +knew something of which they know nothing—the +supreme virtue of self-sacrifice. He did not die +with the satisfaction of knowing that he was +saving the life of others in so doing—one hopes +that many of us would be capable of paying that +price for such a reward. He died because he +would not save his own life at the price of blood +even though that blood was inevitably to be shed. +From Mongol lips the account of the final scene<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</span> +comes to us. Announcing their intention of +putting him to death, soldiers crowded round him +to take him captive. He jeered that so large a +number should be necessary to bind a single man. +“We will soon stop your laughing,” they said, and +lining up twenty men they shot him down.</p> + +<p>Grant met his death in such a manner as to +make his nation proud of him. His action, combined +with his last brave words, was of a gallantry +that places him high in the company of heroes. +“You may kill me, but you can never frighten +me,” he said. A month or more later his body +was found with a bullet through the head, as were +the bodies of the three Chinese with whom he +died rather than leave to their fate. Though the +murderers had fled, the camp near which the bodies +were found still remained, and it was on that +account that they were found undisturbed; that +the wolves and vultures had left them untouched. +It would almost seem as though the Mongols, +having done their worst, had guarded the remains; +as though they realised that a hero’s death must +surely be avenged.</p> + +<p>Although, as I have said, there was little enough +on the surface in the capital to suggest that a +few hundred miles away fighting was in progress +and unrest was prevalent, one could not describe +Urga as being either a peaceful or a soothing +place in which to settle. The fact that one must +always keep a loaded rifle at hand does not make +for that. A somewhat “nervy” little experience<span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</span> +of my own one night was when I heard rifle and +revolver shots too near to be exactly a lullaby. +Creeping out into the compound, my revolver at +full cock, and taking cover under shadow of the +low Chinese buildings that bordered it, I discovered +that a Mongol was sitting upon my roof taking +pot shots at his enemy over the wall. This is +the one and only time that I think I can claim +literally to have been “under fire”.</p> + +<p>Another uncomfortable moment was one night +in riding home in the dark after dining with our +Russian friends, when we inadvertently disturbed +a horde of pariah dogs very busily engaged in +gnawing at—heaven knows what! Several of +them leapt up angrily at us, and there was +temporary uncertainty as to whether we might +not be in for an extremely ugly time of it. At +night, too, our ponies were fearfully nervous, and +after a violent “shy” because my fellow-traveller +struck a match to light a cigarette, my little brute +chucked me over his head most unexpectedly +when, on reaching the compound gates, I essayed +to rouse the inmates by banging on the doors +with my riding-crop. We learned before leaving +Urga that to be out after dark was looked upon +as exceedingly rash and unwise, and before we +left that city an order was issued by the Mongol +Government to the effect that no one was to go +outside his house after 8 p.m.; that in one house +in every twelve a man was to sit up all night +in order to give warning should Hung-hu-tzes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</span> +threaten; and that in every house or yourt a +light was to be kept burning all night.</p> + +<p>These were not exactly reassuring auspices +under which to make our way back along the +lonely tracks to civilisation. It decided us, in +fact, to give up the idea of taking a different route +back in order to visit the gold mines in the Iro +district, for it was especially in that neighbourhood +that there was most likelihood of meeting +desperate and evil characters. Anxious therefore +to prolong our stay in Urga to the limit of the +time we had at our disposal, we decided to cut +the journey back to Siberia as short as possible +and travel “orton” in as rapid stages as might +be. The Russian Consul was very good in +helping us to make our arrangements. In fact, +the uncomfortable feeling lingered unexpressed at +the backs of our minds that friendly though he +had been, he would not be sorry to see us turn +our faces from Urga. It is obvious that the +Russians would not like a couple of inquisitive +foreigners poking their noses into all sorts of +corners, especially in a country where Russian +jurisdiction is in the balance and control by no +means complete.</p> + +<p>An antediluvian tarantass was procured, and +we were told that the owner lived in Kiachta +and that we might deposit it there for him. The +small sum of ten roubles seemed to ensure +sufficient repair being carried out on it to see us +through the two hundred miles that lay between<span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</span> +Urga and our destination. The first day of +August was spent in packing up and making +preparations for our journey, which we hoped to +compass in four instead of the seven days we had +taken in coming. The friends we had made +during our stay came to speed us on our way and +regaled us during tea-time with stories of adventures +that travellers had met with on previous +occasions over the same road. The Consul, +very genial and cheery himself, brought us our +“huchaos” as well as the passes which would +enable us to carry our weapons out of Mongolia +and through Russian territory. Our last evening, +as we fondly thought, we spent on the banks +of the Tola River, and with the whitened skull of +a camel for a target we tried to improve our +marksmanship with the Mauser in the twilight, +using up all the ammunition we dared spare from +the possible requirements on the journey home.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“To spoil what is good by unreasonableness is like letting off<br> +fireworks in the rain”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>GAIN we had reckoned without our—Mongols. +Rising betimes and being +from an early hour in a state of preparedness, +we sat down and waited for the +appearance of our tarantass, our horses, and our +men. We waited all day, and in the evening gave +them up as a bad job and went off for a final +ride over the short springy turf among the foothills +surrounding the holy city. Next day, five +weeks exactly since we had left Kiachta, the +Mongols arrived before 8 a.m., but such are their +feckless and procrastinating ways, that it was +noon before they were ready to start. Our first +halt came all too soon, for we were not more +than 300 yards from the compound gates when +we had smash number one. This, by the way, +was the first and last time that I have ever seen +a Mongol unseated, and to do him justice, the +man came off his pony, not from having lost his +grip, but in preference to being crushed against +the palings of the temple we were passing.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</span></p> + +<p>We had started off three men short, and one +of the ponies, never having been used to draw +anything before, and being, moreover, extremely +fresh, took advantage of the situation to jib, throw +its rider, and bolt off across the valley. Without +a moment’s delay, the other Mongol freed his +steed from the tarantass and sped off after the +runaway. We were left sitting in the tarantass. +The pony, after a wild chase, was caught again, +and then in order to knock the stuffing out of him +a little, his owner, belabouring him freely, took +him for a sharp gallop. Meanwhile, and just as +we were ready to depart once more, the rascally +horse-dealer, who, by the way, had been our +next-door neighbour as well, rode up, obviously +in a state of indignant excitement. Mr. Mamen, +our Norwegian friend, who, hearing of our smash, +had come along to help if he could, explained that +the man was very angry and was under the impression +that we had insulted him.</p> + +<p>The story of the skull, the <i>casus belli</i> with the +horse-dealer, brings back to me considerable +regret. Ten days or so prior to our departure +I had found on a hill-side some distance from +Urga a fine, and apparently, clean, specimen of +Mongol skull, and tyro in the subject that I was, +thought that to possess and take it home with +me would be interesting from an anthropological +point of view. Threading a bit of string through +the eye socket, therefore, I tied the skull to my +saddle and rode back with it. My friends very<span class="pagenum" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</span> +kindly, instead of crushing my aspirations, suggested +that to let it steep for a few days in a pail +of disinfectant might be a wise and sanitary +precaution. When, however, I wanted to pack it +up, I found on pouring off the disinfectant, that +the dogs and vultures had not performed their +functions with the thoroughness that I had anticipated, +and that the cranium was still half full +of decomposed cerebral matter. My Chinese boy, +of course, would not look at it, and I could persuade +neither of my European companions to +clean out the thing for me. The easiest way +out of the difficulty seemed to be to leave the +skull behind. As soon, however, as we had +taken our departure, the boy in clearing up took +the pail and its contents to a neighbouring dust-heap +and deposited the latter thereon.</p> + +<p>Our Mongol horse-dealer had unfortunately +been cognisant of the proceedings, and, on the +look out, no doubt, for a grievance, had jumped +on his horse that he might overtake us and +complain of our action in leaving the skull so +near to the confines of his compound. We apologised, +of course, and tried to impress upon him +the fact that we had intended no insult. Noticing +that he still appeared irate, my noble fellow-traveller, +with the object, I believe, of leaving +nothing but pleasant impressions behind, offered +to go back and to remove the skull from the +vicinity. A further delay, and he re-appeared, +bringing with him a bulky parcel tied up in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</span> +a newspaper. My penitence was not assumed, +and coals of fire were heaped on my head when +not one solitary word of reproach was uttered +as we packed my very gruesome possession away +in the bottom of the tarantass. Even now it was +in no pleasant condition for transporting by +civilised routes through Europe, and I willingly +agreed that it would be as well to rid ourselves +of the encumbrance at the first opportunity. To +remind me of that incident, even ever so gently, +during the rest of the journey was to render me +immediately docile and amenable to any scheme, +no matter how distasteful it might be.</p> + +<p>We picked up our remaining Mongols in Urga, +and bade adieu to the Russian officer, Captain +Gabriek, who came to see us off, give us some +parting words of advice, and take a photograph +of us as a souvenir. We were nearing the top +of the first hill out of the capital when smash +number two occurred. The new pole which had +been fixed across the shafts of the tarantass +and was being carried in the usual way athwart +the saddles of four Mongols, suddenly broke in +two, and, without a moment’s warning, the +tarantass began to trundle backwards down the +incline. We sat tight, expecting to turn over +every minute, the Mongols, who are useless in +a crisis, looking on aghast at what had happened. +We fetched up against a heap of stones in a +manner truly providential, when, keeping the +right side uppermost, we disembarked, and set<span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</span> +the Mongols to work on mending the broken pole. +The opportunity having arrived, I took advantage +of all their attention being concentrated elsewhere +to walk off with the newspaper parcel containing +the skull, and sauntering away to some distant +bushes, I concealed my burden amongst them. +Years hence some Sherlock Holmes will doubtless +discover it, and making four out of two plus three, +will with his customary acumen come to the conclusion +that a dastardly crime has been committed +here; that some brutal Englishman has murdered +a Mongol and disposing of the body (heaven +knows how!) has attempted to conceal the head +by wrapping it in a copy of the “North China +Herald,” and leaving it by the wayside. You +never can tell.</p> + +<p>We were forced into the position of making +the best of a very bad job as far as the repair +to our broken pole was concerned, and came to +the conclusion that it would not bear the severe +strain of descending the long road which led +down to the farther side of the Urga Pass, up +which we had trudged so cheerily little more than +a month before. So, with a couple of ropes to +haul the tarantass back in order to avoid weight +on the pole, we allowed the now somewhat subdued +Mongols to take it down, while we ourselves +led their ponies. Our accident delayed us for +over an hour, and this, combined with our tardy +start, made us very late in arriving at the end +of the first stage. Here a relay of men and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</span> +horses was forthcoming, and we did our best +to instil into them caution as regards the fragile +condition of our conveyance. The way diverged +considerably from the route our Jamschik had +taken in bringing us, and before reaching our +night quarters we had a somewhat disconcerting +stream to negotiate. Under ordinary conditions +the Mongols would have raced over and torn +up the steep bank on the farther side with wild +“Hoop-la’s”. Our broken pole necessitated a +very different procedure, and there was nothing +for it but “all hands to the wheels” and to +push the heavy tarantass across. They gave me +one of the ponies to ride, but what with the water +being deep and the pony splashing about I think +I got as wet as they did. Mongols detest getting +even their feet wet and made a prodigious fuss +before they could be induced to wade.</p> + +<p>Our men on this stage were not a particularly +ingratiating set, and, though the subject did not +come up for discussion, neither of us felt any too +safe in their hands. Their character was disclosed +when we arrived at our destination for the +night, and they tried to force us into paying eight +roubles instead of the usual three, or the actual +five, which we offered them. The Mongols bluffed +all they knew, and swore (one of them spoke +enough Chinese to act as interpreter) that the +sum of eight roubles was entered in black and +white upon our “huchao,” or posting permit. My +less pugnacious companion was for paying and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</span> +thus saving discussion, but I felt that to give in +at so early a stage would mean being bullied at +every subsequent one, and I therefore gave them +to understand that I would go back to Urga with +them in the morning to settle matters rather +than be imposed upon in such a manner. They +made as though they would depart without the +money, but finally caved in before our firm stand, +and after a pow-wow which had lasted over an +hour, they settled down to tea and cigarettes +before taking their departure, by which time it +was nearly ten o’clock.</p> + +<p>Tired out with our long parley, thankful to see +the last of them, but pleased that we had managed +to keep our tempers and that we had finally scored +off these Mongols, we fed hastily and settled down +in the traveller’s yourt for the night with as little +preparation as might be, feeling none too secure +in this obviously hostile camp. In the wee sma’ +hours a sound of soft footsteps wakened me, and +I sat up to listen. I could hear from the deep +regular breathing of the other occupants of the +yourt that nervousness was not troubling them +unduly. But the slight sounds developed, and a +sudden creaking outside woke Mr. Gull up too. An +unexpected rush of horses’ hoofs and more creaking +presented in a flash to me what was happening +outside. “They are stealing our tarantass,” I +whispered, and grasped my revolvers, one in each +hand. We sat still and waited in silence for a +while, when lights and voices reached us through<span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</span> +the chinks and crevices of the yourt. “Those +brutes have come back to rob us,” muttered Mr. +Gull, and crawling quietly to the door I could see +through the crack above it a crowd of faces.</p> + +<p>“What the devil do you want?” shouted one of +us, and rejoicing to find my hand steady as a rock, +I prepared to fire at the first indication of attack. +Indeed I was veritably within an ace of pulling the +trigger, when suddenly I became conscious of +a fair moustachioed, blue-eyed face, topped by a +forage cap, gazing at me in gentle amazement. +I could have fallen upon the neck to which it was +attached in the reaction from what we believed to +be a desperate situation. The Mongols were not +there to attack us, but merely to usher in to the +traveller’s yourt a Russian officer and his servant +who were posting through to Kiachta in like +manner to ourselves. We quickly helped them to +settle in, plied them with food and brandy (which +seemed to please them enormously), and the lot +of us were soon sleeping soundly and securely, I +with the comfortable feeling that together we +would be able to account for a good many Mongols +were the ruffians to come back and raid us.</p> + +<p>We had rather hoped that we might be able to +continue our journey in this pleasant, if speechless, +company, but the Russians were travelling +very light, and were up and off by daybreak, while +we had to wait for a new pole; a young Scotch +fir being cut down, smoothed a bit, and sold to us +for fifty kopecks for the purpose. I was interested<span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</span> +in watching the toilet of the officer, whose servant +stood at attention opposite him holding a small +saucepan full of water in which he washed and +gargled with great thoroughness.</p> + +<p>The appearance of the group of Mongols who +were to take us on our next stage did not impress +us favourably, and we felt that our men of yesterday +had probably done their best to make things +difficult for us. The other people in the camp too, +seemed truculent and surly, begging for food from +us in no too pleasant a manner. One of our new +men was indeed a formidable looking ruffian, six +feet tall, and with a scowl that never left his face. +The others consisted of a “black man,” two girls, +and a lama of twenty or so. The younger girl +was very pretty. She obviously mistook me for +a man, and all the time she was off duty she rode +alongside the tarantass making overtures to me for +sweets (we had laid in a good supply on finding a +particularly pleasing brand in a Russian shop in +Urga), pins, flowers, or any other trifle she espied +and as promptly coveted. She was so coy and +merry that I felt quite sorry for my companion +that all her attentions should thus be squandered +upon myself. It annoyed some one else too. The +young lama whose beloved, I gathered, she was, +seemed distinctly uneasy, and his head was much +more frequently turned in our direction than to +his business of guiding the tarantass. At one halt +he appeared to be telling her plainly what he +thought of her frivolous behaviour, but although<span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</span> +she pouted very prettily it was all to no avail, and +her swain tied up again, figuratively speaking, between +the shafts of the tarantass, the minx relapsed +once more into her engaging little ways.</p> + +<p>At the end of the stage there was the fuss we +had anticipated, and our scowling outrider looked +by no means a pleasant customer when he began +bullying argument for a double fare. We were, +however, at this time of day in no mood to be +trifled with, and throwing the money on the ground, +waved our “huchao” in the face of the head man +of the settlement and demanded fresh horses +without delay. Two can play at a game of bluff, +and we were the winning side this time. With a +lively crew of no less than eight youngish men—dare-devil +scallywags they looked—we were soon +under way again.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less">“When the mind is enlarged the body is at ease”</p> + +<p class="r2 gap less"> +—<i>Chinese proverb</i> +</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE antiquity of our tarantass was a +source of constant anxiety to us, and +minor mishaps, ropes wearing out, shafts +slipping, and nuts becoming loose, were of frequent +occurrence. Two of our riders were mere boys—one +a lama, of fifteen or sixteen—who when they +were drawing us insisted on riding at a reckless +pace over some very rough country. I protested +several times and finally, after they had repeatedly +disregarded my injunctions, succeeded in bringing +them to a halt. Things were soon again as bad +as ever however, and we were travelling at a +tremendous rate when snap, scurrrr, scuff! our +front axle-tree had broken clean in two, and a +wheel rolled clear away on the near side. We +were now in a sorry plight, and what we were +going to do we had not the slightest idea. The +Mongols looked on helplessly, and were quite +subdued when I told the two young ruffians, who +had been so entirely responsible for the damage, +in fluent English exactly my sentiments regarding +themselves at that moment. By the sheer intervention +of Providence we were saved from an<span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</span> +uncommonly awkward situation. In the dim +distance, the forms of a couple of Russians riding +along were descried by one of our Mongols, and +leaping into his saddle he had galloped away to +solicit their aid before we had diagnosed what was +passing in his mind.</p> + +<p>Of the resourcefulness, the kindness, and +general <i>bon camaraderie</i> of those Russians I can +hardly say enough. Our troubles were at an end. +Of the pair, we diagnosed one as being perhaps +a cattle-dealer in low-water—his shaggy and +disreputable appearance maybe belied him: the +other man was a raw young soldier carrying +despatches to Kiachta. The first was a man of +brains. He took in the situation at a glance and +immediately set the Mongols to work; one to cut +down a sapling, others to clear out some of the +wreckage. Meanwhile he gave them such a +dressing down as did my heart good to hear. By +transforming the sapling into a sort of sleigh +runner, he achieved what had seemed next to +impossible, a means of conveying the tarantass, +which now had a tremendous list to starboard, +with our belongings inside to the next stage of +the journey.</p> + +<p>Thankful to have got even so far, we were +preparing to pay off and dismiss the Mongols who +had been responsible for so much trouble, but the +Russian stopped us and gave us to understand +that in consequence of the smash it would be +better to give them nothing, and we therefore<span class="pagenum" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</span> +got rid of them by writing a letter on the spot +to the Yamen at Urga, setting forth our complaint +and explaining that we had been obliged to +abandon the tarantass at the fourth stage of our +journey. The headman appeared to support the +Russian’s judgment, and moreover cautioned the +new set of men who were to take us along in +gingerly fashion in our three-wheeled and almost +disabled tarantass to our resting-place for the +night. Fortunately this turned out to be a very +short stage, and we walked almost all the way.</p> + +<p>Having travelled by a different, although, I +presume, more or less parallel road from Urga, +we were agreeably surprised to find ourselves +when night fell at the little wooden shanty occupied +by the young Chinese whose eyes I had treated +on the downward journey, but with whose house +my fellow-traveller had less pleasant associations. +His quarters, however, were taken up by Chinese +travellers, and we therefore put up with a family +of Russians who occupied the adjoining rooms. +As regards cleanliness this was certainly no improvement +on the apartment next door, and I think +Mr. Gull, who decided to sleep in the tarantass, +had the better part. I had quite anticipated +sharing the room with the Russian family who +at supper time ate their meal in one corner while +we, with the soldier and our friend in need as +guests, had ours in the other. But they all +dwindled away after their repast and I felt somewhat +nonplussed when, after I had retired to my<span class="pagenum" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</span> +plank bed, they trooped in one by one to say +their prayers in front of the icon which decorated +the corner of my abode. The men, of whom there +seemed to be a nondescript half-dozen, appeared +to find sleeping accommodation in odd carts and +corners in the yard, and I heard next morning +that the compound had not been such a quiet +place of repose after all; that the cows lowed, +the pigs grunted, that cocks crowed long before +dawn, and finally that snores were to be heard +coming from every direction.</p> + +<p>From this time forward the two Russians, +civilian and soldier, were as our brothers. For the +sake of their company and from sheer gratitude +for their helpfulness and resource we welcomed +them gladly, and willingly shared with them all +that we had in the way of provisions. We had +every reason to believe that our “huchao” carried +the cattle-dealer through the remaining stages +free of expense, and not once but many times I +gathered from an intelligible word here and there +that he described us to the Mongols as near +relations of the Hut’ukt’u, and therefore that +there must be no further nonsense about overcharging +us. This must have been the explanation +of the fact that at one stage the Mongols refused +payment altogether, and I am afraid it must ever +remain on our consciences that we were benefiting +from what was in effect an offering to the living +God.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f48"> +<img src="images/fig48.jpg" alt="orton"> +<p class="caption">A MONGOL ORTON</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f49"> +<img src="images/fig49.jpg" alt="ponies"> +<p class="caption">CONTINUING THE JOURNEY ON OX-CARTS DRAWN BY PONIES</p> +</div> + +<p>The damage to our vehicle was examined by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</span>every man, woman, and child within reach, and a +general concensus of opinion was arrived at to +the effect that repair was impossible, and that the +alternatives available were either to continue our +journey by ox-carts drawn by ponies and to +abandon our tarantass, or to remain where we +were for a very precarious fortnight while a new +axle was made and sent down to us from Kiachta. +The latter course was out of the question, and we +gaily embarked upon a journey of some 120 miles +on ox-carts, little recking of the possibilities of +discomfort that this means of transit involved. +On one cart, which we did our utmost to keep in +sight and in front of us, we packed the baggage, +on the other we somewhat perilously perched ourselves. +There was no protection either at the +back or sides of the rough conveyance, and it +was some time before we could learn to balance +ourselves with any degree of comfort or feeling of +security.</p> + +<p>Arriving at the next stage about midday we +were so tired with the jolting and the strain of +keeping our seats that we were literally too exhausted +to unpack our food, and merely stretched +our cramped limbs on the grass and dozed while +the ponies were caught and put between the +shafts and a new relay of Mongols carried out +their customary pow-wow with the last lot. The +stages were now of shorter duration, and as the +carts were the property of the Mongols at various +points, their capacity for comfort presented a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</span> +pleasing variety. None of them, however, would +in our luxurious and extravagant country, I am +sure, be considered worthy of carrying manure +from the farmyard to the field. The description +of ox-carts which cross the Gobi and which I +constantly met in Inner Mongolia applies equally +to those of this region.</p> + +<p>A further stage was rendered lively and really +interesting by the discovery of the most remarkable +one-year-old boy it has ever been my lot to +meet. To say that the child could walk and talk +like a four-year-old is to mention the least striking +of his accomplishments. Mr. Gull, at the appearance +of the baby in his mother’s arms, was +smoking a cigarette, and by unmistakable signs, +to say nothing of sounds which were apparently +intelligible to the surrounding Mongols, he expressed +his desire for one too. He was forthwith +presented with a cigarette, and we quite +expected him to do what all normal children of +his age would have done, pull it to pieces. But +not so this child. He put it in his mouth most +carefully, and looking round gravely to watch the +effect he had produced, he allowed it to be +lighted, when he puffed it for a moment or two +before struggling to his feet and toddling off to +the yourt to show his trophy to a doting grandfather. +It was quite evident that that baby, as +certain other babies of my acquaintance, ruled +not only the yourt of his parents, but his various +kith and kin in the camp to boot.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f50"> +<img src="images/fig50.jpg" alt="remarkable"> +<p class="caption">A REMARKABLE ONE-YEAR-OLD BOY</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</span></p> + +<p>The settlement thus dominated appeared to us +to be of a somewhat more wealthy character than +others at which we had rested—at least, it produced +a slightly superior cart, larger, and with a +plank upon which to sit, while the harness had +the high Russian arc-like arrangement attached +to the shafts. Between this and the next stage +we again crossed the Hara-Gol (at a point higher +up the river than last time) and found it almost +unrecognisable, so greatly had its volume decreased. +That the Mongols do not devote the +pick of their herds to supplying the traveller with +horse-flesh for the journey between Urga and +Kiachta goes without saying. As a rule, however, +the ponies that were available were more or less +docile, and on two stages only did we seem in +peril of never reaching our destination at all; +once on account of too great a pace, on another +on account of no pace at all.</p> + +<p>Starting at 5 o’clock on the morning after we +had re-crossed the Hara-Gol, and with a very +good-looking and pleasant young priest as outrider—it +should be mentioned that to each cart +was attached one pony only and that this was led +by a mounted Mongol—we seemed likely to take a +short cut across the Great Divide. The wheeler +was hopeless, beginning with a tremendous tussle +on being put between the shafts; and it was more +than probable that this was his first experience +of such encumbrances as cart and harness. The +Mongol, whose own steed was in none too good<span class="pagenum" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</span> +a temper, held him up short against his bridle, +and from time to time seemed likely to be pulled +from his saddle by the jerks and tugs with which +the little brute tried to free himself.</p> + +<p>Our Russian friend and the soldier had ridden +ahead, and there seemed every likelihood that we +were in for a lively time. After a while, however, +the pony appeared to have come to terms and to +settle down to the fact that he had met his master. +The strain, however, had been too much for the +harness, and a piece of the raw hide that formed +it, parting company from the rest, gave the animal +his chance. Without an instant’s warning he was +off, helter-skelter, over the prairie. Our lama, +taken off his guard by the fracture, was left +behind for a moment, but, recovering himself, +darted away at a little distance, and instead of +trying to catch us up did his best to head the +pony up the hill, instead of allowing us to be +dragged to certain destruction along a narrow +road which wound up with a steep incline down +to the dried-up bed of a river. There was nothing +for it but to sit tight and hope for the best, +and holding on to one another like grim death, +we danced about like parched peas on a drum +head. Sitting tight seemed to suggest relative +security for a moment or two, but in front of us +was a bank, and heaven knows what beyond it. +“The bank will stop him,” I cried; but no such +luck. Up he went, and to our breathless amazement +we found we had leapt, cart, pony, ourselves,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</span> +and all, not only the bank but the gully +that was on the other side as well. It said much +for the stability of our cart no less than for our +nerves. But there were limits to the little beast’s +powers, and the sharply ascending ground to which +he turned to avoid his master was too much for +him, and, completely played out, he allowed himself +to be caught. By this time our Russian +friend, not understanding our delayed appearance, +had very thoughtfully ridden back, and, practical +man that he was, mended the harness, swearing +volubly at the lama meantime. That we were +alive to tell the tale seemed to us a miracle +indeed.</p> + +<p>Our next experience was a great contrast, for +on the north bank of the Iro-Gol where we again +changed horses, we picked up the slowest brute +I met during the whole time I was in the East. +So slow it was that the Russian lent me his whip +in order that I might urge it on a bit from the +cart. This and the fact that on one occasion I +touched it gently on the back with the toe of my +boot rather annoyed the Mongol who led it, and +turning round he informed us in Chinese that his +horse was “li h’ai” (terrible). Once and once +only did it suggest the least justification of the +statement, and that was when nearing camp it +appeared suddenly to call its traditions, and made +a very respectable entry, dashing up to the travellers’ +yourt in fine style.</p> + +<p>This proved to be a very friendly settlement,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</span> +and the people crowded round the yourt to bid us +welcome. I dare say friendliness was mingled +with curiosity. Seeing me pour a drop or two +of eau-de-Cologne on a handkerchief and pass it +over my face, they were keenly desirous of paying +me the compliment of imitation, and held out +their hands for the bottle. Mongols are not backward +in asking for what they want, and are quite +of the belief that to him who asks shall be given. +“Ai-iaa” they ejaculated delightedly. Most of +them liked the scent, but one woman who sniffed +it up too hard from the palm of her hand was +greatly annoyed when it stung her nose, shaking +her head like a dog, and walking off in high dudgeon +when the others roared with laughter at +her. They all copied my method of using it, and +were smearing their faces over with their dirty +hands, when our Russian took a rise out of a new-comer +who had not been present at the first +operation. Seeing every one rubbing their cheeks +he wished of course to take part in the game, and +the Russian pouring the questionable dregs of +a water bottle into his outstretched palms, the +trusting lama applied it to his face. The rest +keenly appreciated the joke and the man himself +took it in good part when he found that they were +fooling him. As consolation I administered a +lump of sugar dipped in tea, and this was much +relished. They were a cheery lot of people here +who played with us and each other like so many +children.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</span></p> + +<p>We woke up next morning to make the acquaintance +of a learned professor from the University +of Tomsk, who had arrived during the +night, coming in so quietly that he had disturbed +no one. We learnt that he was on a surveying +expedition to Ulliasutai and Kobdo. We left him +planting his theodolite on the top of a hillock near +the camp, the Mongols regarding his movements +with the greatest suspicion and dislike. Another +couple of stages brought us near the end of our +journey, and as we jogged along within sight of +Kiachta we reviewed our experiences during the +weeks in wild Mongolia, with, to quote my fellow-traveller, +“at all events this result—that at the +end of the journey we both wished we were back +again at the beginning”.</p> + +<p>Kiachta looked picturesque enough as we approached +its quasi-civilisation once more. Still, +we had no desire to remain there an hour longer +than was necessary, and now that Mongolia +was for the time being a thing of the past—a +veritable castle in Spain which this time at any +rate had materialised—I looked forward with pleasure +to the—to me—unknown capital of Russia. +The journey down the Selenga River contrasted +pleasantly as regards duration with the up-river +trip, and arriving once more at dusty Werkne-Udinsk, +we lost no time in embarking upon the +express train to Chelyabinsk, passing through +Transbaikalia in rainy gloom. At Chelyabinsk +we changed and boarded a very inferior train for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</span> +St. Petersburg, the first-class carriages of which +were small and less comfortable than the average +second class in any other country. Petersburg +in late summer was quiet enough to be restful +after our wanderings, while the cleanliness and +comfort that attends sightseeing in the orthodox +manner were, I am bound to admit, distinctly +refreshing. But the essence of life lies in its contrasts, +and after returning to London by means of +the luxurious boats which ply from point to point +among the beautiful islands of the Baltic, it was +not many weeks before one looked back with longing +to the simple life, the simple customs of +a primitive people—veritably a call to the wild. +Mongolia fascinated me in anticipation; in +materialisation; in retrospect; and most of all +in the prospect of going back again—some day.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</span></p> + +<p class="ph2">INDEX</p> +</div> + +<ul class="index"> + +<li class="ifrst">Altai Berg, summit of, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Archers, meeting of, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Architecture at Mai-mai-ch’eng, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Baltic Provinces, <a href="#Page_192">192</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Bogdo, compound, structure of his, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">Mongolia, ruler of, <a href="#Page_152">152</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Bogdo N’or, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">sacred mountain of, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Bohea, Fukien hills of, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">British Legation at Peking, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- perturbation at Mrs. Gull’s intentions, <a href="#Page_vii">vii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Buriats, Mongols, Russian nationalised tribe of, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Burmah frontier, Chinese and, <a href="#Page_ix">ix</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Cemetery, Chinese, at Mai-mai-ch’eng, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Chang Chia K’ou, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Ch’angch’un, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Chelyabinsk, author’s departure for, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Ch’en Lung, pictures, collection of, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Chihli, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">China, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>, + <a href="#Page_92">92</a>, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- economic possibilities of, <a href="#Page_viii">viii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- foreign policy of, <a href="#Page_ix">ix</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- form of salutation in, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Mongolian petition to, <a href="#Page_xiii">xiii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- North, inns of, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Revolution in, <a href="#Page_xi">xi</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- unsettled political state of, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- war between, and Mongolia, <a href="#Page_xi">xi</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Chinese at Urga, <a href="#Page_vii">vii.</a></li> + +<li class="indx">-- banquet in honour of baby, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Foreign Office, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Inner Mongolia, gradual invasion of, by, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Choi Gin Lama, the residence of, <a href="#Page_178">178</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Consortium, banking, for China, <a href="#Page_xiv">xiv</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Dance of the Gods, <a href="#Page_185">185</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Dassak Da Lama, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Dol-na-Gashi, horse-farm at, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Dolo N’or, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Empress of China, death of, in Peking, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Foochow, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Fukien, Bohea hills of, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Gen Dung Geng, General, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Gobi, <a href="#Page_viii">viii</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>, + <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_228">228</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Gold-mining, Mongolore Co. at Urga, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Grant, Mr., murder of, at Ta-Bol, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Great Divide, <a href="#Page_229">229</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Wall, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Haarlem, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Hankarawa, Inner Mongolia, largest temple of, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Hankow, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Han-o-pa Pass, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- village of, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Hara-Gol, <a href="#Page_134">134</a>, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>, <a href="#Page_229">229</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Haraossu, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Harbin, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Holy City of Mongolia, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Horse-breeding at Dol-na-Gashi, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Hsu Shu-cheng, General, <a href="#Page_xiii">xiii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Hut’ukt’u, the ruler of the Mongols, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_180">180</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Inner Mongolia, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, + <a href="#Page_164">164</a>, <a href="#Page_228">228</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- Chinese gradual invasion to, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- fuel of, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- headdress of, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- Northern Mongols of, <a href="#Page_161">161</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Iro-gol, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Japan and Mongolia, <a href="#Page_xiv">xiv</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- future of, <a href="#Page_xiv">xiv</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- troops of, in Siberia, <a href="#Page_xii">xii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Japanese-Russo War, effect of, <a href="#Page_ix">ix</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Kalgan, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, + <a href="#Page_15">15</a>, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, + <a href="#Page_24">24</a>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_32">32</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>, + <a href="#Page_90">90</a>, <a href="#Page_91">91</a>, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>, + <a href="#Page_208">208</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- consignment of wool and hides to, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- departure for, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- descent from heights north of, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- inhabitants, number of, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>,000, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- journey continued to, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Pass, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- plunder of, by band of Hung-hu-tzes, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Valley, road along, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Kiachta, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>, <a href="#Page_211">211</a>, <a href="#Page_213">213</a>, <a href="#Page_220">220</a>, <a href="#Page_224">224</a>, + <a href="#Page_227">227</a>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- convention of, <a href="#Page_xi">xi</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- cosmopolitan inhabitants, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">problem of departure from, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Selenga River to, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">Troitze-Casavsk, division of, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Kobdo, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Kolchak, Admiral, <a href="#Page_xii">xii</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Llassa, occupation of, by Chinese, <a href="#Page_x">x</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Mai-mai-ch’eng, architecture of, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>, <a href="#Page_197">197</a>, + <a href="#Page_199">199</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Chinese township of, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- halt at, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- situation of, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Manchu dynasty, <a href="#Page_xi">xi</a>, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Manchuli, settlement of, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Manchuria, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Mission compound, life in, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Mongol family, visit to, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- State, suggested creation of, <a href="#Page_xii">xii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Mongolia, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>, + <a href="#Page_41">41</a>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, + <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, <a href="#Page_81">81</a>, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, + <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>, + <a href="#Page_161">161</a>, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>, <a href="#Page_172">172</a>, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>, + <a href="#Page_181">181</a>, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>, <a href="#Page_202">202</a>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>, + <a href="#Page_212">212</a>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>, <a href="#Page_234">234</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Chinese policy in, <a href="#Page_viii">viii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- departure for, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Independence of, <a href="#Page_xi">xi</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Mongolia, Inner, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, + <a href="#Page_164">164</a>, <a href="#Page_228">228</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- fuel of, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- gradual invasion of Chinese to, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- headdress of, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- Northern Mongols of, <a href="#Page_161">161</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Japan and, <a href="#Page_xiv">xiv</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- North, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_161">161</a>, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- bird and animal life in, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Northern, headdress of, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- proper, arrival in, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- re-incarnation, believed in, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Russia and, <a href="#Page_xi">xi</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- unsettled state of, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Urga, capital of, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- religious centre of, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- war, rumours of, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- wolf hunt in, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- women’s position in, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Mongolian frontier, war, rumours of, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Government, order issued to Chinese by, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Mongolians and Chinese, movements of, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- character of, <a href="#Page_ix">ix</a>, <a href="#Page_165">165</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- dress of the, <a href="#Page_164">164</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Europeans, friendliness to, <a href="#Page_192">192</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- food of, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Mongolore Gold-mining Co., headquarters of, at Urga, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Moscow, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Moukden, tombs of the Manchu Sovereigns, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Nank’ou Pass, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">North China, inns of, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>; 95.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Ost-Kiachta, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Outer Mongolia, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Pa-yen-chi-erh-ko-la, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Peking, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, + <a href="#Page_66">66</a>, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_87">87</a>, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>, + <a href="#Page_105">105</a>, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>, <a href="#Page_181">181</a>, <a href="#Page_185">185</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- British Legation at, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Chinese in, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- death of Manchu Empress in, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- departure from, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- first Parliament, inauguration of, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- to Kalgan, journey from, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- preparations for return to, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- return to, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Peking-Suiyuan Railway, <a href="#Page_xv">xv</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Punishment, barbarous methods of, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Re-incarnation, belief of, Mongolians in, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Republican cause, Shang Chodba, supporter of, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Russia, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- alarm of, at Chinese policy, <a href="#Page_x">x</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- and Mongolia, <a href="#Page_xi">xi</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- establishment of barracks on neutral front, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- treaties with, recognised by China, <a href="#Page_xi">xi</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Russian Consulate in Urga, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- post, between Kalgan and Urga, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- retail trade of Urga, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Russo-Japanese War, effects of, <a href="#Page_ix">ix</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">St. Petersburg, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>, <a href="#Page_234">234</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Selenga River, journey down, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Selenginsk, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Semenov, General, <a href="#Page_xii">xii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Shang, Chia Hut’ukt’u, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Shang Chodba, supporter of Republican cause, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Shin Chi Men, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- -- Station, departure for, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Shih Erh Chia, Shansi merchants, headquarters of, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Siberia, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>, <a href="#Page_211">211</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Japanese troops in, <a href="#Page_xii">xii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Siberian Railway, viii, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">South Manchurian Railway, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Ta-Bol, departure from, <a href="#Page_90">90</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- journey towards, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- meaning of, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- rumours of war, <a href="#Page_88">88</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Mr. Grant, murder of, at, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- visiting at, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Tartar City, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Temple of the Gods, position of, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- -- -- main entrance to, <a href="#Page_180">180</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- -- -- procession to, <a href="#Page_182">182</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Thibet, Chinese invasion of, <a href="#Page_x">x</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Independence of, suggested, <a href="#Page_xi">xi</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">To-la River, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>, <a href="#Page_212">212</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Transbaikalia, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Trans-Siberian Railway, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Troitze-Casavsk, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Ts’am Haren, arrangements for, <a href="#Page_178">178</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- race meeting at, <a href="#Page_190">190</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Ulliasutai, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Ura Gol, crossing the, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>, <a href="#Page_124">124</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Urga, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, + <a href="#Page_100">100</a>, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>, <a href="#Page_141">141</a>, + <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>, <a href="#Page_165">165</a>, <a href="#Page_167">167</a>, + <a href="#Page_169">169</a>, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>, <a href="#Page_187">187</a>, <a href="#Page_190">190</a>, + <a href="#Page_193">193</a>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>, <a href="#Page_202">202</a>, <a href="#Page_204">204</a>, + <a href="#Page_205">205</a>, <a href="#Page_206">206</a>, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>, <a href="#Page_209">209</a>, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>, <a href="#Page_211">211</a>, + <a href="#Page_212">212</a>, <a href="#Page_214">214</a>, <a href="#Page_216">216</a>, <a href="#Page_221">221</a>, <a href="#Page_225">225</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- capital of Mongolia, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Chinese rule in, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- troops in, <a href="#Page_xiii">xiii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- departure for, <a href="#Page_120">120</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- from, <a href="#Page_213">213</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- division of main part of, <a href="#Page_157">157</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- headquarters of Mongolore Gold-mining Co., at, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- mixed alliances in, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Pass, ascent of, <a href="#Page_143">143</a>, <a href="#Page_217">217</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- prison at, <a href="#Page_194">194</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- proximity to, <a href="#Page_142">142</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- punishments in, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- religious centre of Mongolia, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Russian Consulate in, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- quarter of, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- -- retail trade of, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Russians at, <a href="#Page_xi">xi</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- Ts’am Haren, sacred dance at, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- University buildings of, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- visit to heart of, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- West, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- wool from, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Verkne-Oudinsk, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, + <a href="#Page_117">117</a>, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- main features of, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- remainder of journey to, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">-- scenery of, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Volga, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Wang Ch’ang Shan, flour mill of, <a href="#Page_139">139</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Werkne-Udinsk, arrival at, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">West Urga, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Wolf hunt in Mongolia, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Women’s position in Mongolia, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>.</li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Yang River, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>.</li> +</ul> + + + + + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</span></p> + + +<p class="c more p2">PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, ABERDEEN +</p> + +<hr class="full"> + +<div class="transnote"> + +<p class="c">Transcriber’s Notes:</p> + +<p>Variations in spelling and hyphenation are retained.</p> + +<p>Perceived typographical errors have been changed.</p> + +</div> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76610 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/76610-h/images/cover.jpg b/76610-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files 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