Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-11
Hairpins. &c. dozen.
MONGOLIAN CUSTOMS.
Some Queer Ways of People in One
Part of China.


Part of China.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
With Germany, Russia, France, England
and Japan spelling. or threatening to spoil.
the seaboard of the celestial empire, all
eyes have been turned for some little time
past upon the far east, says the London
Mail. China we are all pretty familiar
with from the writings of travelers-that
portion of China, though, which lies along
the coast. Whether this great country OF
400 OO0 600 inhabitants or Whereabouts is to
be cut up and parceied out among the Eu-
ropean powers yet remains to be seen. If
it is. a very queer lot of people will come
under the sway of the different flags of
European civilization.
Mongolia, for instance, which is threat
enel by Russian absorption, that practi-
caily UNEMPLOYED country in the neghbor-
borhood of Shame. the sea of sand, or bet
ter known to European geographists as
the Cobb desert. This is part of China; at
least this tremendous tract of country, en-
bracing mountains, rivers and plains. owes
suZerainty to the Chinese Emperor. But,
although in personal appearance the in
habitants of Mongolia are Chinese to de-
gree, yet the few civiliZing influences which
have crept in on the seaboard have not yet
reached them.
Mongolia may be set down as a country
of barbar;ans, If not of religious fanatics.
They are idol worshipers of the most pro-
nounced type, and at Urga, the capital
town and the seat of the grand lama re-
ligious moderation is to be seen in it's
most despotic FORM Urga is a town with
a considerable population. a town of mud.
wattle-rCofed houses, pigtailed inhabitants
ard innumerable dogs. Its center is occu-
pied by the house palace of the lama.
who is practically ruler over all Monaghan
Chinese.
Should any reader happen upon Urga
tfS str
thing that will strike him will be a pecu-
liar changing noise on all sides. 1t will not
take him long to discover whence proceeds
this strange clangor of bells, for at every
corner, in almost every open space, he will
see peculiar erection, like nothing so
much as gigantic turnstiie, the center
of which is box shaped and from whose
sides protrude several bars of wood. This
tIrnstile arrangement is covered by a con-
ical canopy to protect 1t from the elements
and forms the celebrated praying mill of
Mongolia. The drum or wooden box in the
center Is filled, sometimes to OVERLOOKING
with prayers written on all sorts of mate
rails. passerby, wishing for something
good, writes prayer Qf he has the abil-
ity), and then puts it in the box, after
which he seiZes one of the handles of the
machine and walks solemnly around, the
idea being that this system Of grinding Is
necessary before the prayer can reach its
proper destination.
In front Of the palace itself there are
some score of these praying mills, while,
not dependent entirely upon these every
Mongol who has any respect for himself
will carry a miniature mill in his hands,
and as he walks, or as he sits, or as he
eats or drinks. he will from time to time
turn this mill. in which he has already
deposited his latest prayer to his particu-
lar idol.
To approach the palace of the grand
lama is. indeed, a ceremony. Nothing in
the shape of a vehicle is allowed within
q rdo Of fho
nor is any visitor allowed to approach on
foot. No, he must go down on his stom-
ach and squirm along through the mud
into the presence of the second god.