The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1898-04-30
IN LAND OF IDOLS.
Cinnamon Pray by Aid of an Appara.
tus Something Like the Yam
kee Slot Machine.

With Germany. Russia, France. Eng.
land and Japan spelling, or threaten.
ing to spoil the seab0ard of the celestial
empire. al eyes have been turned foi
some little time past upon the far east
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 20. COO 900 Inhabitants OF
Whereabouts Is 10 be cut up and par.
eeled ont among the European power.
yet remains 10 be seen. II it Is. queer
lot Of people vii come under the sway
Of the different flags OF European civil.
zation.
Mongolia. for instance, which /:
threatened by Russian absorption, that
practically unexplored country in the
neighborhood Of Shame, the sea of sand,
or better known 10 European geogra.
phists as the Cobb desert. This is part
OF China; at least this tremendous tract
OF country. embracing mountains
rivers and plains. owes suzerainty 10
the Chinese emperor. But, although in
personal appearance the inhabitants Of
Mongolia are Chinese to a degree, yet
the few eiYilizing influences which have
erept in on the seaboard have not vet
reached them.
Mongolia may be set down as n coun
try of barbarians, il not of religious
fanatics. They are idol worshipers OF
the most pronounced type. and at Urga
the capital town and the seat of the
grand lama, religious moderation is to
be seen in its most despotic form. Urga
is town with considerable popuIa-
ton, town of mud, wattle-roofed
houses, pigtailed inhabitants and in
Vulnerable dogs. Its center is occupied
by the house or palace of the lama,
who is practically ruler over all Mon.
golian Chinese.
Should any reader happen upon Urga
and walk through its streets, the first
thing that will strike him will be a pc.
euliar changing noise on all sides. II
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 a peculiar
erection, like nothing so much MS
gigantic turnstile, the center of which
is box-shaped and from whose sides
protrude several bars of wood. This
turnstile arrangement is covered by
eonical canopy to protect it from the
elements, and forms the celt brated
praying mill of Mongolia The drum or
wooden box in the center is filled. some
times to oyertiowing, with prayers writ
ten on all sorts of materials. A passer.
by, wishing for something good. writes
prayer (if he has the ability, and
then puts il in the box, after which he
seizes one of the handles of the machine
ard walks solemnly around, the idea
being that this system of grinding is
necessary before the prayer can reach
is 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 re-
spect for himself will carry miniature
mill in his hands, and as he walks. or as
he sits, or as he eats or drinks, he will
nom time to time turn this mill, in
which he has already deposited his
latest prayer to his particular idol.
10 approach the palace of the grand
lama is, indeed, ceremony. Nothing
in the shape of a vehicle is allowed
within a couple of hundred yards of the
entrance, nor is any visitor allowed 10
approach on foot. No, he must go down
on MS stomach and squirm along
through the mud into the presence OF
The second god.-London Mail.
Ninety Million CandIe-Power.
TESTS have racor-l.. L.. Il. o.. IA