The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-01-04

n I~tNllA otutflat IikuA AZ
NSkR$ the tOpmost corner
OF Mongolia, lies
the territory Of the little-known Slyots
Three hundred years ago. when the
pale-faced Russians broke into Siberia
the slyots fed before them. They alone
would not bend the knee 10 Russia
Southwark they fed over the Saianski
passes into the kingdom OF the dragon,
donned the pigtail and became Chi
nese. dispossessing In their hurry a
hne race OF people The siyots Of to-
day are divided into two classes with
diverse conditions. Those Of the north.
inhablting the slopes Of the SATAN. are
hunters, Worshipers Of devils. eating
meat and even carriOn. Those OF the
south. VINO dwell upon the plains. are
herders OF horses and cattle. Buddhlsts
~ religion. men Of clearly habits. eat
ing only milk and millet seed. so
Wild and desoiate Is the region Of the
siyota that evea the government maps
are utterly wrong about Il. Rivers are
omitted. misplaced and transposed: err
rors Of seventy 10 a hundred miles are
common. Even the intrepid IrjeyA!sky
who passed through Ullassutai. Kobdo
and Uurga. did no, turn aside into this
great northern waste. A strange face
Il never seen there. and life goes by
queer ancestral customs The Siyots
live In round ~karals." or tents built
OF movable lattice. with a felt-covered
eonieal top. Inside IL q neat heTagonai
arrangement Of boTes or cupboards.
wherein the stores are kept. Very
scornful are they Of the barbarOus Tur.
bets. their nearest nelEhborn. Who have
no boHes In their tents. and are other
wise unelvilised. What manner Of
booS are these3" asked a slyot. on
coming 10 Turbet eneampmsnt: they
tether their horses 10 their tents, In
stead Of erecting a horse-stiokl They
deserve TO have their tents pulled abou,
their ears" Even less complimentary
vere bis remarks upon the Turbe, vo-
men, who wear blue smoeks instead
Of the gay green kniekers Of his own
girls. and DO no, plat their hair. The
religious customs OF the slyots are not
their least Interesting feature. Every
where. on the banks OF rivers or Al the
top Of a dinicult pass. are stones or
sticks adorned with little rags. Some
times Wisps Of horse hair are attached
10 them. These arr god sticks" and
are an Offering 10 the demon Of the
place for averting the dangers OF cross.
Ing. Whenever a Slyot acted a. noun
tain guide or forded . river he en-
pressed his gratitude for safety By add.
Ing a quota TO the god stick" or NJ
least by placing upon a cairn one stone
for each Of the party saved. should a
SiyO, fall Inland smallpox IL very
prevalent among them-he calls In a
medicine man TO drive away the devil.
The medicine man IL dressed In a long
reb robe. adorned with imitation
snakes. brass ornaments and hnery.
Beating a drum he yells an night In
the chamber OF the sick man. turning
and twirllng upon his heels. Finally
he falls exhausted In a sort Of trance
biting his lips 80 that blood IL spread
upon his face. Then he Is considered
10 be In the very act Of exorrlsm. Vac.
cination. lately introduced by the Rus.
SLAMS and the Tartars. Is said TO be In.
terfering with the business OF the
medicine man. The custom Of devil
driving seems 10 exist only among ths
Northern siyots. who live upon The
mountains. Southwark the people ar,
strie, adherents OF Buddha. and Il /,
common among them 20 see the long
yollow-robed or red-robed LAmAs
They are exceedingly superstltlous ane
willingly pay large presents 10 IN,
priests Tor fancied privileges. A Lam.
has a vision and announces that A vii
die within three DAYS A gathers 20
gether his possessions. never doub,lnl
Of the fact. bu, before he dies entrual
his servant with a bride 10 be conveys
n the Lama. also through the medium
Of a servant The Lama protests
against botherinE the rod with =,
trumpery a matter az the life OF A, bu
being persuaded 10 do 20. gets him ne
spite for three years. Al the end ,
this time the procedure takes placl
again. A rich man, on dying. will die
patch his servant Tor many miles Will
gift 10 the nearest Lama. 10 lnquir,
after the future Of his soul and know
where and IN what form he will appea
on earth. Ard the lama accepts III
gift and tells him. The slyo,a are se
cretive and prefer 10 oOmmunieat
nothing. Ask how many they numbe
IN a village and the reply will b.: "Ey
cry day some die and some are born
how. then. shall Il be told1" To thos
who have lived long among them
however. they will expand upon man,
sacred subjects. They will even shov
the much-dresisd caves OF the ancien
race they dispossessed. situated 20
versis southwest Of the junction o
the Bei-kem and Kha-keem. sources o
the Yenlsei. Russians who have Ia
spected these dwellings report vas
fnds Of elk bone. charcoal and evel
Of brass implements. but few know
certainly about them. for II the Lama
heard Of u would 20 hard In hne
and damnation for the luekless Siyo
who betrayed the secret Of bis race -
Pail Mall Gazette.
o,v,nG ths saitor = ulaL
From the Washington Star: "YOl
have been very generous In buyinl
Mabel new RoRna" rnnarknh M.