The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-25
From the London Mail.

With Germany, Russia, France, Eng
land and Japan spelling, or threaten
ing to spoil, the seaboard Of the Ce
lestial empire, all eyes have been turn
ed for some little time past upon the
far East. China we are all pretty ia
miliar with from the writings of traV
elers-that portion of China, though,
which lies along the coast. Whether
this great country of 400,0O0,000 inhabi-
tants, or Whereabouts, is to be cut up
and parceled out among the European
powers yet remains to be seen. If it
Is. very queer lotof people will come
under the sway of the different flags of
European civilization.
Mongolia, for instance, which is
threatened by Russian absorption, that
practically unexplored country In the
reighborhood of Shame, the sea Of
sand, or better known to European Ge-
ogra phists as the Cobb desert. This is
part of China; at least this tremendous
tract of country, embracing mountains,
rivers and plains, owes suzerainty to
the Chinese emperor. But, although
in personal appearance the Inhabitants
of Mongolia are Chinese to a degree,
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 barbarians, if not of reli-
gious fanatics. They are idol Wor-
shippers of the most pronounced type,
and at Urga, the capital town and the
seat of the grand lama, religious in
liberation is to be seen in its most
despotic form. Urga is a town with a
considerable population, a town of
mud. wattIe-roofed houses, tailed
inhabitants and innumerable dogs. It's
center is occupied by the house or pal
ace of the lama. who is practically
ruler over all Monaghan Chinese.
Should any reader happen upon Urga
and walk through it's streets the first
thing that will strike him will be pc
culiar changing noise on all sides. 1t
will not take him long to discover
whence proceeds this strange ciangor
of bells, for, at every corner, in almost
every open space, he will see a peculiar
erection, like nothing so much as a
gigantic turnstile the center of which
is box-shaped and from whose sides
protrude several bars of wood. This
turnstile arrangement is covered by g.
conical canopy to protect it from the
elements, and forms the celebrated
praying mill of Mongolia. The drum or
wooden box in the center is filed,
sometimes to overlooking. with prayers
written on all sorts Of materials. A
passer-by, wishing for something good,
writes a prayer Of he has the ability
he seizes one Of the handles of the ma
chine and walks solemnly round, the
idea being that this system Of grinding
is necessary before the prayer can
! reach it's 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 a minia-
ture mill in his hand. 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 particular idol
To approach the palace of the grand
lama is indeed ceremony. Nothing in
the shape of vehicle is allowed with
in a couple of hundred yards of the
entrance. nor is any visitor allowed
to approach on foot. No, he must go
down on his stomach and sdufrm along
through the mud into the presence of
the second god
An extraordinary ceremony is that
which takes place periodically when
the grand lama feels especially devout
A great religious function is held in
| the city, to which flock the people for
miles around. The ceremony occupies
days. and consists of visits from the