The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-04

the Mongol settlements in a domesticated
state. the natives assert that if they are
caught when young they soon lose their
wild traits and are very valuable as pack
animals. 1 saw many herds some months
before in the sloping country south Of the
DJi-Chu, usually in bands oil ten or twelve,
led by a stallion, who maintains jealous
watch over his herd. and when occasion re-
ouires is remarkably fierce and aggressive.
They are generally of a light fawn color,
and when surprised give vent to a sharp,
penetrating cry much like the bark of a
dog. AT night they gather in a circle with
heads toward the center, presenting a sur
rounding stockade of heels 10 greet any in
truder who may be rash enough to attack
them. During the breeding season the
males are especially fierce. and If they
descry an intruder from another herd. they
will strive by biting and kicking to drive
him off. or fight until they have been so
badly wounded that they are unable longer
TO stand. Even the huge yak is no match
against this valorous foe. but with credita-
bic discretion never inyades their feeding
grounds, and at the first sign of aggression
shows a Discrimination TO question the pug
nacious supremacy of these wildly-chort-
ling champions by discreetly running away.
The flesh Of the young animals is consid-
cred a great delicacy by the natives, but as
1t is impossible to hunt them on foot. or
even by horses, with any degree of success.
they are usually captured by inserting
moose traps on the feeding grounds which
they are known 10 frequent. The meat is
very palatable and nourishing. free from
fat or gristle and having a similarity of
taste to tender mutton. The horns are
used as spearheads and the skins are
stripped of the thin hair. beaten and
tanned into a soft leather, which is en-
ployed in the manufacture of saddles. boots
and caps, while the hoofs form excellent
drinking cups .and tea bowls.
AN UNCOMFORTABLE NIGHT.
The single nights stay that We made at
Yong-Cnar was a disturbed one. The viii
lage itself was preched on the eminence of
a small hill, and las the few houses had all
they could do to shelter their respective
owners we were obliged to pitch our tents
on the slope. About 8 o'clock a sleet and
hailstorm Of frightful severity came up and
as we had chosen, unfortunately the least
sheltered side we were exposed to its full
fury. The wind caught under the folds of
our tents and pulled so hard at the fasten-
ings that at intervals of every half hour or
so they would come rafting down about
our ears, plunging us into the woes of a
domestic bog, while the melted sonw and
ice rushed down the sharp declivity with
such dampening force that peaceful repose
was out of the question. The enjoyment of
nomad life. the pleasures of penetrating
mysterious regions of the earth are all well
enough to talk about in the ballroom and
by the fireside, but my word for it. a man
travelling with scanty creature-comforts
has other things to think of, and after
lying for several hours in an icy pool would
be willing to relinquish a share of future
life for the unalloyed bliss OF reveling in
a pair of dry trousers. In wet clothes,
drenched and bedraggled to the skin, we
were literally sitting on the stool of re-
pentance.
In the morning we receivedA~ visit frop
the head man of the village, with the two
guides which he had promised US the night
before. He was a sly and sinister Thib-
etan. with a gruesome cast of countenance
whose general effect was heightened by a
huge scar that lay across his cheek in a
broad, angry welt. On giving him the
price which had already been agreed on
for the guides his amiability vanished.
and, with a greedy look in his half-closed
eyes, he demanded that we should quadru-
pie the previous offer, as, he asserted, we
were dependent on his friendship for sue
cesslul journeying and could not travel
through the country alone. 1t was a game
of bluff TO which we had become accus-
toned, and when we refused 20 accede &c
his demands or listen TO violent threats he
gradually quoted down and became friend
ly in his manner once more. We were
conciliatory also, for when one looks at
the ugly figure of a Mongol or Thibetan
he is apt to forego a purpose of vengeance.
There is something particularly truculent
and pacifying in their aspect.
ATTRACTIVE MONGOL WOMEN.
A peculiar characteristic of the Mongols
here was the number of good-looking
women whom we saw in the streets. in fact
the change was so noticeable that one
might have imagined these savage Venuses
as belonging to a different race entirely.
Their features were more regular, their
color lighter. and, in fact, they had a SUI
perior department TO any we had previously
seen. They also had a very striking man.
ner of dressing the hair, plating it in doz-
ems of small braids. decorated with ribbons,
strings of coral, or glass beads. hanging
down on either side of the bosom. These
were the wives of some of the more pow
| Gf1ul NELL anu, d. VIC SAESCQoCApS A-OGs
were Mongols from the country TO the
south of Lan-Chou and not regular natives
of this region. They were by no means I'M
conscious of their charms; very few were
dressed in ~sheepskins, and these of the
poorer class, while many wore long robes Of
blue daba (Chinese cotton stuff with an
ostentation that could not be surpassed by
a votsry of Worth or Redfern.
On the 31st we managed, after much
hard work through the deep. soft snow. 10
reach the summit of the ridge which we
had been ascending gradually for several
DAYS. The sky, for almost the first time in
a fortnight, was clear, but the radiation of
the sun on the glittering white surface had
an undesirable effect. Most OF us wore
horse-hair eye Shades, but they offered
scanty protection and several of the Kiang-
sis were almost blind. We took advantage
of the clearness of the weather 70 make
observations of the topography Of the sur
rounding country and to determine our al
titude. three successive readings showing
a height at the top OF this pass of 1850
feet above sea-level. The country TO tile
south was we'll watered; from this eleva-
ton we were able to descry several consid-
cradle streams, all flowing at right angles
TO the course Of the Ma-Chu, and taking