The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-25

they were hungry they had but TO kill and
eat. and famine was an unheard of thing.
This chief had three sons. the two oldest
of which were content to live in the peace
and plenty that had been their fathers
father before them. But the youngest son
was not content; he continually questioned
his father concerning what lay beyond the
point where the sun disappeared into the
ground. At last. his curiosity getting the
better of him. he determined to find out
for himself, and Notwithstanding the tears
and reproaches of his father he started off.
For many years nothing was heard con-
corning him. He had been given up as
lost when one day he came back sick unto
death and starving. Overjoyed at his re-
turn the father killed the ienderest yak
of his herds. but then a strange thing hap
pened. The wanderer had no sooner eaten
of the flesh than his form began to change
before the eyes of the astonished parent.
Horns began to sprout on his head. hair
grew on his body and in another instant he
was turned into a full-grown yak and
rushed out believing into the plain to join
the herds. But though animal in form and
able to converse with his brute friends, he
retained his human understanding and
AOi ~ liito lis htN
of the sinister intentions of mankind to-
ward all their kind. Startled by this in
telligence all the great herds affrightedly
galloped away to the land beyond the go
ing down of the sun, and even those that
are left still hold their fear of man,"
Naturally, these stories must lose much
of their distinctiveness of character in lit
eral transcription, as the Mongol is by no
~-.- -lo-4 -to~xv +111Ar h,rf nnn mako
even such small and trite subjects as these
serve as the basis for a circumambulating
discourse of several hours length. varied
with digressions which wander through
the whole scope of human conception. AT
any particular brilliant climax the mar
rator is interrupted by salvos of applause
from the eager listeners. and it not infre-
quently happens that the position of an in
dividual in the community depends a great
deal on his ability to spin a yarn Tales
of an unusual or weird character, in which
innumerable devils. demons, malevolent
spirits and the entire forces of magic and
necromancy figure. are the most popular.
but it is only the old men who dare to
venture into these labyrinthian fields. your
ordinary everyday story-teller being FULLY
satisfied with the range of subjects offered
ID " tOntltlC hotttio thot w ~ -"
limited imaginative and descriptive pow
ers and likewise the credulity of his hear
ers.
STRANGE BURIAL CUSTOM.
While at Ta-Kou we were able to gain
further Information concerning the burial
customs of the Mongols, which differ in
some respects from those customary among
the natives to the west, south of Charing-
Nor. AS soon as a man is dead his friends
and relatives make presents to the lamas
for the purpose of preventing the soul of
the deceased from escaping. Part of this
vague and indistinct element is supposed
to enter the vital organs, the heart, lungs.
etc, therefore, the body is first cut open
and all the ~entrails and organs removed.
This operation is performed by the lamas.
who place these gruosOnle relics in a sa-
cred jar with numerous potent powders and
herbs, to be sealed air-tight and preserved
until the remainder of the soul of the de-
ceased may be gathered. This. according
to native belief, has entered the bones of
the corpse, and in order to be of value to
the remaining friends and relatives must
first of all be stripped of the carnal and
devil-ridden flesh by the wild animals and
bird of the plain. In a similar manner to
the Mongols farther west, the naked body
is tied to stakes and placed in some iso-
lated position until the bones have been
picked clean by these scavengers, when
they are religiously gathered, washed in a
mixture of melted butter and yak grease,
and buried in a small hole before the former
abode of the deceased. Meanwhile the in
ternal organs and entrailS are placed in
another hole a few yards away and after
remaining in this position for several days
they are visited by the lamas. If. out Of
all belief of human understanding. either
has left the grave in which Ii is buried and
gone to the other, it is taken as a sign that
the devils still maintain their grip on the
corpse. when more securing and magic in
cantation is gone through with until the
desired result is obtained. Sometimes
it happens that the bones are
found in the same grave with the
other gruesome remains. when addi-
tional presents are made to the
lamas by the panic-stricken relatives to
ward off this terrible infiiction. although it
does not require much of discernment to
understand tina In this supposedly magic
transition the lamas play a more or less
active part. When at last a happy denoue-
ment has been reached the remains are
sealed in a small jar and placed in a con-
spicuous position In the dwelling, or raised
prominently on top of a burial obo and sur
rounded with long strips of prayer-fags.
This disgusting form of burial, however,
must not be taken as a general Mongol Gus
tom; L have never seen or heard of it's be-
ing observed excepting among these wild
and more barbarous tribes south of the
Ma-Chu. Many writer's on Thibetan charac-
teristics and customs have asserted that 1t
is by no means uncommon for the lamas
themselves to eat parts of the flesh of
corpses, and likewise relatives of the de-
ceased. Although L have never actually
witnessed such a revolving sight 1 ques-
toned many natives concerning it, but 1T
was impossible to gain accurate informa-
ton, many informing me that such q
practice is in vogue among tribes of some
districts, while others, and equally intelli-
gent and observing ones. denied such re-
| ports emphatically. Both Rockhill and Pre-
jevalsky certify to the truth of this state
ment by actual encounter with such condi-
tions, and as the evident sin
cerity of the Investigations of both
these explorers is hardly ever open to
impeachment. especially that of Rockhill,
whose opportunities for scientific investiga-
ton were unrivaled, it may be generally
relied upon that in some districts such an
atrocious cannibalistic rite does find ad-
herents. Undoubtedly il is a misinterpre-
tation of this barbarous funeral ceremony
which has led to the declaration of the