The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-08

which shows that the choice is by no means
an unwise one.
MONGOL CHARACTERISTICS.
On reaching Tch-Siba we had practically
passed out of the country of nomad Mon
gols, through whose territory we had been
marching since leaving Tchong-Siba, and
rather than briefly and disjointedly noting
their customs and characteristics jim the
account of our journey 1 have gathered to-
gether this fragmentary data in order that
they might be studied as a concrete whole
instead of dilating at length on mere tribes
and individual settlements. Chinese au-
thors divide the aboriginal or foreign tribes
occupying the southwestern corner of
Kansuh into two principal classes, classes
respectively as Tu-jen (agriculturists) or
Fan-min barbarian nomads) TIC some Of
the widest of this latter class they also
apply the name of Hei Fan-tzu Cblack
barbarians). although Rockhil asserts none
of these names are ever applied to the
Mongols. who. he claims. are grouped un-
der the generic name of Tc-tzu. He is
here clearly in error as the latter appella-
ton only refers to the queues worn by the
MOngOls, and / have never heard it ap-
piled excepting to some of the tribes in
the immediate vicinity of Lan-Chou, where
this mode of arranging the hair, similar to
the Chinese custom, is in vogue.
For some unaccountable reason the
whole of this country is more scantly pop
ulated than the southern Koko-Nor,
though from surface conditions it would
seem more adapted for human occupation.
The opinions of various writers differ wide
ly as to the number of the Fan-min. 1
IL
transitory investigation into the matter,
but. taking the population of the country
through which we Travelled from Tchong-
Siba as an average. it may be placed APP
proXimately at five thousand tents, includ-
ing the settled villages, or a rough cal
culation of between twenty-five and thirty
thousand people. For purposes Of COM
parison it is necessary that these various
tribes and people should be classed as a
generic race, although, in reality. the wide
variance in their appearance and the very
large proportion of Chinese. Turkish and
Thibetan words in their photography con-
vinces one of their mixed descent, of very
different origin. and of different degrees Of
civilization. For themselves they have no
general racial designation; but, broken as
they are into numerous tribes. they are
distinguished by separate tribal names,
many of which seem 10 be simply the
names of the rivers. or some other feature
Of the landscape on which their settlements
are situated.
APPEARANCE AND DRESS.
In stature the MOngol is above the Thi-
betan. but still comparatively shorter than
the European. somewhat slight in build.
the women quite as tall as and very fire.
quently taller than the men. Their fea-
lures are distinctly marked and often well
formed, though the cheekbones are higher
and the nose more retrousse than agrees
with the European standard. This ~featural
in the Thibetans and western Mongols. The
forehead is generally high and the eyes are
dark; the hair black and the color OF the
skin a pure reddish brown that frequently,
in the female, almost approaches the light
ness OF a Caucasian. Their muscles. In
spite Of their active life. are not well de-
veloped, except the pectoral ones, but they
are hardy and capable Of enduring great
fatigue. There is generally but little hair
on the face and body. and they carefully
pull out with tweezers all their beard. but
this does not hold TO all the tribes. or I'm
the case Of single individuals, for I have
seen men with hirsute adornmsnts of quite
respectable length.
In dress there Is considerable variety.
which Is regulated more or less accord