The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-02
CLIFF JEWELLERS In CHINA.
[F1rom the springaeId RepublIcan.l


Prof. G. Frederick White Of Oberlin,
who started on 2 tour around the world
several months ago reached China just
before the boxers outbreak had as
sumed dangerous proportions. and at
once made an excursion into Mongolia,
returning later to Tien Tsin. From
there on June 2, he sent an account Of
a singular and interesting village Of
Catholic cliff jewellers which he visited
in Mongolia 1t is quite probable that
the native Christians he describes have
since been rnassacred. Professor
White prefaces the description Of the
village with a few brief paragraphs
about the curious nature Of the terri
tory in which it is situated.
1.-THE eastern border OF Mongolia and
the northeastern part of China are large
ly covered with los Qoess), one of the
most interesting and puzzling of all the
geological deposits. It's German name
comes from the valley Of the Rhine,
where l0ess is found in considerable
quantities. The inhabitants of the Mis-
sissippi and Missouri valleys Of the
United States are familiar with the de-
posiG in the bluffs at Vicksburg, Kan
sas City Omaha and Sioux City Dur
ing the siege of Vicksburg the people
took refuge in spacious rooms dug out
in the deposit at a considerable depth
below the surface. At numerous places
along the Missouri river it stands in per
pendicular exposures more than a hun
bred feet high, and city streets are cut
through its long, perpendicular sides,
which stand like wall for many years.
When a section breaks off from the cliff
1t always leaves a perpendicular face.
Yet the deposit is SO soft that its
surface can be readily cultivated and it
can be handled with a shovel at any
depth. The material principally consists
lime intimately mixed with it. 1t is so
porous that the rain which falls upon
the surface passes entirely through the
deposit, preventing the formation of
springs of water until an impervi0us
stratum is reached underneath it all
It endures drouth better than any other
soil.
THE most extensive DEVELOPMENT Of
the loess anywhere in the world is in
Mongolia in an elevated region from
5000 feet to 5.400 feet above the sea- but
it has been eroded by water during long
geological ages into a very uneven sur
face, with numerous narrow valleys
from 1000 feet to 3 900 feet Deep with
innum erable tributary gullies coming
down the sides of the intervening ridges
Many isolated peaks, also rise to an ah-
solute height Of from 5000 feet to 1000
feet above sea level. Into this rugged
region has drffted during a recent epoch
an immense amount Of fine dust which
constitutes the iOess. That it has been
the positions in which it lies. 1T ap-
pears almost exactly like a series of
immense snowdrifts that have accunnu-
lated behind the barriers which have
caused lulls in the wind, permitting the
suspended particles to settle in protect
ed places. while IL has been swept bare
from the exposed positions.
These deposits Of l0ess are specially
valuable because of their fertility P11f
in northern China it is of especial in
terest in furnishing cheap, comfortable
and salubrious dwelling places for null
titudes OF people. In a, recent excursio-
through the eastern mart of Mongolia
outside the great Chinese wall in the
vicinity Of the famous city Of K0lgan
! saw a large number of such villages
excavated in the drifts nf lnAss Fa-1a~F-,--
on the sides Of the mountains In walk
ing over the erased surface it was No
uncommon thing to stumble against a
chimney protruding from a habitation
below From a. distance the side OF the
hill looked like an exposed bank pierced
with innnnaera0le swallows nests The
interior Of the houses are clean AMI
comfortable When the walls have been
n1oistened and smoOthed over with a
rroYvel they have hard finish which
does not crumble Off The rooms are
uniformly dry and are warm In winter
and cool in summer On the sIopinn
back of a bill several stories of such
houses are often seen above and slightly
back Of each other. the roof Of ore being
the front dooryard CT the house above
it -