El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-10

" 7 AsHINGToN., D. G. Jan =. IO.m 1T
w ern Mongolia by Russia, an
nounced in the news dispatches,
3 ~ends special interest to search IecehllS
made in that part Of the world IoL me-.
= cestors and surviving relatives OF the amer
. lean indians-the object IN view Delng 70
/ prove that our abonglnes came OIis many
7 from somewhere in Asia
{ The search was conducted by an eXpedl-
/ ton which the Smithsonian INSTITUTION - 4sl II
8 ont under the direction Of Dr. Ales Hrd-
licka, who. while paying an 1ncldental VISIT
J To TTrpa the capital of the country had
an opportunity to witness a most remark
able ceremonial said he
cit was a sort of religious ballet in which
the performers grotesquely MASKED eiu
3 Enthusiastically COstumed. were Buddhist
priests or 1amas.' and the audience was
composed Of about t9gO MohgoLs, salH 49, ~
from far and near the performance lOoh
place at a monastery located IN a NOOK
Z of the sacred mountain Of the country
which rises to the south OF Urga- rms ms
mountain. densely wooded. is a veritable
I Geological garden, stocked with many spe-
cies of animals fetched from atar No
I under any circumstances, SeVereSt penalLleS
st+acbf1g to violation of the law; and it
is not even permissible to cut or otherwise
disturb any tree OF shrub
Near the monastery was constructed, Tor
the show. large quadrangle platform, the
place being surrounded by grassy Slopes IN
such way as to form q natural amphlIne-
alter. While the performance was gong on
! the assembled people looked down upon
/ it-thOse in the front ranks seated. the
I spectators behind them standing ana oLhers
/ in the rear mounted on horseback There
/ was a shrine in the middle Of the plat
Bell Gives the Signal
1.-THE ringing Of a bell gave the signal
for the entrance Of procession OF larnas,
masked and cOstumed, who were led by a
number Of musicians carrying huge cop
per trumpets six feet long. The trumpeters
seated themselves at one side Of the qua
draugle on benches which had been pro-
vfded for them and every time something
70 he 1r
cause their strange instruments to utter
tremendous below. This was supplemented
drum.
Three or four Of the 'nusizor were pro-
vided with other instruments which were
certainly the most remarkable I ever heard
Of They were flutes made from the thigh
bones Of virgins 16 years Of age. When
ever something specially important was to
be announced, they gave forth a blood
curdling sOund-an indesCribably mournful
wall, harsh and penetrating. I never in my
life heard any noise so horrible. It sent
chill down my backbone; and I can feel
the sensation now whenever I recall the
sound to mind.
1.-THE musicians, like all the rest Of the
performers were lamas When they were
seated, other lamas filed in, and began to
dance in a style somewhat resembling that
Of the ballet one figure succeeded an
other through hour after hour, the cere-
mOny lasting from noon to late at night.
Now and then a lama would totter from
exhaustion, and would have to be carried
out by the guards in attendance.
In order not to fatigue the audience
however. there were comic intermissions in
which was most conspicuous a lama cos
tuned to represent very old man with
long white hair. He wore a huge mask. as
big as a barrel painted with a laughing
face With him appeared half dozen boys
with pumpkin like masks, who leased him
1t was asOrt of pantOmime and the old
man was evidently favOrite stage char
acter in Mongolia corresponding perhaps
to our Humpty Dumpty.
Toward the conclusion of the ceremony,
all of the performers, comprising large
number HLarnaS. took mart together a
grand ballet. The Windup of the affair was
marked by the burning Of the Shrine in the I
middle Of the platfOrm-gun powder being !
used, as I judge to render the combustion /
more rapid and spectacular
Irga Picturesque City.
'Urga is one Of the most picturesque and |
to the Russians, one Of the least known /
Indeed, all Of that vast region north Of /
a terra incognita, being rarely visited by !
travellers
movable city The main part Of the town
consists largely Of enclosures fenced in bv /
palisades of poles, inside of which the
lurtas' OF tent like houses of the natives j
are more or less temporarily esta bIisbed
These primitive dwellings. hemfsubaricaI I
in shape are constructed Of a cart Of ist
-ice work and covered with thick faI+
Of native manufacture. Easily SET nm
and as easily taken apart, thew can
be moved away whenever if becov7ss -
sirable 20 seek fresh location for the fam
ly home This, Of necessity, often happens.
Tor the Iohgols are thorough nomads de-
-lNlng a ralher Scanty subsistence from
the horses, goats sheep and a few cattle
they raise. In order to find food for tbe
Of moving about
In the city Of Urga there is a consider
houses of sundried brick or Vol e ae+e an
picturesqUely built and decorated: and also
there are Russians. whose frame 5o-715~iirs /
are Of more modern type The Cbirsse
are the merchants and manufacturer. he
Russians include merchants, civil and med
cal officials, and guard Of Cossacks. The
Russians have a free hospital for fLe NJ,
gOans ~ -AOii
Is the Holy City of Mongolia
The most important buildings in the