The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-02-22

SIdUOW, SIldTpIy ueuldThcu lIOIu thc
glare Of the road. 1t stirred strange
emotion in me; perhaps an early race
memory, an ancient nostalgia for this
first home of the human race. But
there was no water for our beasts, and
we must travel two Ii farther-two
thirds of an English mile. There, in
the shadow of doorway, we ate our
first trail tiffin surrounded by half
clothed men and not in the least
clothed children, who followed US en-
Enthusiastically.
Past little gray wayside shrine,
past tall mastlike poles with their
prayer flags dropping in the still air,
the road led, striking suddenly trail
that emerged onto small plateau.
The sheer thrill Of that little plateau,
like a sharp upturning Chinese mir
ror! At the foot of the ascent lay
Bethlehem village. The mellow after
noon sunshine reflected In small
pool-the whole study in quietude.
And beyond, rushing swiftly away to
the North, our Promised Land, the
great Monaghan plain.
To the Top of the World.
The ascent Of the next morning was
delayed by the appearance of cara
van of twO-wheeled ox-carts piled with
wool, there where the pass notched
the sky. But it was worth the de-
lay. Whatever else slips from me
through memOry's net, it will not be
orfc rnnn10nf
dominating the world, and then, like
all things mortal, each losing the SUI
preme moment at the crest Of things
and plunging down the pass, lost in
the dust below, while we ourselves
took the uptrail to the top of the
world.
The top of the world! Beyond
vision of sky and plain, magnificent
open country rushing away gloriously
to the horizon and beyond. That is
the feel of Mongolia Vast,
silent beyond. Something of desert
beauty lay in its unbroken spaces,
peace and healing and desert inscrut-
ability. 1t was of the desert and yet
it was not desert. It's tawny mono
chrome was tinged with green, soft
ened by short, sparse grass through
which summer wind rustled, invit-
ing one to pleasant wanderingS.
The Tent DweIIers.
We were now well up in fresh, un-
trammeled land.s There were no fields,
no houses, no villages, only an occa-
sional encampment Of black MOngol
tents with its guard of dogs. True
nomad's land.
The black Mongol tents are made Of
layers of felt stretched on collapse
BILE wicket Of wood about four feet
high, from which spokes of wood ex-
tend to meet above at the top, the
whole corded with stout ropes. There
are no windows and the entrance con-
sists of one low door. Against the
walls of the tent stand bright chests
of clothing, brass cooking vessels,
rows of cheeses, a barrel of intoxi-
cant made from sour milk, and small
Buddhist shrine. Felt and fur rugs
cover the earth floor and the low dais
at the back which adds Turkish look.
On a center braZier tea SINNERS from
morning till night, tea drunk cOpious-
| ly with butter and salt and handful
of millet The whole is overhung with
| an understandable odor, Siberian but
more so skins, cheese, smoke, horses,
dogs, sheep, cows, tobacco, sour milk,
| incense to the gods and unwashed hui
| manity, a combination into which the
odors of Cairo might be carried as q
perfume.
The Mongol is darker in color than
his Chinese neighbor, high-cheeked
squat, weather-beaten, almost protec
tive in colOring. Rarely, if ever, on a
| Mongol face is seen that fine intelli
gepce which stamps the Chinese; the
! fact that he has produced no arts, nc
crafts. that he is worker in no me
! dunn. is writ large in the crudity of his
| expression. AS Buddhist, he refuS
es to till the soil lest he take life-kill
a beetle, for instance. Sheep he may
kill, however, since that may be accom-
plished without Buddha'S cOgniZance
back Of the tent. Flocks have another
advantage, too, over fields; flocks hs
may carry with him. And the Mongo
knows no shades of. prison house
| Give Mongol a sheep and a horse
and he will feed, clothe, house himself
and roam the plain. Add COW ani
he can get drunk. Life has nothing
more to offer.