The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1918-03-01

shadow. sharply delnarked from the
glare of the road. 1t stirred a strange
emotion in me perhaps d 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 a 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 a 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 a small plateau.
The sheer thrill of that little plateau,
like a sharp upturning Chinese mir
ror! At the foot of the ascent lay a
Bethlehem village. The mellow after
noon sunshine reflected in small
pool-the whole a study in quietude.
And beyond, rushing swiftly away to
the North, our Promised Land, the
great MOlSOlldH pam.
To the Top of the World.
The ascent of the next morning was
delayed by the appearance of a 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
those carts, for one supreme moment
dominating the world, and then, like
all things mortal, each losing the su-
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 a
vision of sky and plain, magnificent
open country rushing away gloriously
to the horizon and beyond. That is
the feel of Mongolia-beyond; vast,
silent beyond. Something of desert
beauty lay in its unbroken spaces,
peace ana 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 q summer wind rustled, invit-
ing one. to pleasant wanderings.
The Tent DweIIers.
We were now we'll up in fresh I'M
trammeled land. There were no fields,
no houses, no villages, only an occa-
sional encampment of black Mocgol
tents with its guard of dogs. True
nomad's land.
The black Mongol tents are made of
layers of felt stretched on a 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 a 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 a handful
of millet The whole is overhung with
an indescribable odor, Siberian but
more so; skins, cheese, smoke, horses
dogs, sheep, cows, tobacco, sour milk
incense to the gods and unwashed hui
r,oo;+r n combine tion into which the
odors of Cairo might be carried as 8
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 8
Mongol face is seen that fine intelli
gence 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 a Buddhist, he refus
es to till the soil lest he take life-kil
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; f1ockS hi
may carry with him. And the Mongo
! knows no shades Of q prison house
Give a Mongol a sheep and a horse
and he will feed, clOthe, house himself
and roam the plain. Add COW an(
he can get drunk. Life has nothin.
more to offer.