The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-02-27

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may be forced to think seriously on
the subject of conservation before
many years because some Of the ami
mails whose pelts bring to him British
cotton and Chinese brick tea are be-
coming scarce. Mongolia's taxing
system Is partly responsible. The pro-
wider of Mongolian family is re-
quired to pay to his government three
sable skins and one hundred and
twenty squirrel skins per thousand
head of cattle. This premium on sable
has made 1t scarce. Furs are cur
rency in Mongolia much as they were
among the early French and English
traders in America. Thus a snow
leopard may bring twenty squirrels,
wolf and marten; sable may equal
forty squirrels, or six wolves or six
martens.
Mongolia, however, has its own Eel
lowstone Park, a sanctuary for ami
mails of all kinds, guarded night and
day by two thousand Lamas buddhist
priests) stationed around its confines.
This National Park is the sacred
mountain Of Bogdo-ol, whose snow
capped peak stands guard over Urga
To most people Mongolia means the
Cobb desert and vast plains. But a
mere recital Of the pelts bought at
the Urga mart hints the existence of
some forests. Northernmost Mon
golia is largely a timber-land, not
desert. Roughly speaking, Mongolia
is half as large as the United States
without Alaska. 1t is divided into
four parts; the southern grass plains
which are rapidly falling into the
hands of Chinese immigrants. the Cobb
desert comprising one-fourth the ter
ritory, another great plains district
similar to Kansas and Nebraska, aud
finally Northern Mongolia which has
more climatic and topographic ties
with Siberia than with China.
Residence of tho Hutukhtu.
Urga's position as a pelt mart Is
far overshadowed in the eyes Of a
native Monaghan by its place in his
religion. In the sacred city the
Hutukhtu, third power of Lamaism
and spiritual ruler of Mongolia, is liv-
ing out the tag end of his life in near
blindness. His keen interest in the
contrivances of civilization
Is the source Of many local stories of
the glazing incongruity when west
comes east. High Priest Hutukhtu
heard about automobiles and insisted
that he have one.
The story goes that certain mer-
chants having fitted the palace with
electric lights at the Hutukhtu's COM
nand called at the holy residence for
heir money. A crowd had gathered
around the portal and overhead a
bare electric bulb spread a white hard
light. An official Of the household in
brilliant robes finally brought out
stable hoard of silver to pay the mer-
,hants. While they stood at the en-
rance long rope was lowered out of
IN empty upper window and waggled
,ently against the palace wall. About
he rope the faithful gathered, knelt
md touched 1t reverently since sup
'osedly 1t was dangled out of the win
nder the glare of a Twentieth CEN
ury electric light.
Electricity and automobiles are only L
ypical Of the dignitarys passion for +
evices of the Occident. His palace t
) said to be stored with monographs, 4
ypewriters, microscopes, sewing ma a
hines and other mechanical aids to q
ian. But to Hutukhtu they are more c
Ike toys than instruments of con- +
enience or culture and after few &
avs or weeks they go into the discard. +
Like certain other religions. Lam
ism Is divided under fixed adj
and spiritual hierarchy.
he Dalai Lama at the Forbidden City
T Lhassa, located in the inner re-
esses of Tibet. Is the head Of the !.
ntire church. Lhassa is the Mecca -
f Lamaists in Mongolia Next In
ank to the Dalai Lama is the Tashi /"
anna, residing at Tashilumpo, also in
ibet. Then follows Hutukhtu in far
4 Urga. Tradition In Mongolia rules
lat the Hutukhtu never dies. The n
eople believe his spirit reawakens in "
lie person of a newly born child All p
ecclesiastical intrigues for position are 81
yept aside by the effective method n
Mongolian selection which is moth CT
e more or less than lottery. Names II
infants who have been considered W
! candidates are written on paper m
ips and placed In golden urn. A A
Ip Is drawn and the infant whose W
ame appears on the paper is pro. 81
aimed the new Hutukhtu