CHAPTER II.
THE MONGOLS.
The Mongols — Physical characteristics — Modification of character on the Chinese border — Pigtail introduced — Costume — The Yurta or Felt Tent — Uncleanliness — Tea-drinking — Food and beverages — Gluttony — Animal food — Cattle — Importance of their herds — Indolent habits — Physical capabilities and defects — Cowardice — Sagacity and obtuseness — Curiosity — Points of the compass — Estimation of distance — Calendar and Year-Cycle — Language and diversities — Literature— Love of gossip — Songs — Mongol women — Marriage customs and domestic relations — Hospitality and polite customs — Freedom of manners — Lamaism — Religious service ‘Om mani padmi hom’ — The Dalai Lama — Pilgrimages — The Clergy — Monasticism — Superstitions — Masses for the dead — The Authors view of Missions — Administrative organisation of the Mongol tribes — Grades of rank among chiefs, and their salaries — Population — Laws, punishment, and taxation — Military force — Decay of martial spirit.
The present chapter is specially devoted to the Ethnology of Mongolia, in order that in continuing the narrative of our journey, anecdotes relating to the inhabitants may be mentioned incidentally and not dwelt on in detail. In describing the physical geography and nature of the country we visited, and the various episodes of our wanderings, the most noticeable traits of its inhabitants might have been scattered here and there through the volume, and thus have escaped the attention of the reader. To avoid this, I resolved to devote an entire chapter to a description of the people of Mongolia and the peculiar characteristics of their nomad life, merely making casual
