CHAPTER V.
ORDOS.
Definition of Ordos — Nomads contrasted with settlers — Historical sketch — Divisions — The Hoang-ho and its floods — Route up the valley — Depth, width, and navigation of river — Old channels; deviation of its course — Disputes about boundaries — Flora of the valley — Scanty vegetation — Liquorice root — Aspect of valley changes — Kuzupchi sands— Terrors of the desert — Legends — Oases and their vegetation — Sterility of the valley — Birds and animals — Traces of Dungan insurrection — A stray camel — Intense heat — Lake Tsaideming-nor — Opium cultivation — Bathing — Superstition about the tortoise — Flight of Chinghiz-Khan's wife — Tradition of Chinghiz-Khan — The white Banner — Tomb of Chinghiz-Khan — The Kara-sulta, or Black-tailed antelope — Shooting these antelope — Their haunts in the desert — Ruined temple of Shara-tsu — Scarce population — Wild cattle — Their origin and habits — Two bulls shot — Fishing; Mosquitoes — Salt lake; Ruins of city — Order of march; sweltering heat — Water! the halt — Wolfish appetites; evening — Loss of a horse; Djuldjig — Arbus-ula range; Ding-hu — Crossing Hoang-ho — Interview with Mandarin — Showing our guns — Baggage examined — Mandarin robs us — Embarrassing situation — Under arrest — Explanations — We take our departure.
Ordos is the country lying" within the northern bend of the Yellow River, and bounded on the three sides, north, east, and west, by that river, while on the south it is bordered by the provinces of Shensi and Kansu.[1] Its southern boundary is defined by
- ↑ The country of the Ordus or Ordos, here called (as in the Russian) for brevity simply 'Ordos,' the position of which is sufficiently defined in the text, has received that name only in modern times. In ancient days it was called 'Ho-nan,' viz. the land south of the Ho or (Yellow) River; and by this name it is mentioned in the history of the Hiong-nu, the Huns of Deguignes, who in the first or second century of the
