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sheep's kidneys and liver, just thrown into the tea-kettle, from which he was fishing them; they were only hot and in no degree cooked. It is interesting to note that they never eat vegetables, and it is worth mentioning that nowhere between the last Chinese settlement and Urga did I see a single vegetable growing, nor indeed the least trace of cultivated ground. Even at Urga we only found a small plot of ground, on which a few cabbages, onions, and radishes were being grown, while potatoes were unobtainable. One misses among the Mongols fowls and pigs. As regards the latter, one is really grateful to the Chinese community in Urga for not having introduced this elsewhere ubiquitous animal. Eggs reach Urga from the south, and to the Chinese palate they do not deteriorate from the long desert journey.
The Mongols would be a wholly delightful people were it not for their happy- go-lucky temperament, which is excessively provoking to travellers, and which leads them to form the opinion that the severe Chinese method of dealing with them is after all the best. They have no sense of responsibility, nor will they ever learn by their faults. To scold them is useless, for they are like little children, a minute later they are whistling, laughing, and chattering like magpies, as if nothing had happened. This utter carelessness is probably due to their religion, but it is none the less provoking. They used to throw the baggage on to the camels in the hope that something would stick; they then tied a few ropes round. Long before the camels would be loaded, it would be discovered, however, that the rope would not suffice. There would then be a hunt round the ghers for odds and ends of rope, which would be supplied off the felt covering of the yourt. The start would then be made, and for two hours it would be a constant strain watching the loads and saving the guns before they fell off. It was quite useless to show them how the loads should be tied on, as they never obeyed the instructions. The climax, as far as I was concerned, came one day when the Mongols tied the pack-saddle of the camel, on which I was riding, on so badly that it all fell to pieces, and I and it to the ground. The Mongols thought it a great joke. They are all fervent Lamaists, and the nearer one approaches to Urga the more one observes their religious fervour, and the more people wear amulets, and Buddhas suspended from the neck.
Means of Transport in Gobi,
The means of transport in the Gobi are more varied than appear at first glance. One is inclined to think that they are limited to camels and ponies, but there are other more convenient means of progression than these, namely, the camel cart and the ordinary cart.
The
The camel cart much resembles a gipsy's caravan cart in England. Their proper price in Kalgan and Kweihuacheng appears to be about 30 dollars, but as the price of everything in Mongolia varies according to the customers' necessities, and as the European traveller is generally in a hurry, the seller will probably ask as much as so dollars for one. As the cart will in all probability not be a new one, its stuff lining will require to be removed and another substituted before it can be occupied. advantages of the camel cart are that guns can he laid out in them ready for use, which cannot be the case where they form part of the camel's load, and that they afford a shelter in case of rain and can be used as a sleeping-place at night. They are, however, not available for heavy luggage. If hired their price seems to be at the rate of two camels, ie., one representing the cart and the other to pull it.
The ordinary cart, drawn by pouies, in vogue in Mongolia is one of the " Peking" type, only slightly longer. The wheels of this vehicle are set as far back as are those of the carts in which the Imperial Princesses at Peking pay their visits outside the Palace. It is drawn by two ponies abreast, each ridden by a Mongol as postillion. At the end of the shafts a 10-foot pole is fitted at right angles and fastened to them by incans of leathern thongs passing through holes pierced in the shafts. Either postillion takes hold of one end of this pole and keeps it in position in front of him on the saddle. These carts go any pace the traveller likes, and it is in these that the Chinese officials travel across Mongolia. The same advantages attach to this cart as to the camel cart, with the addition that they can carry a much greater weight, and that by this means one can travel comfortably by day and night. It is, however, absolutely necessary to have ponies who are accustomed to the pole. The price of such carts varies again according to the need of the purchaser. The proper price, if there be such a thing, is said to be 40 taels. This method of travel is suitable for those who are travelling posthaste or light, but as the ordinary European traveller is not usually pressed for time, nor free from a great deal of impedimenta, thereby necessitating a number of camels as additional transport, it is not so suited for him as the camel cart if he requires cart at all.
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In Urga the Russian merchants make use of a low cart somewhat resembling a railway station luggage truck. They make an agreeable change to camels or ponies, and one can surround oneself with the necessary things, such as kodak, guns, &c. They are strongly built, but have no seat. They can be drawn by a camel. I bought one in Urga for 35 dollars (it was probably an excessive price) and had a pole fitted crosswise to the shafts so that it could be drawn by two ponies in the same way as the officials' cart. It proved highly satisfactory.
At a very few of the post stations strong, heavy, open waggons are obtainable, I think I found them only at four altogether. These were drawn by one pony between the shafts and three abreast in front. They could travel heavily laden at the rate of 6 to 7 miles an hour, and were very satisfactory.
These carts, like the animals, are the exclusive property of the station where they are found, and no amount of persuasion, either verbal or of a more substantial nature, could move them beyond the one stage they are called upon to perform,
Between Sair Ussu and Urga, especially nearing the latter place and in the town itself, there is a small flimsy cart to be found, drawn by oxen chiefly and also occasionally by camels. These are used for carting skins or wood. These carts are of the most gimcrack nature and rudest formation, especially the wheels, which in no case appeared to be round. In Urga they appear to be used exclusively for bringing down wood from the mountains. I was told that their cost per cart was only 5 dollars.
The Russians have imported the tarantass to Urga, but there seems to be very few of them. They are sometimes obtainable. A Japanese party leaving Trga for Kiakhta bought one, paying 85 dollars for it, an excessive price for a four days' journey.
Opinions vary so much as to the best mode of travel in the Gobi, everyone maintaining the advantage of their own method that it is a little difficult for the novice to decide which to adopt. It appears to me, after some experience that no way is without its disadvantages. Some maintain that the best method is to buy camels from the starting point and to be thus independent of every one in future, and also to buy ponies for one's own use. The disadvantages of this is that one has to engage a man or two to look after and lead the animals and that as this man has no interest in them he will probably neglect and overwork them, pay no attention to them while they are feeding, allow them to stray about and possibly to be stolen. If the traveller has to superintend all this himself he will find it difficult to take observations and do any work he may have in view and at the end of a long march one is very disinclined to have the worry of the care of animals. Then there is the difficult question of the purchase of these. The traveller will not want them till he reaches Mongolia and he will not want to spend a long time in Kalgan or Kweihuacheng. In consequence he will have to pay a larger sum for them than they are really worth; 40 taels seems to be a fair price throughout Mongolia but in some places one would have to give more. price would not matter so much if he could be sure that good animals were obtained but There is always danger of buying in a hurry. If the animals are good they will stand a great deal of work and can be sold at the journey's end for a fair price. In Mongolia they cost practically nothing to keep as they eat the grass where they can find it. They cannot work so well or so long on this aloue unless they have occasionally straw and beans. Then there is the other opinion (and that to which I incline) that it is best to hire camels thus throwing on the owners the entire responsibility of the care of the animals while they are in the travellers' use. Having a personal interest in their well-being and existence he will see that they are properly fed and that they are not stolen. It is quite simple to make the camel man travel the pace one wishes to go. The traveller is thus entirely free for work and for seeing the country.
Such a
It is worth noting that the question of transport at Urga unless one has one's own camels presents great difficulties. Urga is wholly unlike Kalgan or Kweihuacheng in so much that there is no one from whom beasts or carts can be hired. The non-official traveller or merchant who desires to go to Kalgan, Kweihuacheng, Uliassutai, Kobdo, &c., has to wait for camels or carts to come to Urga from those places with merchandise. He can then hire these for the return journey. At some time of the year this practice causes little delay as there is a steady flow of traffic especially between north and south, but at others the traveller is subjected to a tedious delay, varying in length from a week to a month. This is especially the case between Urga and the west as trade from Uliassutai and Kobdo is very intermittent. Carters and caravan leaders from these places visit the chief inns on their arrival in Urga to find out if there is any custom. there is sometimes a block of merchants at Urga waiting to proceed these carters can practically command their own price.
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