Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 700

658

Travels of M. Huc.

DEC.

this must be thrown aside on entering a tent or hut. The females shake hands as well as the men; they make the tea, and the childreu collect the argols. The men snuff inveterately. They also drink, but rarely, Mongolian wine, which is milk that has been first ferment- ed, and then coarsely distilled. The stench in the interior of these Tartar tents is, however, insupportable, and will sometimes turn a stranger's stomach. It arises from the butter and grease with which their clothes and furniture are impregnated. It is on account of these filthy habits that the Tartars are called by the Chinese, who are not themselves inodorous, the Tsáu Táh-tsz', or stinking Tartars.

On quitting the plains of the hospitable Tchakars, our travelers passed the small town of Chaborta, at the period of the festival called Yueh-ping. A tribe of Mongols were encainped here, and their clean- liness and hospitality are highly spoken of. But it is to be observed that the missionaries were here, as elsewhere, looked upon, from hav- ing adopted the costume of lamas, as learned and holy personages. They were constantly expected to cure diseases, draw horoscopes, tell fortunes, discover lost property, speak the words of wisdom, and shed felicity where their shadows fell. These good Mongols sent their children to the tents of the lamas of the West with continual presents of milk, butter, cheese, and loads of argols.

'Three days' journey from Chaborta, our travelers stumbled upon the ruins of a walled city—“ an imposing and majestic relic of antiquity,” according to their statement, and a memorial of the domination of the Mongols in the thirteenth century. Beyond this, they crossed the great road from Peking to Kiakta. The missionaries tell us that the Russian manufactures purchased at this latter great emporium are paid for in brick tea, which is the reason why the Chinese can sell clothes in China itself at a price less than they would fetch in Europe, and which is the reason, also, why English manufactures find little sale at the newly-opened ports of the south It would be necessary, accord- ing to this view of the case, to take tea in exchange for English goods, to enable England to compete with Russia in the Chinese markets.

Crossing the "kingdom" of Afa, our travelers came to the first hills, the acclivities of which were shaded with pines; but the plea- sure derived from the change was materially diminished by meeting, at the same time, three very independent-looking wolves. They, how- ever, soon found refuge in the lamazary of Tchortchi, a holy place,

* [This occurs in the first half of the 8th moon, or the latter end of August; the name yuch-ping ineans ' moon cakes,' and small round cakes, highly orna- mented, are sent to friends.]