﻿S4( 



MONGOLIA. 



MONGOLIA. 



846 



which ie traversed by the caravan road from Kiachta in Siberia to 

 Kbalgau in China. Here too the surface of the country is frequently 

 broken by bills and isolated ridges ; but the intervening level tracts 

 contain rich pasture-ground. It is mostly well watered, but wood is 

 scarce. In advancing northward the hills grow higher, and the valleys 

 or intervening level tracts become narrower, till near the boundary- 

 line between Mongolia and Siberia the country rises into mouutains, 

 which run in a continuous chain, and are that portion of the Altai 

 Mountains which is known uuder the name of Khing-khan 061a. 

 [Altai MocsTAiys] The width of this mountainous and uneven 

 country, which lies between Siberia and the Ta-Gobi, seems on an 

 average to be about 150 miles. In it originate the river Selenga and 

 its numerous upper branches. Here also rise the Kerlon and the 

 OnoD, two large rivers, which by their union form the Amur. [Amur.] 

 This country, which U rich, when compared with other portions of , 

 Mongolia, belongs to the hiah-priest of the Buddhists, who resides in 

 the neighbourhood of the town of Urga, and is called Kootookhtu. It 

 forma a separate government of the Chinese empire, and its general 

 governor, called 'vang,' or _' kiun-vang,' as well as the lieutenant, | 

 called 'amban,' rewdee in tiie town of Urga, or Oergo. This town 

 i> built in a small plain; but though sheltered by mountains 

 a ainst the northern winds, the climate is too cold to permit the 

 moat common vegetables to be raised, which are accordingly brought 

 to it from Mai-mat-shin, a place two degrees farther north. Its popu- 

 lation does not exceed 7000, of which 5000 are said to be lamas, or 

 persons belonging to the ecclesiastical establishment of the Kootookhtu ; 

 but it \( a place of considerable tra6So, being a dep6t for the goods 

 intended for the trade with Siberia, and also for those Chiueae 

 productions and manufactures which are consumed in the parts of 

 Mongolia farther to the west. Many of the Mongolian prinoes, whose 

 tribes wander about in the Ta-Oobi and the adjacent countriea, are 

 obliged to reside in this town, in order that their views may be known 

 to the Chmeae governor, who is a Mandshoo, and oommooW a relation 

 of the em[>eror. Here also is the supreme court, called Yamouo, for 

 the administntionof justice in that part of Mongolia which is inhabited 

 by the Kbalkaa. This place may in fact be called the capital of 

 Eastern Mongplia. The small to wn of Mai-mat-«hin is on the very boun- 

 dary-line of Siberia, and leas than a mile from Kiachta. [Kiachta.] 



Of the western portion of Mongolia, extending from fU' to 96° 

 E. long., between Siberia and the most western extremity of the pro- 

 Tince of Kan-su, all our knowledge is derived from the geography of 

 the Chinese empire, the Tay-tsioghoel-tien, and the maps annexed to 

 it. Its western part is traversed by a monntain range, which near 

 i.s western extremity is connected with the Altai Mountains, not far 

 from the eastern bank of the Irtish. This range, the Ektag Oola, is 

 commonly called on our maps the Great Altai It seems to rise to a 

 oousiderabla elevation, but to disappear about 94° E. long. ; for 

 farther east only isolated mounttin masses or short ranges occur in the 

 desert. That portion of Mongolia which lies south of this ran^ seems 

 to partake largely of the nature of the Gobi, extending mostly m exten- 

 sive sterile plailis. The great number of rivers which, descending from 

 the southern declivity of the Ektag Oola, join the Irtish before it 

 reaches the lake of Zaizau, seems to indicate that a tract of fertile 

 eountry extends along the northern banks of that river. The Irtish is 

 the largest river in this country, and probably runs 160 miles before 

 it falls into Lake Zaiun. Another large river, the Ooroongoo, falls 

 into Lake KisUbaah, which has no outlet. The country between the 

 Ektag OOla and the principal ohain of the Altai Mountains appears to 

 be traverted by several subordinate ridges running east and west. 

 Though it is much better watered than any other part of Mongolia, 

 the greatest part of it is a desert, especially towards the east, but 

 towards the west the tracts of pasture are more extensive and less 

 intermptad by sandy districts. In this part there are several extensive 

 Ixkes, all of which receive considerable rivers without having any outlet. 

 The most northern is the Upaa Nor, which receives from the eatt a 

 co.<siderable river, the Tea, besides several smaller ones. The Yeke 

 Aral Nor, to the south south-west of the Upsa Nor, is the receptacle 

 of the lljabekao, a river whose course can hardly be less than 600 

 miles. In this part Mongolia extends to the north of thx Altai Moun- 

 tains, oom prehending the country in which the upper branches of the 

 Tenesei have their origin and course. The mountain range which 

 dividM the last-meotioued tract from the lake Upsa Nor and the river 

 Tea is called the Tangnoo Oola. 



This psurt of Mongolia is divided into two governments, the govern- 

 ment of Kobdo and that of Uliassutai, the boundary-line between them 

 runniug near 93° E. long. The capital of the former is Kobdo, not 

 far from the nortbam extremity of Lake Yeke Aral Nor : the capital 

 of thi> Utter is Uliassutai, situated on the river Iro, an affluent of the 

 Djabekan. The latter place is stated to contain 2000 houses, and to 

 be regularly built. Caravans pass from it to Urga and to China, and 

 its oommeroa seema to be considerable. Nothing is known of Kobdo. 

 A general, appointed by the Chinese emperor, resides in each town, 

 a Mandshoo by birth, who has tinder bis inspection the Mongol inhabit- 

 ants of the country ; be onites in his person the military and civil 

 authority. 



As the whole lorfaca of Mongolia, with the szoeption of the deep 

 depression of the Ta-Oobi, is more than 8000 feet elevated above the 

 ■Mk-levsl, aad as it iti«t«bes out ia vast plains, to wUoh ths oompai*. 



tively low ranges of mountains along its northern border cannot afford 

 shelter against the northern and north eastern winds, the climate is 

 much colder than in that part of Siberia which extends along the base 

 of the Altai range west of Lake Baikal. No month in the year is free 

 from enow, and even frost, though the heat in summer is nearly 

 insupportable, on account of the want of trees and the sandy surface 

 of the country. Sudden and great changes in the temperature are of 

 frequent occurrence. It is however remarkable that the numerotis 

 herds which pasture on this plain find subsistence all the year round : 

 even after a fall of snow the grass is seen above it, and serves to nourish 

 the animals. This evidently shows that the quantity of snow which 

 falls is comparatively small, and much less than that which anuually 

 covers the northern countries of Europe or of North America. This 

 fact is a proof of the great dryness of the air; and to this want of 

 moisture the unfitness of the soil for agricultural purposes, even where 

 it is not composed of sand or stones, is mainly to be attributed. A 

 little millet is grown in a few sheltered places between high hills, 

 which attract the moisture. Rain is rare, except near the great 

 ranges of mountains, especially about Urga. Gales of wind are fre- 

 quent, and, especially in the Gobi, blow with great force, and frequently 

 for many days together. 



The wealth of the Mongols consista in their numerous herds of 

 camels, horses, and sheep. Cattle are only numerous on the more 

 hilly tracts, especially towards the boundary of China ; there are none 

 in the Gobi. Asses and mules are only fuund in the vicinity of China. 

 Wild animals are numerous, especially hares, antelopes, dshiggetais, or 

 wild asses, deer, foxes, sables, squirrels, and marmots. Water-fowl 

 are plentiful on the numerous lakes and swampy tracts. In some 

 places the desert is covered with small stones, among which several 

 Idnds of precious stones occur, as chalcedony, agate, ouyz, jade, 

 oamelian, tt,c., which are collected by the Chinese. 



/nAaM(an/(.— The inhabitants are called Mongols, and constitnte 

 the principal stock of a uatiou which is widely diffused over the eztea- 

 sive table-lands of Central Asia. 



This nation is divided into two great divisions, the Eastern or 

 Proper Mongols, and the Western Mongols, or Kalmucks. All the 

 tribes belonging to this nation have, from time immeniorial, led a 

 nomadic life, and subsisted on the produda of their h>!rds, without 

 attempting to cultivate the ground ; a circumstance which must be 

 attributed to the countries they inhabit being entirely unfit for agri- 

 culture, with the exception of very small tracts. 



The Proper Mongols inhabit that portion of Central Asia which is 

 bounded by a line drawn from the northern extremity of Lake Baikal 

 to the northern extremity of Lake Balcosh, thence to the Hoaox-ho, 

 where the range of the Alashan rises near the town of Ningbia ; from 

 this place it follows the Great Wall, from the eastern extremity of 

 which it runs to the junction of the rivers Nonni and Songari in 

 Mandshooria, whence it returns to the northern extremity of Lake 

 Baikal. The whole country encompassed by this line is in possession 

 of the Proper Mongols, with the exception of some plains between the 

 Ektag Altai and Lake Balcasb, which are occupied by Kalmuck tribes. 

 There are however Mongols also in other parts of Asia, especially in 

 the country about the sources of the Hoang-ho, and about Lake 

 Kookoonor, and in the western parts of Tibet, where they are called 

 Khor-Katshi Mongols. All the Mongols speak the same language, and 

 admit that they all belong to the same nation, and have a common origin. 

 The Proper Mongols are divided into three great nations, the 

 Tshakhar, Khalkhas, and Suuuit The Tshakhar inhabit the best 

 part of Mongolia, bring in poaseaaion of the tract which skirts the 

 great Chinese Wall on the north, and extends to the Ta-Gobi, a 

 distance of from 150 to 200 miles from the walL They obtained the 

 full confidence of the court of Peking by yielding to the sway of the 

 Mandshoo, before they had made any considerable progress in the 

 conquest of China. The Khalkha, or Khalkhas Mongols, occupy the 

 northrrn part of Mongolia, along the southern boundary of Siberia. 

 They voluntarily submitted to the Chinese emperor to avoid destruc- 

 tion in their unsuccessful war with the Oelolh Kalmucks in 1688. 

 The Sunuit occupy the country between the Tshakhar and Khalkhas, 

 or that part of Mongolia through which the TaGobi extends. They 

 are less numerous and powerful than their neighbours, and less 

 esteemed by the Chinese. They submitted to the Mandshoo when 

 the Tshakhar joined them in 1634. 



The Mongols however have a literature, which they owe to the 

 Chinese, and which consista chiefly of translations of Chinese books, 

 and a few original historical works, especially the history of their 

 great hero, Gengis Khan. 



The whole nation ia divided into 26 tribes, called ' a'imak.' Each 

 of these divisions has an hereditary prince, except the Khalkhas, who 

 constitute one almak, but are governed by four hereditary princes, 

 called ' khan.' All four claim a descent from Gengis Khan. Each 

 almak has its territory, in which it wanders about with its herds. 

 The order of society resembles the feudal system, aud the noblemen 

 are called ' taidahis.'' The Mandshoo have introduced among them a 

 military division, according to which the whole nation forms 185 

 banners, each of which ia subdivided into regiments and companies. 

 Each Mongol is bound to serve as a horseman from his 1 8th to his 

 60th year. The MongoU are governed by the decrees of the Li-fan- 

 yuen, or Tribtinal of Foreign Affairs, which has instituted for them ft 



