140 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



issued by Shun-chi and his son, but these have not prevented the persecution and even massacre 

 of missionaries. In 1844 the French envoy brought the disabilities of Christians iti China to 

 the notice of Ki-ying, who memorialised the throne, and received a rescript which reversed the 

 bloody decrees of 1722 and later years. Churches have increased since the first one was 

 formed in Canton, and some of them are now served by native evangelists. The future is 

 not without promise. 



MONGOLIA. 



THE primeval homo of the Mongols is the region kno-.vn as Mongolia, where every mountain 

 is a king and every lake or stream a national divinity. This region, over which China 

 nominally rules, stretches from Siberia in the north towards the Great Wall of China in the 

 south, and from Manchuria in the east to the Altai Mountains, the Thian-shan (i.e. Heaven 

 Mountains), and East Turkestan in the west. The Desert of Gobi is in its centre (see map 

 on page 130). The total number of Mongols under Chinese rule is estimated at 2,000,000. 



The meaning of the name 

 Mongol is said to be " brave," 

 and to have been given to the 

 people on account of their war- 

 like character. Once they were 

 the terror of the world. In the 

 year 1236 they invaded Georgia 

 and Great Armenia, committing 

 frightful atrocities, sparing 

 neither man nor woman, young 

 nor old. Tiflis was among the 

 cities captured by assault, and 

 Kars was surrendered at their 

 approach in the vain hope that 

 submission would gain clemency. 

 Meanwhile, in 1235, Ogdai, their 

 chief khan, whose troops were as 

 numerous as their thirst for 

 conquest was devouring, dis- 

 patched three armies in as many 

 directions. One was directed 

 iigainst Korea; one against the, 

 Sang dynasty, which ruled over 

 the provinces of China south of 

 the Yang-tse-kiang; and the 

 third was sent westwards into 

 Europe. This last took the 

 capital city of the Bulgars, and 

 pushed on over the Volga River. 

 With irresistible vigour and 

 astonishing speed the Mongols 

 made their way through the 

 forests of Penza and appeared 

 before the beautiful city of 

 Riazau. For five days they dis- 



PMO y Mr. 



A CHINESE BRIDE, WITH VEIL OP BEADS. 



from their ballistas, and carried 



