Ill] 



AND HISTORIC TIMES 



139 



for a race of ten miles, but now and then an opulent magnate 

 has occasion to be generous, and offers something exceptional 

 cattle, sheep, or ponies, silk or clothes. The races are never 

 under ten miles." " The Derby of Mongolia is held near Urga 

 under the direct patronage of the Bogdo and is over a course of 

 thirty miles of rough steppe, and the winners are presented to 

 the Bogdo, who maintains them for the rest of their lives in 

 honourable idleness. The jockeys are the smallest boys capable 



FIG. 55. Buriat Women setting forth to bill shrine on a feast-day. 



of riding the distance, which the owners can secure 1 . A saddle 

 or seat aid in any form is not allowed ; the jockeys simply roll 

 up their loose cotton trousers as high as they can, and clutch the 

 pony's ribs with bare legs, and all carry long whips. The bridles, 

 single snaffles with raw-hide reins, have each a round disc of 

 burnished silver attached to the headband." 



As already mentioned, China is the great market for 

 Mongolian ponies. Just outside the Ta-ching Men, " Great 

 Frontier Gate," which affords ingress and egress through the 



1 C. W. Campbell, op. cit., pp. 3638. 



