48 MONGOLS ON THE CHINESE BORDER. 



mention of them afterwards. Let us begin with 

 their external appearance, taking as our model the 

 inhabitants of the Khalkas country, where the purity 

 of the Mongol race is best preserved. 



A broad flat face, with high cheek-bones, wide 

 nostrils, small narrow eyes, large prominent ears, 

 coarse black hair, scanty whiskers and beard, a dark 

 sunburnt complexion, and, lastly, a stout thick-set 

 figure, rather above the average height : such are 

 the distinguishing features of this race. In other 

 parts of Mongolia, but especially on the south-east, 

 where for some distance it borders with China Proper, 

 the original type is much less distinct ; and, although 

 the nomads reconcile themselves with difficulty to a 

 settled life, still in some way their neighbours have 

 exercised such influence over them that in those dis- 

 tricts lying immediately outside the Great Wall 

 they have almost become Chinese. With few excep- 

 tions, the Chinese Mongol still dwells in his yurta or 

 felt tent, tending his herds ; but in appearance and 

 still more in character he is a decided contrast to his 

 northern brethren, and bears a close resemblance to 

 his adopted countrymen He follows their fashions in 

 his dress and domestic habits ; and, owing to frequent 

 intermarriages with their women, his coarse flat fea- 

 tures are cast in the more recrular mould of the 



О 



Chinese face. His very character has unciergone a 

 remarkable change ; the desert has become distaste- 

 ful to him, and he prefers the populous towns of 

 China, where he has learnt the advantages and plea- 

 sures of a more civilised existence. But, in thus 

 gradualh' dej)arting from liis former life, the Chinese 



I 



