SUPERS TIT IONS. 8 1 



some accident will surely happen afterwards ; a 

 journey must never be discussed beforehand, bad 

 weather or a hail-storm will be certain to follow ; the 

 names of father or mother must not be mentioned ; 

 nothing should be sold or given away for three days 

 after the recovery of one of the cattle, and so on. 



But all these customs are a mere fraction of 

 their superstitions. Soothsaying and sorcery are 

 strangely developed among them, and are exercised 

 not only by the shamans and lamas, but also by ordi- 

 nary mortals, women excepted. The soothsayers 

 carry rosaries or strings of Chinese copper money, 

 and make use of sundry exorcisms. If a beast be 

 lost, a pipe or tinder-box mislaid, recourse is always 

 had to the prophet to learn where to look for the 

 missing property ; when a journey is about to be 

 undertaken the auguries must be consulted ; if a 

 drought occur, the whole tribe must apply to a sha- 

 man, and large sums are paid to induce him to make 

 the heavens send down to earth the life-giving 

 moisture ; if attacked by a sudden illness, the Mongol 

 calls in a lama to drive away the devils which have 

 entered his body. Time after time the impositions 

 practised by sorcerers and magicians are exposed, 

 yet the Mongol never loses his childish reliance on 

 them. One fortunate result is sufficient to wipe out 

 the recollection of all previous failures, and the reputa- 

 tion of the prophet stands as high as ever. Some 

 are so artful that they discover beforehand all that is 

 necessary to know for the successful practice of their 

 profession, and after deceiving others so often they 



VOL. I. G 



