AND THEIR SALARIES. POPULATION. 87 



princes, in order to strengthen by family ties the 

 power of China over their nomadic subjects. Every 

 prince must appear at court once every three or four 

 years to pay his respects to his sovereign ; on these 

 occasions they bring gifts, mostly camels or horses, 

 receiving in return silver, silk, costly dresses, caps 

 adorned with peacocks' feathers, &c., always of far 

 greater value than those brought. Indeed Mongolia 

 costs China a round sum every year ; ^ on the other 

 hand, the Middle Kingdom is secured from any 

 possible invasion by the ruthless nomads. 



The exact population of Mongolia is unknown. 

 Pere Hyacinthe estimates it at three millions, Tim- 

 kowski at two ; in any case the number is insigni- 

 ficant in proportion to the extent of country. This 

 could hardly be otherwise if we consider the condi- 

 tions of nomad life, and how barren the Mongolian 

 deserts for the most part are. The increase of 

 population is also very slow, owing to the celibacy of 

 the lamas, and the diseases which at times cause 

 great ravages. 



The Mongols are divided into four classes : 



^ A prince of the ist rank receives 2,000 lans of silver and 25 

 pieces of silk. 



A prince of the 2nd rank receives 1,200 lans of silver and 15 pieces 

 of silk. 



A prince of the 3rd rank receives 800 lans of silver and 13 pieces 

 of silk. 



A prince of the 4th rank receives 500 lans of silver and 10 pieces 

 of silk. 



A prince of the 5th rank receives 300 lans of silver and 9 pieces of 

 silk. 



A prince of the 6th rank receives 200 lans of silver and 7 pieces of 

 silk. 



Tsasak tai-lsi (nobles), receive 100 lans of silver and 4 pieces of 

 silk. 



