io6 IDOL FOUNDRY. TSAGAN-BALGAS. 



inhabited by about 2,000 lamas, whose numbers in 

 summer are greatly augmented by the arrival of 

 pilgrims. Near these temples stands a school for 

 boys destined to become lamas. 



Dolon-nor is remarkable for its foundry of idols 

 and other religious appurtenances, which are de- 

 spatched hence all over Mongolia and Tibet. The 

 images are of cast iron or bronze, of various shapes 

 and sizes, and are wonderfully executed, considering 

 that they are all made by artificers working in 

 separate houses. 



We remained here a day and then started for 

 Lake Dalai-nor, 100 miles to the north. Our road 

 soon crossed the Shandu-gol, near the ruins of an 

 ancient town known to the Mongols under the name of 

 Tsagan-balgas^ signifying * White Walls.' Nothing 

 remains except a half- ruined quadrilateral brick wall 

 ten to fourteen feet high, inclosing an area about a 

 quarter of a mile in length by about 200 yards wide, 

 which has the appearance of a field without any 

 visible trace of habitations. The Mongols could tell 

 us nothing of its past history. 



Twenty-seven miles beyond Dolon-nor we en- 

 tered the aimak (principality) of Keshik-ten ;^ from 



' This was a favourite resort of the Mongol emperors ; Marco 

 Polo relates that Kublai-khan had a summer residence here, which he 

 used on his hunting excursions to the neighbouring plains and lakes. 

 Gerbillon mentions that the Emperor Kang-hi, during his campaigns 

 against the Oliuths in 1696, built a small square fortress here — Tsa- 

 gan Balgassu — the ruins of which are perhaps those mentioned in the 

 text. (' Erdkunde von Asien,' i. 1 24-141, and Yule's ' Marco Polo,' i. 260- 

 269. See also, ' Timkowski,' i. 269.) — M. [See Supplementary Note.] 



- Keshik-ten is the Mongol for ' happy,' a name which they told us 



