134 ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONS. 



ments of Mono^ols, and further on by Chinese, who 

 are scattered all over the south-eastern border of 

 Mongolia. These settlers buy or hire arable land 

 from the Mongols, and their numbers increase year 

 by year in proportion as the cultivated soil encroaches 

 more and more on the ancient domain of the inha- 

 bitants of the steppe, — the Mongol, his herds, and 

 the swift-footed antelope. 



At the Chinese village of Siyinza, where the 

 Roman Catholics have established a missionary 

 station,' we unexpectedly met one of the priests in 

 charge, who gave us a warm reception, and by his 

 invitation we accompanied him the following day to 

 visit his colleagues residing at El-shi-siang-fu, twenty- 

 seven miles to the south, who were equally cour- 

 teous. In some conversation we had with them, 

 they complained that Christianity made very slow 

 progress among the Mongols, who are fanatical Bud- 

 dhists ; they told us that they were more successful 

 with the Chinese, although even among the latter, 

 proselytes were mainly attracted by material advant- 

 ages. The corruption and immorality of the people 

 exceeded all description. These missionaries had 

 built a school to train Chinese lads to assist them in 

 their work, maintaining them at their own cost, as 

 they found this to be the only way of inducing the 

 parents to entrust their children to them. They had 

 recently established themselves here, and intended 



' There were three missionaries at this station — two Belgians and 

 a Dutcliman — at the time of our visit ; a fourth was added to their 

 number in the end of 1871. 



