204 THE WHITE BANNER. 



the drowned woman was recovered, and by com- 

 mand of Chinghiz-Khan buried in an iron coffin in 

 the very mound which she had made to hide in ; 

 this hillock is called Tumyr-alhu. 



Chinghiz-Khan's memory is better preserved in 

 Ordos than in any part of Mongolia ; at all events, 

 we heard more tales here about the conqueror than 

 anywhere else. The most interesting of these 

 legends are those relating to the white banner and 

 the future resurrection of Chinghiz-Khan. 



The first tells how Chinghiz-Khan was a great 

 hunter, and while following the chase one day in the 

 mountains of Munni-ula he met there a Russian en- 

 gaged in the same pursuit. Chinghiz-Khan enquired 

 of him how long he had been hunting, and how 

 many beasts he had killed ? ' For some years,' 

 answered the stranger ; ' but I have only killed one 

 wolf.' * How is that?' said the conqueror; * I have 

 killed several hundred animals in the same time.' 

 ' But my wolf was a wonderful beast,' replied the 

 Russian ; ' he was fourteen feet long, and every day 

 devoured ten other animals ; by slaying him I have 

 done more good than you.' ' If that be the case,' 

 exclaimed Chinghiz-Khan, 'thou art a brave fellow; 

 come with me to my yurta, and I will give thee 

 whatsoever thou desirest' 



The Russian hunter, at the invitation of Chinghiz- 

 Khan, accompanied him to his yurta. Here, what 

 pleased him most was one of the concubines of the 



(or Hoang-ho), which thenceforth was called by the Mongols the Kha- 

 tun-gol (Schmidt's Saiiajia; Sctzen, p. 103). — Y. 



