THE ELEUTHS. 231 



CHAPTER VI. 



ALA-SHAN. 



The Eleuths — Extent and character of Ala-shan — Sandy tracts of 

 Ala-shan — Flour of the Sulhir grass — Flora and Fauna of Ala- 

 shan — Birds of Ala-shan — Population of Ala-shan — Mongols of 

 Ala-shan — Lake Tsagan-nor — Route to Din-yuan-ing — Arrival 

 there^Din-yuan-ing and the Prince — The Prince of Ala-shan and 

 his family — The Gigen — Lama Baldin-Sordji — Curiosity of the 

 people — Intercourse with the younger Princes — Questions abou. 

 Europe — Openings for trade — Stories about the Dalai Lama — 

 ' Shambaling/ the Promised Land — The Promised Land of * Sham- 

 baling' — State visit to the Prince — Interview with Prince of Ala-shan 

 — Views of the Anglo-French луаг — We proceed to the mountains — 

 Mountains of Ala-shan — Birds of Ala-shan mountains — Birds and 

 Mammals of Ala-shan — The kuku-yamans or mountain sheep — 

 Shooting them in the mountains — A frightened herd — Desperate 

 leap — Return to Din-yuan-ing — Obliged to retrace our steps. 



The southern part of the high plateau of the Gobi, 

 to the west of the middle course of the Hoang-ho, 

 is a wild and barren desert, inhabited by Oliut 

 (Eleuth) Mongols,^ and known by the name of Ala- 



1 The Oliut, Eleuth, or Oloth Mongols are sometimes alleged to 

 have derived their name from Oliutai, one of the princes of the Yuen 

 or Chinghizid dynasty after its expulsion from China, and this луоиИ 

 be quite consistent with Tartar practice (e.g. the Chagatais and the 

 Uzbeks). But a more probable signification seems to be * the Sepa- 

 rated.' The title has been applied for some centuries to the western 

 hordes, extending from the sources of the Selenga and the Orkhon, to 

 the Thian-Shan and the Upper Irtish. They were divided into four 

 great bodies or clans, Dzungar, Turgut, Khoshod, and Turbet (whence 

 also called Durban-oirad or the Four Allies) ; and connected with 

 them are also those further west, known to the Mahommedans as Kal- 



