LAMA BALDIN-SORDJI. 245, 



of his suite dare not hint at such a thing to their 

 master, who keeps them under strict discipline. In 

 consequence of the Dungan insurrection the Gigen 

 organised a force of lamas 200 strong, armed with 

 English smooth-bore guns sent from Peking, to beat 

 off the marauders, v/ho still make frequent raids into 

 Ala-shan. 



The youngest son of the prince of Ala-shan — 

 Siya, bears some resemblance in character to the 

 Gigen, and is a decidedly wild youth. He himself 

 told us that he hated books and science, but liked 

 war, sport, and riding horses. He is certainly an 

 excellent rider ; on the occasion of a foxhunt which 

 the two brothers arranged for us he distanced all his 

 companions in the chase. 



The eldest son we only saw once, and therefore 

 I have nothing to say about him. His intimate 

 friends described this prince to be unlike his brothers 

 in character, but rather reserved in manner and 

 dignified, as a future ruler should be. 



Besides these personages we must mention a 

 lama named Baldin-Sordji, who is a confidential ad- 

 viser of the prince and his sons. This very Sordji 

 in early life ran away to Tibet, in the company of 

 a caravan of pilgrims ; after passing eight years at 

 Lhassa he learned the Buddhist mysteries and re- 

 turned to Ala-shan a lama. Cunnincr and sao-acious 



о о 



by nature, Sordji soon gained the confidence of the 

 Amban, and Avas promoted to a high office. By 

 command of the prince, he travels every year to 

 Peking to make different purchases ; he has even 



