KIRGIZ AND KALMUK. 217 



chiefly of Tarantchis living in villages of mud houses, 

 and resembling the Turkish races of Central Asia 

 rather than the Chinese. In other parts — in the 

 Tekkes valley, for instance, higher up the river — the 

 population is composed exclusively of nomads, Kirgiz 

 and Kalmuks, living in villages of felt tents. Both 

 peoples are of Mongol origin and both lead the life of 

 nomads, herding and pasturing their flocks ; but while 

 the Kalmuks have retained their connection with their 

 ancestors both in appearance and religion, the Kirgiz 

 have drifted apart, disdaining to wear a pig-tail, and 

 practising, in name at least, the precepts of the Koran. 

 I had occasion more than once to spend the night in 

 a Kirgiz or Kalmuk yurt, and found them exceedingly 

 comfortable. I remember one in particular, the property 

 of the headman of a Kirgiz village, which was an ex- 

 cellent abode. Thick felts were spread on the ground, 

 and warm carpets over these. On one side were couches 

 of rugs and cushions, boxes containing the family pos- 

 sessions, and the simple household utensils in daily use. 

 In the centre, on the ground, blazed a cheerful fire; 

 and opposite us, on the far side, huge hunks of horse- 

 flesh were hanging from the roof. My host possessed 

 large herds of horses, amounting to 4000, while his 

 father, who had died two years before, had at one time 

 been the owner of as many as 10,000. I doubt if the 

 remarks made by Stumm in description of the Kirgiz 

 whom he met farther west, that " meat is only eaten on 

 holidays and at banquets in the very severe cold of 

 winter, or on an extraordinary occasion, when perhaps 

 some old or maybe sick camel or horse is found in the 

 camp which is of no further service for transport pur- 

 poses," ^ would be applicable to the Kirgiz of Hi. One 

 of the favourite drinks of these nomads, not only here 



* Russia in Central Asia. Herr Stumm. 



