392 DZUNGARIA 



south side of the Ala-tau Range dwell a section of the 

 Charkhars, the story of whose introduction to this land 

 compares with the strange wanderings of the Torguts, 

 in that the migration of Charkhars was compulsory 

 and not voluntary. We, in these days of sedentary life, 

 narrow conventionalities, and, in most cases, carefully 

 delineated frontiers, can scarcely realize the magnitude 

 of those men-movements which took place in the old 

 days. In former times a conqueror thought nothing 

 of shifting a whole nation across a continent, or of colon- 

 izing the lands he had laid waste by importing bands of 

 captives. The world is now so cramped and crowded, 

 that carefully surveyed and jealously guarded frontiers 

 forbid such excursions as those made by the Torguts, the 

 Eleuths, and the Charkhars. A nation, or even a tribe, 

 would find considerable obstacles in its way if it started 

 to overrun Asia. 



The Charkhars were once a ruling tribe in Southern 

 Mongolia, outside the Great Wall. Owing, however, 

 to their formidable numbers and warlike nature, the 

 Chinese greatly feared them, and, when opportunity 

 occurred, they took the chance of breaking their power 

 and transporting them in bulk to the furthermost corner 

 of the Empire. The Borotala Valley was given them as 

 a reservation on which no other tribes might encroach, 

 and, if I mistake not, they are better off there than if 

 they had been left in Southern Mongolia, for those 

 " lands of high grass " have since been overrun by 

 Chinese colonists, to the detriment of the few nomads 

 who remained. 



The Charkhars abound in large encampments along 

 the banks of the Borotala, and even a few Chanto and 

 Chinese farmers have found a footing for themselves 



