THE KIRGHIZ HORDES. 



87 



down pell-mell to sleep on mats or the naked earth. When morning 

 dawns, they resume their life-long march giving no thought to the 

 future, no dream to the past without object, hope, or purpose. 



The Steppes of the interior of Asia, from the Aral river to the 

 Ala-Tau mountains, are occupied by the great nation of the Kirghiz, 



NIGHT ENCAMPMENT OF GIPSIES IN THE STEPPE. 



who have, from time immemorial, been divided into the Great, 

 Middle, and Little Hordes. To the former belongs the territory north 

 of the Ala-Tau, with portions of China and Tartary. They are sub- 

 ject to the sovereigns of the countries in which they dwell. The 

 Middle Horde inhabits the district between the Ishim, Irtish, Lake 

 Balkhush, and Khokari. The Little (and far most numerous) Horde 



