SPORT AND SCIENCE ON THE 



began on July 26 and lasted three days. At 

 about ten o'clock in the morning we went to 

 one of the temples to watch the proceedings. 

 Since dawn great crowds of Chinese had streamed 

 past our tents towards the temples, while we 

 could see caravans of Mongols flocking in from 

 every direction. These now mingled in one great 

 concourse in and round the temple precincts. The 

 ^Mongols were dressed in flowing robes of brilliantly 

 coloured silks, especially the girls and young 

 women. These, resplendent in their beautiful 

 dresses, heavily decorated and braided with gold 

 and silver, moved about in little bevies, laughing, 

 chatting and exchanging greetings with their 

 friends and acquaintances. From their heads, 

 which were adorned with beautifully worked caps 

 and hats, hung the most gorgeous head-dresses 

 of delicate silver tracery, holding together great 

 strings of coral, turquoise and amber beads. 

 Sometimes they hid these glories under bright 

 scarlet, green or yellow kerchiefs, from which 

 their pretty, mischievous, smiling faces peeped 

 out, and if they did not cause an extra flutter in 

 the hearts of the young bucks standing round, it 

 says much for the stolidity of the Mongol. 



^^^len two parties met, an elaborate business 

 of exchanging snuff bottles by way of greeting 

 took place ; nor was the ceremony complete till 

 every member of one party had exchanged snuff 

 bottles with every member of the other. 



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