SPORT AND SCIENCE ON THE 



in disorder, afterwards learning that some religious 

 function in connexion with the birth of a child 

 was in progress, and the ringing of the bells 

 within the confines of the farmstead would attract 

 evil spirits. 



At one place we were refused admission on the 

 ground that they were having a spring cleaning of 

 devils, and if we entered we would assuredly bring 

 some with us. Even at the place where we did 

 secure quarters our baggage was left outside 

 the enclosure long enough for the demons it 

 contained to escape. 



Our hostess on finding a snake inside the mud 

 wall very carefully carried it outside, and refused 

 to let us have it for a specimen, saying that it 

 would not do to offend the snake spirit. 



For the rest these people are Buddhists, one 

 or more of the sons in each family becoming lamas. 



In physique the Ordos Mongols are superior to 

 the Chinese. They are a tall well built race, ad- 

 mirably fitted to wrest a living from the cruel 

 desert in which they live. The women are good 

 looking, some even beautiful, while their lives 

 in the open give them a grace of carriage together 

 with a strength and freedom of movement never 

 seen inside the Wall. They can ride barebacked, 

 and with the ease and grace of a cowboy, the shaggy 

 and wicked little ponies that they rear upon the 

 surrounding grasslands. 



They wear a peculiar headdress of silver-mounted 



22 



