78 ACROSS MONGOLIAN PLAINS 



Siberian isteppes furnish an unpleasant temperature in 

 which to take a bath. 



The Mongol's food consists almost entirely of mutton, 

 cheese, and tea. Like all northern people, he needs an 

 abundance of fat, and sheep supply his wants. There is 

 always more or less grease distributed about his clothes 

 and person, and when Mongols are en masse the odor 

 of mutton and unwashed humanity is well-nigh over- 

 powering. 



I must admit that in morality the Mongol is but little 

 better off than in personal cleanliness. A man may have 

 only one lawful wife, but may keep as many concubines 

 as his means allow, all of whom live with the members 

 of the family in the single room of the yurt. Adultery 

 is openly practiced, apparently without prejudice to 

 either party, and polyandry is not unusual in the more 

 remote parts of the country. 



The Mongol is immoral rather than immoral. He 

 lives like an untaught child of nature and the sense 

 of modesty or decency, as we conceive it, does not enter 

 into his scheme of life. But the operation of natural 

 laws, which in the lower animals are successful in main- 

 taining the species, is fatally impaired by the loose fam- 

 ily relations which tend to spread disease. Unless 

 Lamaism is abolished I can see little hope for the re- 

 juvenation of the race. 



In writing of Urga's inhabitants and their way of 

 life I am neglecting the city itself. I have already told 

 of the great temple on the hill and its clustering lama 

 houses which overlook and dominate the river valley. 



