THE PEOPLE OF THE WILDERNESS 



541 



^%i 



Photograph by Eugene Lee Stewart 



MONGOLIANS BRINGING SIBERIAN SHEEP TO MARKET 



The ''shepherd's crook" is the familiar long pole with a noose at the end (see also illustra- 

 tions on pages 528 and 529). 



bowed legs. His length of arm and 

 breadth of chest show him to be a re- 

 doubtable opponent. The adversary is a 

 gigantic Lama belonging to the "tsang" 

 (community of the Living Buddha) of 

 the neighborhood. Three rounds consti- 

 tute the match, and according to the rules 

 neither wrestler may grip the other, but 

 each must try to throw his opponent by 

 laying hold of his, belt. 



The first bout is adjudged to the Lama 

 amid great enthusiasm ; the second goes 

 to the horseman, and the third, which the 

 crowd watches in a fever of excitement, 

 is also won by him after a hard struggle. 



Then the proud champion, much 

 cheered, rises to his full height, expands 

 his mighty chest, and approaches the en- 

 trance to the grand-stand tent in big 

 jumps, as etiquette requires. Here he 

 kneels before the Lama, who distributes 

 the prizes, and receives a reward — a roll 

 of silk, an embossed silver cup, a "Kha- 

 dak," or honorary scarf, or a few bricks 

 of tea, which he raises above his head in 

 token of thanks. After that he retires 



with more kangaroo leaps and another 

 pair of athletes appears. 



Apart from the amusements, there is 

 also much visiting done at these fairs, 

 which afford almost the only opportuni- 

 ties that neighbors, who live miles apart, 

 have of becoming acquainted with one 

 another. This applies especially to the 

 womenfolk, whose lives of household 

 drudgery are dull and lonely, while the 

 men are away on the steppes rounding up 

 the herds. 



COSTUMES OP MEN AND WOMEN ARE 

 MUCH ALIKE 



The festivals also afford them a cov- 

 eted opportunity to show off their finery. 

 The dress of both sexes is much alike, as 

 far as shape is concerned. The main 

 difference is that the men gird them- 

 selves with a belt, while the women allow 

 their long garments to hang loose from 

 shoulder to heel ; hence the common word 

 for woman in Mongol is "beltless." 



The outer robe of both sexes is a wide, 

 roomy coat, which reaches to the ground, 



