THE PEOPLE OF THE WILDERNESS 



542 



rendering unreal a 

 world of beauty and 

 of dread. 



THE MONGOL TENT IS 

 MADE OF FELT 



It is rare indeed that 

 at nightfall the wan- 

 derers will find an inn, 

 but the rule of the 

 plain is that any trav- 

 eler who demands 

 hospitality at a tent 

 must be lodged and 

 fed, except in the rare 

 cases where a tent is 

 under prohibition be- 

 cause of sickness and 

 it is therefore impos- 

 sible to allow strangers 

 to enter. 



The lodging is no- 

 where luxurious, 

 though the larger en- 

 campments — "ails," as 

 they are called — have 

 special guest tents with 

 wooden doorways. 



The average Mongol 

 yurt is of the simplest 

 construction (see illus- 

 tration, page 550). 

 Round a mud floor is 

 built a trellis-work of 

 laths about four feet 

 high, from which a 

 number of sticks radi- 

 ate to a point at the 

 top. These are cov- 

 ered with a single or 

 double layer of felt, 

 tied down firmly in 

 winter by leather 

 thongs, but raised in 

 summer to admit the breeze. 



The furnishing of the interior is 

 equally simple. In the center is an iron 

 fireplace, in which "argol" (dried cattle 

 dung), the only fuel to be procured, is 

 burned. The smoke finds its way through 

 a hole in the roof, so much of it at least 

 as does escape. Round the walls are a 

 few chests and presses of the rudest 

 Chinese manufacture and plain brass pots 

 from Peking. 



A few sheepskins and pieces of felt 



Photograph by Eugene Lee Stewart 



MONGOLIAN LAMAS CONDUCTING AN OUTDOOR RELTGTOUS 

 CEREMONY 



The obo, or shrine, is built up of stones, dirt, and tree branches 

 liberally punctuated with paper banners bearing prayers to the 

 spirits. The meat eaten during the feasts which accompany these 

 religious celebrations is blessed by the Lamas. The flesh which 

 cannot be eaten is placed on the obo to appease the appetites of 

 the spirits. 



represent bed, sofa, and chair. Some- 

 times the refinements of life are repre- 

 sented by a basket, a pan. or a broken 

 bowl in which half a dozen carefully- 

 tended heads of garlic are growing. 



THE GUEST SLEEPS BESIDE THE LAMBS AXD 

 CALVES 



If travelers are not proud and are will- 

 ing to lie down beside the lambs and 

 calves of the household, even the poorest 

 Mongol gives a cordial welcome and the 



