I 102 
THROUGH ASIA 
domestic shrine was set up immediately opposite the 
entrance to his roomy tent. It consisted of a number 
of boxes piled one on the top of the other, the whole 
surmounted by a flat piece of board, along which were 
ranged a number of dishes and cups containing water, 
flour, tsamba, and other offerings to the burkhan (holy 
image of Buddha). I also observed sacred scriptures, 
prayer- wheels, and burkhans from Lhasa and Tatsilumpo 
(Tashilunpo). Any person who stops to look at the latter 
must take his pipe out of his mouth, nor must he breathe 
upon them. When I inadvertently transgressed against 
this rule, the burkhan was purified by being held over a 
brazier, Into which fragrant spices were dropped. Nor 
are the holy images allowed to come in contact with the 
earth. 
In the middle of the tent was the fire, in a sort of iron 
basket {tolga), provided with three upright rods for holding 
the cooking-pot. The fuel with which the fire was fed 
consisted of the branches of tamarisks and the roots of 
other plants. At meal-time the dishes for the guests were 
placed before them on small stools. In brief, the Mongol 
tent was better furnished than the Kirghiz tent. They 
called It in their own tongue orgd ; it resembled even in 
detail the kara-tiy (black tent) of the Kirghiz. It is very 
remarkable that tents of this shape are in use throughout 
such an immense area of Central Asia, and amongst people 
of different races, between whom there exists no direct 
intercommunication. But the materials are such as those 
regions all produce in common ; and the shape is the most 
practical, and furnishes the largest amount of space. The 
chieftain’s tent was indicated by a spear stuck in the ground 
outside. Round about the encampment were numerous 
exceptionally fine tamarisks, more like trees than bushes. 
From them the Mongols obtained materials for the dishes, 
tubs, saddle-trees, tent -poles, and divers other articles 
which they made themselves. Other household utensils, 
together with flour and similar commodities, they obtained 
from Si-ning-fu. 
Our Mongol friends were thorough nomads. As soon 
