56 
A TWO MONTHS* TRIP INTO MONGOLIA. 
This tea I found was simply prepared by pouring boiling water on 
the leaves in the cup. As soon as the leaves sink from the surface of 
the liquid, it is no longer considered worth drinking and is removed. 
Colonel Hoong showed us his sword, revolvers and peacock's 
feather, and after having asked him to officiate as judge at our race 
meeting, we left. 
We had brought a few simple medicines with us, and usually received 
patients in the morning. Most of these were sufferers from ophthalmia, 
for which we prescribed boracic acid with so much success, that we 
became somewhat famous in the medical line and had some curious 
experiences. One old lady, whose sight was nearly gone from old age, 
sent round for “ the cure ! " A Mongol lama of about 50 years of 
age, on whose dried and wrinkled face not a hair was to be seen, 
gravely asked us for something to make his moustache grow ! A 
Chinese sergeant—a well set up man and a very civil sort of chap 
—came to us with a bullet in his body, received in an encounter with 
brigands a fortnight before. The Eontgen rays not being available, 
we prudently did nothing but cleanse the wounds with antiseptics. 
However, he could walk about all right and announced his intention 
of having his revenge as soon as possible. 
With our “ boy " and Mr. Yang as interpreters for the Chinese and 
Mongol tongues respectively, we visited the great Lamasery, containing 
2000 or 3000 Lamas. The Lamasery is a large group of buildings, in 
the centre of which stands the Mongol, equivalent to a church, where 
musical services, I believe, are held. There are also courtyards and 
cloisters in which one meets the old monks, as one might almost call 
them, in somewhat gay coloured clothing, but carrying similar strings 
of beads to those worn by European Catholics. 
Even secular Mongols have I seen muttering prayers with their 
fingers on their rosaries. Entering the outer wall by a gate and passing 
among many outer buildings, we were escorted by a lama into a room 
of moderate size at one end of which was a raised dais, while seats ran 
round the room on the other three sides. This appeared to be a council 
chamber and in the middle on a rough stove stood an enormous copper 
kettle. 
The No. 1 Lama was such a swell that he could not come and see 
us, but the second in command appeared in a few minutes and escorted 
us to the raised dais, he himself taking a lower place. Tea was pro¬ 
vided with little plates containing 15 or 20 kinds of sweet-meats, 
raisins, etc., as well as some very rich cream cheese. 
We were then obliged to drink three cups of “ koumiss," the vilest 
liquor I have ever tasted, but which the Mongols drink like milk. In 
spite of my wish not to cause offence, I had the greatest difficulty in 
controlling my features, but we were made to understand that it was 
customary to drink three cups. 
We had to speak through two interpreters, as the “boy" could not 
speak the Mongol tongue and Mr. Yang did not know a word of 
English. 
These Lamas seemed really homely, pleasant people; they declined 
