A MONGOL HOMESTEAD, 'A description of one of these Mongol farms or homesteads might be of interest. To begin with " large piece of ground, about two hundred yards long, and hundred yards wide is enclosed by alow mud wall, about two feot in height. Outside this is a ditch of corresponding depth. Within this enclosure the huts are built, and the ground is cultivated. There are generally sheds for the cattle and pigs. The but is usually surrounded by an eight or ten foot fence made out of willow stems. In front of the entrance stands an upright pole stack into heap of sand which is held in place by " wicker work fence. The! pole has " cross bar near the top which is adorned with bits of coloured calico. know which direction to take. The utter barrenness and dreariness of the sand dunes was heartbreaking.
Two days' journey from Yulinfu we put up at " village named where I saw a boy with a which I bought from him for twenty cash. This find heartened 8 considerably, and we offered " good price for any more jerboas that the natives could catch.
Two more were brought in. We remained one day at this village. Daring the day a bad sandstorm came on, and next morning when started out we found that the trail had been completely obliterated. The villagers would not com with os to show the road, so we were obliged to set out without a guide. We soon got lost and for two or more bourg wende ed about amonget the sand hills, wh to add to our distress another sandstorm began to come on.
At last we saw some buts to oar left. We made for these and reaching them secured the services of ao old man to guide us to the next village. This he did, putting us on the right track, which we could now follow, owing to some travellers baring just come along it, leaving their tracks. tle animals live amongst the sandlls. They burrow into the sand, which covers the mouth of the hole they make.
The sand hamster somewhat resembles its cousin the small grey hamster. It is much smaller, however, and has a very short tail, It of " pinky fawn colour above and white beneath, with a white with thick soft far which enables the little creature to run across the loose sand with ease.
We kept live specimens of both jerboas and sand hatosters, and were very much interested in watching their habits.
On the first day of our stay in Yuliofa Mr. Anderson discovered a stream that had been dammed up, so that that there was " large area of deep clear water, where we bathed whenever the weather was favourable.
We were rather troubled by the people of the city, who insisted on crowding round the doors of the inn. The head of the police sent several of his men along to keep the people from molesting us, but as is generally the case they were quite usel Yoliofu is " busy town situated at an altitude of four thousand feet upon the eastern bank of the Y' 10. Three miles to the north of the city lie the remains of the Great Wall.
On the eastern side of the city sand from the desert has banked up, in many places almost to the top of the making it possible for belated ievallore Sormstee the city by climbing the wall. The western wall rans along the valley of the Yalinho, There sre numerous temples within the city. From one of these situated on the high ground inside the eastern wall At the very top is fastened a taft of grass. This contrivance hae some sacred significance, and I received a severe reprimand from Mongol lady when T tried to tie my pony to one of theee poles.
Fortunately the sandstorm abated, though " wind still blew, that made it difficalt to follow the trail; for the tracks left by the travellers we had just passed were fast being filled up and smoothed. over by the sand. out of the city through a water
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.