Through Unknown Tibet

by M. S. Wellby

With the help of a bright moon, we found them before daybreak loading up the ponies again, and as we continued our journey through the bush and grass country we saw several hares, pheasants, and goa. After a couple of miles we saw Mongol tents for the first time. These tents, which were made of sticks and thick felt, were of circular shape, with conical top, and had a small opening for a door. Scattered around them were numbers of sheep, goats, cows, ponies, and big black long-haired dogs, whose bark and attitude, apparently dangerous, were in reality harmless, for they were generally put to rout by the little terrier Ruby.

After a five hours' ride we halted to graze the ponies on the banks of a stream called Shishi, which flowed in a southerly direction and at this time of the year was easily fordable. We were soon on the move again, for the Mongols were anxious to reach their tents before nightfall. As we wended our way through the hermok bushes, Malcolm and I loitered behind to devour some of their berries. So busily engaged were we that we forgot how far behind we were, and on resuming our ride found we had wandered off the track, and could see no signs of our little party.

Separating, and keeping one another in view, we rode on in what we considered would be the proper direction, riding up every piece of high ground we came to for a better view. From one of these eminences Malcolm saw some ponies grazing in the distance. On our reaching them, they proved to be ponies belonging to some Mongols living on the banks of a river. We found there many groups of tents, from whose owners we learnt that Lobsan lived further up the river, so knew we had reached the banks of the Bayan Gol. After passing several other tents with the usual amount of cattle, we discovered just after sunset that Lobsan's tents were situated on the opposite bank. We found the river some three feet deep and twenty yards across, and though the water was fairly clear, and flowing fast, it was safer to cross the river as rapidly as possible, for otherwise one was liable to sink into the soft mud that lines the bottom in these parts.

Our little camp was already pitched a couple of hundred yards from Lobsan's tent, and he, good-hearted fellow, was soon by our side with a supply of good tea and milk, of which attention and refreshment we showed our approval by holding up our thumbs and repeating the word "Hoch! Hoch!"

We broke the Sabbath by buying more tsampa and mar. It was curious to see these people examining each rupee, those with a crown on the Queen's head being separated from those without one, the crownless ones being far more appreciated, for some reason or other we could not discover.

We spent three days by Lobsan's tents, and the better we became acquainted with these people the more we were able to testify to their kindly dispositions. Throughout the stay our camp formed a general place of gathering from morn till eve, all coming to sight-see, barter, and gossip, so that we were seldom left to ourselves. Their talk was principally about "gourmo," which means rupees. They formed picturesque groups with their beaming faces. All the men wore black knee-boots, and thick sheepskin cloaks tucked in at the waist to adjust them to a convenient length, so as to hang over their breeches of the same material. These cloaks are generally slipped half off on a warm day, leaving one arm and part of their body bare. A leather hat with a white fur rim, and a red or blue top with a red tassel, was kept in its place by means of a chin-strap. There were other hats of nondescript shape. Many of them smoked the long and small-bowled pipe.

Sometimes they would bring us some fresh article to buy, notably vermicelli or kua mien from China, and millet, called "turma" by Mongols and "churma" by Tibetans. They doubtless led a very happy life, and had but little to think about. Their wants, in the shape of mutton, milk, grain, and fruit, were provided with very little labour. Their ponies, camels, and fat-tailed sheep, both black, white, and brown, required but little looking after in this peaceful district. In accordance with the seasons, they move off with their flocks to the place where we first saw them, or to the good grazing on the banks of the Namoran Gol. Another home with stone walls is ready for them a few miles away, in the village of Kyrma.

One afternoon we accepted an invitation from Lobsan to tea in his family tent. We had to stoop to enter by the door, which was only four feet high, and made by inserting two stout beams in the ground, which supported a third one. The door was closed by letting down a thick piece of felt.

In the middle of the tent we found a large shallow saucepan, which was held up about a foot from the ground by three iron legs, underneath which was the fire to warm the tea, and directly above this was a hole in the conical top of the tent, to let out the smoke. The tent was about twelve feet in diameter, and the custom is to sit round the tea, which is brewed for the whole circle. We were soon seated with the rest of the family, and one old lady, as mistress of the ceremony, stirred up the boiling tea, and ladled it out into small bowls for each of us in turn. Together with our tea was also served a quantity of tsampa and ground cheese. During this sociable meal others came in to participate in it, or perhaps more probably to have a closer inspection of ourselves, while others left to make room. We, too, were equally interested in scrutinizing the old and young of both sexes in their own home.

After we had drunk as much tea as we could, and more than was good for us, the old lady produced a large vessel of curds, a special luxury in honour of ourselves, and I regret to say that we could not do the justice to it that was expected from us. After this we were glad to get outside into the fresh air, for the tent had become very stuffy, and we both remarked how impossible it would be for the coldest blast to penetrate so snug a home.