Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/128

 robbed them of every trace of prowess and bravery. The recent incursions of the Dungans into their territory proved how degenerate they had become. The very name of Hwei, Hwei, i.e. Mussulmans, created a panic and caused them to fly ignominiously without offering the least resistance to their foes. And yet every advantage was on their side; they were in their own country, and were of course well acquainted with the localities — a matter of some importance in warfare, particularly in an arid desert like the Gobi; they could always outnumber the Dungans, who were badly armed and undisciplined. But, despite all this, the latter ravaged Ordos and Ala-shan, captured Uliassutai and Kobdo, although defended by Chinese regulars, invaded the Khalka country several times, and would have taken Urga had it not been for the presence of some Russian soldiers.

We cannot deny that, besides cunning, dissimulation and deceit, — qualities especially prevalent among the natives of the border-land of China, — the Mongols exhibit great sagacity. Among those of pure blood immorality is chiefly confined to the lamas; the common people, or, as they are called, the Kara-Kung, i.e. black folk, when uncontaminated by Chinese or lama teaching, are kind and simple-minded. But even their sagacity is very one-sided. The intimate knowledge they have of their native plains excites one's admiration; they will extricate themselves from the most desperate situation, foretell rain, storms, and other atmospheric changes;