Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/310

 Mongols, tending rather to degrade than to civilise them. Here we have another example of the degrading tendency of Chinese civilisation on the nomads. No more contemptible creature exists, in my opinion, on the face of this earth than a Mongol who has fallen under Chinese influence and has lost the fine qualities which distinguish his race, only adopting instead new, vicious habits most congenial to the idle side of the nomad character. This non-descript possesses neither the frankness of the Mongol nor the industry of the Chinese, although he sets himself above his former fellows.

The language of the Mongols of Ala-shan is in many respects different from that of the Khalkas, from which it is also distinguished by its softer accent and more rapid pronunciation.

The Mongols of Ala-shan are very poor. Their chief occupation is breeding camels, which are used to transport salt and different Chinese merchandise. Sheep, horses, and horned cattle are not numerous, owing to the absence of pasturage; goats are more abundant, and herds of yaks, belonging to the sovereign prince and his sons, graze in the mountains.

Ala-shan is divided into three banners, for administrative purposes; but the population is small. The inhabitants were still further reduced in numbers by the Dungans, who devastated Ala-shan simultaneously with Ordos. The town of