Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/317

 of his suite dare not hint at such a thing to their master, who keeps them under strict discipline. In consequence of the Dungan insurrection the Gigen organised a force of lamas 200 strong, armed with English smooth-bore guns sent from Peking, to beat off the marauders, who still make frequent raids into Ala-shan.

The youngest son of the prince of Ala-shan — Siya, bears some resemblance in character to the Gigen, and is a decidedly wild youth. He himself told us that he hated books and science, but liked war, sport, and riding horses. He is certainly an excellent rider; on the occasion of a foxhunt which the two brothers arranged for us he distanced all his companions in the chase.

The eldest son we only saw once, and therefore I have nothing to say about him. His intimate friends described this prince to be unlike his brothers in character, but rather reserved in manner and dignified, as a future ruler should be.

Besides these personages we must mention a lama named Baldin-Sordji, who is a confidential adviser of the prince and his sons. This very Sordji in early life ran away to Tibet, in the company of a caravan of pilgrims; after passing eight years at Lhassa he learned the Buddhist mysteries and returned to Ala-shan a lama. Cunning and sagacious by nature, Sordji soon gained the confidence of the Amban, and was promoted to a high office. By command of the prince, he travels every year to Peking to make different purchases; he has even