Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 2 (1876).djvu/148

126 ease with which they plundered Ordos and Ala-shan in 1869, despite the presence of a force of 70,000 Chinese troops on the middle course of the Hoang-ho, is a convincing proof of the success which might have attended their arms in a serious struggle with China. The following year they sacked Uliassutai, and the year after that Kobdo, the chief places in Western Mongolia. Both these towns were garrisoned by Chinese soldiers, who hid themselves at the first appearance of the Dungans, without offering the slightest resistance.

We must not, however, draw conclusions from these facts favourable to the valour of the Mahommedans. They are in fact as arrant cowards as the Chinese, and only put on a bold demeanour when they are certain of encountering no resistance. All their plundering forays and skirmishes with the Chinese simply amounted to this; — one set of cowards tries to outwit another; as soon as either side has succeeded, Væ victis! woe to the fallen enemy. We were told by eyewitnesses that not satisfied with slaughtering the women, the Mahommedans threw hundreds of little children into deep wells, and then stood gloating over the agonies of their unfortunate victims. The Chinese retaliated in like manner. Whenever victory declared for either side it was