the tent is composed. The door, which is always a folding door,
is low and narrow. A beam crosses it at the bottom by way of threshold,
so that on entering you have at once to raise your feet and lower your
head. Besides the door there is another opening at the top of the tent
to let out the smoke. This opening can at any time be closed with a
piece of felt, fastened above it in the tent, which can be pulled over
it by means of a string, the end of which hangs by the door. The
interior is divided into two compartments; that on the left, as you
enter, is reserved for the men, and thither the visitors proceed. Any
man who should enter on the right side would be considered excessively
rude. The right compartment is occupied by the women, and there you
find the culinary utensils: large earthen vessels of glazed earth,
wherein to keep the store of water; trunks of trees, of different sizes,
hollowed into the shape of pails, and destined to contain the
preparations of milk, in the various forms which they make it undergo.
In the centre of the tent is a large trivet, planted in the earth, and
always ready to receive the large iron, bell-shaped cauldron that stands
by, ready for use."

And that is just what I found, but the tent covering was always of felt,
not linen, and there were often two tents, one for the men and one for
the women, instead of a tent with two divisions; and alas, more often
than not, the hollow tree trunk was replaced by Standard Oil tins. But
as the Mongol lived in Marco Polo's time, and Huc's, so he does still,
and so he will continue to live until Chinese colonization or Russian
rule forces him to give up his nomadic ways and settle down and
cultivate the soil.

Around the yurt gathered women and children, dogs and calves. They were
friendly, almost too much so, and the women interested me as much as I
did them. All alike were clad in long, shapeless woollen garments that
might have been any colour, so grimy were they, but the dirt and rags of
their dress only set off the more the splendour of their headgear; a
broad bandeau, elaborately fashioned of silver and set with bright
stones, turquoise, and coral, encircled the head, and from this hung
long chains and pendants falling to the shoulders. This is the woman's
dowry, with which she never parts, wearing it apparently day and night.
The women themselves, in spite of the dirt, were good-looking; fine
eyes, rather good though heavy features, a skin da