9. The present mode of treating the sick in Mongolia would seem much
the same. Abbé Huc thus describes what he himself witnessed:--"Medicine
is exclusively practised by the Lamas. When any one is ill the
friends run for a Lama, whose first proceeding is to run his fingers
over the pulse of both wrists simultaneously.... All illness is
owing to the visitation of a tchatgour or demon, but its expulsion
is a matter of medicine.... He next prescribes a specific ... the
medical assault being applied, the Lama next proceeds to spiritual
artillery. If the patient be poor the tchatgour visiting him can only
be an inferior spirit, to be dislodged by an interjectional exorcism
... and the patient may get better or die according to the decree of
Hormoustha.... But a devil who presumes to visit an eminent personage
must be a potent devil and cannot be expected to travel away like
a mere sprite; the family are accordingly directed to prepare for
him a handsome suit of clothes, a pair of rich boots, a fine horse,
sometimes also a number of attendants.... The aunt of Toukuna was
seized one evening with an intermittent fever.... The Lama pronounced
that a demon of considerable rank was present. Eight other Lamas were
called in, who set about the construction of a great puppet (baling)
which they entitled 'Demon of Intermittent Fevers,' and which they
placed erect by means of a stick in the patient's tent. The Lamas
then ranged themselves in a circle with cymbals, shells, bells,
tambourines, and other noisy instruments, the family squatting on
the ground opposite the puppet. The chief Lama had before him a large
copper basin, filled with millet and some more little puppets.... A
diabolical discordant concert then commenced, the chief Lama now and
then scattering grains of millet towards the four quarters of the
compass ... ultimately he rose and set the puppet on fire. As soon as
the flames rose he uttered a great cry, repeated with interest by the
rest, who then also rose, seized the burning figure, carried it away to
the plain, and consumed it.... The patient was then removed to another
tent.... The probability is that the Lamas having ascertained the time
at which the fever-fit would recur meet it by a counter excitement."
10. The respective occupations of men and women seem to remain at
the present pretty much the same in Mongolia as here introduced by
the tale-repeater. Abbé Huc writes: "Household and family cares rest
entirely upon the women; it is she who milks the cows and prepares
the butter, cheese, &c.; who goes no matter how far to draw water;
who collects the argols (dried dung for fuel), dries it and piles
it round the tent. The tanning skins, fulling cloth, making clothes,
all appertains to her.... Mongol women are perfect mistresses of the
needle; it is quite unintelligible how, with implements so rude, they
can manufacture articles so durable; they excel, too, in embroidery,
which for taste and variety of design and excellence of manipulation
excited our astonishment. The occupations of the men are of very
limited range; they consist wholly in conducting flocks and herds
to pasture. This to men accustomed from infancy to the saddle is a
mere amusement. The nearest approach to fatigue they ever incur is
in pursuing cattle which escape. They sometimes hunt; when they go
after roebucks, deer, or pheasants, as presents for their chiefs,
they take their bow and matchlock. Foxes they always course. They
squat all day in their tents, drinking tea and smoking. When the
fancy takes them they take down their whip, mount their horse, always
ready saddled at the door, and dash off across the broad plains, no
matter whither. When one sees another horseman he rides up to him;
when he sees a tent he puts up at it, the only object being to have
a gossip with a new person."