I am writing for information in regard to the tribes of Mongolia.

1. What is the Mongol word for "wolf"? For "tiger"? For "sword"?

2. Is the language used by the Mongols similar to that of the Tartars?

3. Do the Kirghiz inhabit Mongolia or Chinese Turkestan?

4. Are there any Baskir tribes in Chinese Turkestan, and are they allied to the Turkomans^[sic]?

5. Am I right in supposing that swords or simitars^[sic] still form an important part of a Mongol or Tartar warrior's armament?

6. Do the Mongol or Tartar tribes worship Erlik, Bon or Buddha? Or all three?

7. Is it still customary for the tribes to meet at some place an engage in wrestling, horse-racing and other contests?

8. Is polygamy practiced?

9. What are the different forms of punishment by law and tribal custom?

10. What are the powers of the khan of a tribe?

11. About what is the population of Mongolia?

Answer by Dr. Twomey:—I will try to answer some of your questions in this letter and write you again as soon as I can secure the information you desire.

1. Will report later.

2. No, Mongol and Tartar are separate languages. Furthermore there are several branches of Mongols and Tartars, and each branch has a different language. Among the Tartars there are the Manchu, Mongol, Chinese, Tibetan and Siberian Tartars. These tribes are mixtures of the old Tartar stock and the other tribes. In Siberia there are also the Buriats, who are of Tartar origin and who have their own language. All these tribes have many words in common and many words peculiar to themselves. The Mongols are now also mixed with other tribes, and while they adhere to many of their ancient customs their language is mixed with many words from the Chinese and other languages.

3. The Kirghiz tribes inhabit Sinkiang or Chinese Turkestan.

4. Will report later.

5. Yes. The Mongols and Tartars have adopted modern firearms whenever they can get them, but the sword is still an important part of their armament.

6. Have never heard of Erlik. Can you send more information? Several well-posted people whom I have asked have never heard of this term?

Bon is the name of the religion affected by the Tibetans before the advent of Buddhism. At present the Tartars and Mongols are adherents of Lamaism, a corrupt form of Buddhism.

Lamaism is under the control of the Dalai Lama at Lassa^[sic]. He is supposed to be the reincarnation of Buddha. Under him are three living Buddhas in Tibet. These men are reincarnations of some of the most famous Buddhist saints. At Urga in northern Mongolia is another living Buddha, known to the Mongols as the Bogda. He is the holy man of the Mongols and derives his authority direct from Lassa.

7. Yes. If you will write to the Pioneering Company, Kalgan, Mogolia, via Peking, they will send you a lot of information about this subject. They own a large ranch in Mongolia and every year entertain tourists with a fiesta of Mongol sports.

8. Yes, to a limited extent. As in most other countries where polygamy is practiced, it depends on the wealth of the men. Usually in Mongolia the officials are the only ones who can afford to possess more than one wife.

9. Fines, whipping, imprisonment and in aggravated cases imprisonment in a small box. This box is locked. It contains a small hole, through which the friends and relatives of the prisoner can feed him if they wish. The prisoner is left in his box until he dies of starvation if his friends do not feed him.

10. As in all pastoral countries, the chief has nominal power. He is usually head if a family or group of families, and much is settled by family conferences. Most of the temporal and spiritual authority in Mongolia is in the hands of the lamas.

11. Nobody knows. No census has ever been taken. The tribes are migratory, and no census can be taken. Some authorities say about five million; but your guess is as good as theirs.