ould not agree on the point, for each had a different opinion. One
of them wanted to put him in a coffin, and bury him; the second proposed
to burn him; the third said it would be better to expose him on the top
of a mountain. In the end, they resolved to cut the body into three
pieces, to take each of them one piece, and then to separate. The eldest
had the head and arms for his share: he was the ancestor of the great
Chinese family; and this is why his descendants have become celebrated in
arts and industry, and remarkable for their intelligence, and for the
devices and stratagems they can invent. The youngest, who was the father
of the great Thibetian family, had the chest and stomach for his share,
and this is why the Thibetians are full of heart and courage, fearing not
to encounter death, and ever having among them indomitable tribes. The
middle son, from whom descend the Tartar peoples, received as his
inheritance the lower part of the body. You who have travelled much in
the deserts of the East, must know that the Mongols are simple and timid,
without head and without heart; their only merit consisting in keeping
themselves firm on their stirrups, and solid on their saddles. This is
how the Lamas explain the origin of the three great families that are
beneath heaven, and the difference of their character. This is why the
Tartars are good horsemen, the Thibetians good soldiers, and the Chinese
good traders." As a return to the old man for his interesting chronicle,
we related to him the history of the first man, Adam, of the Deluge, and
of Noah and his three children. He was at first extremely pleased to
find in our story also his three great families; but his surprise was
immense, when he heard us state that the Chinese, the Tartars, and the
Thibetians were all children of Shem, and that besides these, there were
innumerable nations who composed the two other families of Cham and
Japhet. He looked at us fixedly, his mouth half open, and his head, from
time to time, thrown up in amazement, as much as to say: I never thought
the world was so big.

The time had passed rapidly during this archaeological sitting; so, after
saluting the old man, we went to our camels, which we drove home to
Tchogortan, where, fastening them to a stake at the door of our
residence, we proceeded into our humble kitchen to prepare our evening
meal.

Culinarily speaking, we were far better off at Tchogortan than at
Kounboum.