ion. He was accompanied by a young Lama, and by a little boy
who held his hand. "Sirs Lamas," said the old man, "all men are
brothers; but they who dwell in tents are united one with another as
flesh with bone. Sirs Lamas, will you come and seat yourselves, for a
while, in my poor abode? The fifteenth of this moon is a solemn epoch;
you are strangers and travellers, and therefore cannot this evening
occupy your places at the hearth of your own noble family. Come and
repose for a few days with us; your presence will bring us peace and
happiness." We told the good old man that we could not wholly accept his
offer, but that, in the evening, after prayers, we would come and take
tea with him, and converse for a while about the Mongol nation. The
venerable Tartar hereupon took his leave; but he had not been gone long,
before the young Lama who had accompanied him returned, and told us that
his people were awaiting our presence. We felt that we could not refuse
at once to comply with an invitation so full of frank cordiality, and
accordingly, having directed our Dchiahour to take good care of the tent,
we followed the young Lama who had come in quest of us.

Upon entering the Mongol tent, we were struck and astonished at finding a
cleanliness one is little accustomed to see in Tartary. There was not
the ordinary coarse fire-place in the centre, and the eye was not
offended with the rude dirty kitchen utensils which generally encumber
Tartar habitations. It was obvious, besides, that every thing had been
prepared for a festival. We seated ourselves upon a large red carpet;
and there was almost immediately brought to us, from the adjacent tent,
which served as a kitchen, some tea with milk, some small loaves fried in
butter; cheese, raisins, and jujubs.

After having been introduced to the numerous Mongols by whom we found
ourselves surrounded, the conversation insensibly turned upon the
festival of the Loaves of the Moon. "In our Western Land," said we,
"this festival is unknown; men there adore only Jehovah, the Creator of
the heavens, and of the earth, of the sun, of the moon, and of all that
exists."--"Oh, what a holy doctrine!" exclaimed the old man, raising his
clasped hands to his forehead; "the Tartars themselves, for that matter,
do not worship the moon; but seeing that the Chinese celebrate this
festival, they follow the custom without very well knowing why."--"You
say truly; you do not, indeed, know why y