tensions to the refined politeness of the Chinese. Laying
aside, on the one hand, the frankness, the good-natured openness of the
Mongols of the North, they have borrowed from their neighbours somewhat
of their cunning and foppery.

Proceeding to the South-east, we encounter the Mongols of the Koukou-Noor
or Blue Lake (in Chinese, Tsing-Hai or Blue Sea). This country is far
from possessing the extent which is generally assigned to it in
geographical charts. The Mongols of the Koukou-Noor only dwell around
the lake, from which they derive their name; and, moreover, they are
mixed up to a great extent with Si-Fans, who cannot live secure in their
own country, because of the hordes of robbers that are constantly
ravaging it.

To the west of the Koukou-Noor is the river Tsaidam, on whose banks
encamp the numerous tribes, called Tsaidam-Mongols, who must not be
confounded with the Mongols of the Koukou-Noor. Farther still, in the
very heart of Thibet, we encounter other Mongol tribes. We shall say
nothing about them here, as we shall have occasion to speak of them in
the course of our narrative. We will revert, therefore, in some detail
to the Mongols of the Koukou-Noor and the Tsaidam.

The Torgot-Tartars, who formerly dwelt near Kara-Koroum, the capital of
the Mongols in the time of Tchinggiskhan, are now situated to the
north-west of Mongolia. In 1672, the whole tribe, having raised their
tents and assembled all their flocks, abandoned the district which had
served them as a resting-place, migrated to the western part of Asia, and
established themselves in the steppes between the Don and the Volga.

The Torgot princes recognised the sovereignty of the Muscovite emperors,
and declared themselves their vassals. But these wandering hordes,
passionately attached to the independence of their nomad life, could not
long accommodate themselves to the new masters they had selected. They
soon felt an aversion to the laws and regular institutions which were
becoming established in the Russian empire. In 1770, the Torgots again
made a general migration. Led by their chief, Aboucha, they suddenly
disappeared, passed the Russian frontiers, and halted on the banks of the
river Ili. This flight had been concerted with the government of Peking.
The Emperor of China, who had been informed beforehand of the period of
their departure, took them under his protection, and assigned to them
settlements on the banks of the Ili.