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96
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1887.
were, we are told, heard by the ruler, and the the stock of Chinghiz Khân. We may take it cart began to move again with a creak. All were therefore that the Khan-ula is the traditional delighted, and escorted it to the country of his place of sepulture of the great chief. Timokofski birth. The Mongols have a superstitious dread speaks of this mountain as remarkable since it of openly admiring any place they are pleased is the first one in Mongolia coming from the with, as they treat it as anomen that they will die south, and the last coming from the north, there, and we are accordingly told that Chinghiz which is covered with woods. He tells as it is Khân had once admired the district of Mona the highest peak of the Khingan range, adding Khân when he was traversing it, whence it was that the forests which cover it are held sacred the cart sank there up to the step. They now, 1 by the Mongols, and at the time of his arrival says the Altan Topchi, spread false rumours there some Khalkhas brought a number of good among the people that he was buried there, horses they intended offering to the tutelary whereas they only deposited his shirt, his genii inhabiting the summit of the mountain." tent, and leggings; while his corpse according A guard of Uriangkuts was appointed to look to some was buried in Burkhan Galdhun, while after the grave of Chinghiz Khân, and from others said it was at buried Yeke Utek, be- being thus connected with the royal ordus tween the shadow-side of the Altai Khân and received the name of Ordus, which a tribe of sunny side" of the Kentei Khân.
Mongols probably descended from them still Such is the story of Chinghiz Khan's bears. Like other tribes they migratod across burial as reported in the native Sagas. the desert on the weakening of the Ming dynasty,
Let us now notice very shortly the geography and are now found in the so-called Ordus of these notices. The Mona mountains were country, west of Kuku Khotan. probably the chain of mountains in the modern 1 A very curious fact must now be told. Père Ordus country north of the Yellow river, called David, who travelled in the Ordus country Mund-ula by Père David." Thence the cortège in 1866, tells us that the Mongols there still moved across the Mongolian desert, to the preserve most carefully the mortal remains of the mountain where the body was interred. Rashid famous Chinghiz Khân bogoto." They are enu'd-din says Chinghiz was buried in the closed in a large silver chest which they do not mountain Burkhan Galdun. He adds that readily show to strangers. The precious box is the place was also called Yeke Kuruk i.e. preserved not in a lamasery but in a private tent the great sacred place or great tabooed place, by one of the princes of the country. Pil. which probably answers to the Yeke Utek grimages are made to it, and Mongols go thither of Ssanang Setzen's notice above quoted. He to make their khoto or prostrations, such as also says he was buried at Budah Ondur they make before living emperors. This place near the Selinga. This name connotes is about 30 or 40 leagues south of Sarchi and the same thing as Burkhan Galdun. The is called Tia-y-sen. It is stated that this casket mountain, according to one of Ssanang Setzen's of massive 'silver, after having been carried notices was on the sunny side of the Kentei | about in various parts of Mongolia, for fear it range. This points to the famous mountain of might be plundered, has been for a long time Khan-ula where Urga is situated. Now it is definitely housed in the country of the Ordus, curious that Ganbil says several Mongol princes which is safe from hostile invasious on account of the family of Chinghiz Khân reported that he of its poverty. The box is always folded in was buried in the mountain Han." In some MSS. precious stuffs, which are kissed respectfully by notes quoted by Quatremère, a very considerable the devotees. What this box contains it would Mongol Mandarin assured Father Parennin that be interesting to know more definitely. It is, Chinghiz was buried on the mountain Han, near at all events, remarkable that the Ordus still the sources of the Onon, Tala and Kerulon, and claim to have the sacred remains of the old the same fact was confirmed to the same Father Mongol Chief among them. - in the presence of Gaubil by a Mongol prince of Chinghiz Khân, according to Juveni, had about * i.e. the north.
.e. the south..
» Op. cit. Vol. II. pp. 495-6. # See Nouv. Ann. etc. New Series, IV. Bulletin, 6.
33 4.. the sainted. . i. e. The south.
Gaubil, p. 54 noto. ** Nowv. Ann. du Mus. New Series, Vol. 4 Bulletin u Quatrendre, p. 119 note.
78-74.
