Their dress is warm, and well suited for riding in the desert. Different
tribes have different dresses: this is the dress of the Kalmuck Tartar.
He wears a yellow cloth cap trimmed with black lamb-skin; wide trowsers,
a tight jacket, and over all a loose tunic, fastened round the waist. His
boots are red, with high heels. The women dress like the men; but they
let their hair grow in two long tresses, while the men shave part of
their heads, and keep only _one_ lock of hair hanging on their shoulders.

[Illustration: TARTAR TENTS.]

You see that the Tartars are much like the Chinese in their persons and
dress; but they are a much stronger, bolder people, and much more
ignorant. No wonder, therefore, that many years ago the Tartars got over
the Chinese wall, and took possession of the Chinese throne. You must not
forget that the Emperor of China is a Tartar.

GOVERNMENT.--To whom does Tartary belong? Has it a king of its own? No.
Once it had many kings, called khans; but now the khans have lost their
power, and are only _called_ khan to do them honor. Now Tartary belongs
to the great empires on each side of it,--Russia and China. Part of
Tartary is called Russian Tartary, and part--Chinese Tartary. There is
only a small part that is not conquered; and it is called Independent
Tartary.

There are many different tribes, and each tribe keeps to a certain part
of the land, and never ventures to wander beyond its own bounds.

RELIGION.--The religion is the same as that which is so common in
China,--the religion of Buddha; but in some parts of Tartary there is the
religion of Mahomet. It is sad to think that far more people in the world