Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/159

one-tenth of that number would be available. The tsiang-tsiuns (generals) of the aimaks (districts) ought to inspect the forces and examine their arms, but it is usual for every koshung to avoid this by bribery. The indolent Mongol will rather pay his money than turn out for military service. The Chinese Government is in one sense content with this, because it proves that the ancient martial spirit of the nomads is year by year becoming extinct.

exceedingly bad, consisting of spears, swords, bows, and matchlock guns.