FROM PEKIN TO SIKKIM
THE BRITISH CEMETERY AT GYANTSE,
FROM
TO
THROUGH THE ORDOS 3 THE
DESERT, AND TIBET
BY COUNT DE LESDAIH
WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W.
1908
TO
J. CLAUDE WHITE, ESQ., C.I.B.,
MTICAL AGENT IN SIKKIM, BHUTAN^ AND TIBET
EN SOUVENIR D'AMITEfi
PREFACE
As the sheets of this book are finally passing
through the press the author has been unex-
pectedly called away to South America, and has
asked me to write a preface for It,
The journey performed by the Comte and
Comtesse de Lesdain was a remarkable one, all
the more so from its having been their wedding
tour. That a lady of nineteen should have faced
and sustained the hardships of travel in a wild
and unknown region described in these pages, can
hardly fail to arouse a feeling of admiration and
surprise in the mind of the reader.
The journey took place in 1904-1905, and
lasted seventeen months, It "was undertaken
to gratify our wish to cross country hitherto
unknown, and if possible to Increase the geo-
graphical knowledge of our day."
Starting from Pekin, Count de Lesdain struck
west to the Hoang-Ho, in order to explore the
little known region of the Ordos Desert, which
lies in the almost rectangular bend of that mighty
viii PREFACE
river. The region is governed by a number 5f
kinglets, forming the Confederation of the Ordos,
Amongst other spots visited in this gart of
the journey was Edchen Koro, which contains
the tomb of Jenghis Khan, so jealously guarded
by its custodians that no European has hitherto
been able to discover its actual site, much less
to see it.
After traversing the districts of Shansi and
Kansu and the Alashan Mountains, the party
skirted the Gobi Desert and the Zaidam district,
crossing a part of the Kuen-lun range into Tibet,
and then travelled over the Dangla (where they
encamped at a height of 19,800 feet), past the
Tengri-nor Lake, to the Lhasa high road.
It will be seen that the route taken, gener-
ally, lies parallel to that traversed by Captain
Younghusband on the North, and that taken by
Mr E. F. Johnston on the South, and that it
touches on many regions which are unknown or
scarcely known to Europeans.
JOHN MURRAY.
January, 1908.
CONTENTS
CHAP. PAGE
I. FROM PEKIN TO KWEI-H0A-CHENG .... 1
II, THE OBDOS ....... 23
III. BUBIEI) CITIES OP AI/ASHAN ..... 52
IV. FU-MA-FU ...'... 97
V. THBOUGH KANSU ...... 133
VI. TOWABDS BEPALABAITSE ..... 159
VII. FBOM MANG-CHOU TO AN-SI-OHOU, PBBPARATION FOB TIBET 179
VIII. THE ZAIDAM MONGOM ..... 207
IX. IN OBNTRAI* TIBET ...... 231
X. AlONGt THE YANG-TSE-KIANG ..... 257
XI. THE BOAD TO INDIA ...... 277
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
THE BRITISH CEMETERY AT GYANTSE . . .
THE GREAT WALL OP CHINA, NEAR PEK1N , . To fttCB pttgv I
A CHINESE GIANT . . . . . 4
THE TEMPLE OF YUNG-YANG-M1A0 . . . ,,12
THE CARAVAN CROSSING THE ULAN-MUREN DESERT OP
OBDOS ...... ,,24
A WELL INT THE ALASHAN DESERT ... ,,28
THE PALACE OP THE PRINCE OP TCHONGAR . . 32
THE GREAT WALL. AT A POINT 2,000 MILES PROM PKKIN ; , ,52
CAMP IN THE DESERT ..... G4
GRAVES DISCOVERED NEAR POU-HOTO ... 74
THE RUINS OP THE TOWN OF POU-HOTO, ALASHAN . }} 76
THE TEMPLE OP AQUE-MIAO .... ,,80
A CAMP IN THE ALASHAW DESERT ... ,,90
THE TOWN OF FU-MA-FU .... ,,96
PUTTING UP THE TENT PRESENTED BY THE PRINCE OP
FU-MA-FU ...... ,,98
THE CENTRAL PAVILION OF THE TEMPLE OP FU-MA-FU 100
THE TEMPLE OP FU-MA-FU .... 104
THE CARAVAN ON THE MARCH IN THE DESERT OP ALASHAN 108
A ROAD IN KANSU ..... ,,128
FIRST SNOWS, NEAR TJANG-TCHOU-FU ... 140
THE CARAVAN IN THE SANDS NEAR TCHING-TROU-ROU . 166
IN THE GOBI DESERT, NEAR REPALARAITSE . , )} 174
NOMADS OF TIBET AND THE TENT MADE OF THE HAIR
OF THE YAK ..... ,,246
xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
THE SOURCE OP THE YANG-TSE-KIANG . . . To face paffli 25
THE DANGLA RANGE ..... 2C
OUR MEN, AFTER THE DEATH OP LAO CHANG . }} 27
THE YANG-TSE-KIANG IN TIBET. . . }) 27'
THE liAKE OF TO-KO-TSO .... }} 28
TIBETAN PEOPLE, NEAR NAMLING ... 29
CROSSING THE BRAHMAPUTRA . . . . )} 29
THE PORT AND THE BRIDGE OF NAMLING DJONG AT
THE WEST OP LHASA . . 29
THE TEMPLE AND PORT OF GYANTSE . . . 29
THE GREAT Wtt OF dim. NEAR PEKIX
TO
THROUGH GOBI AND
CHAPTER I
FROM PEKIN TO KWEI-HUA-CHENG
ALL departures from Pekin are alike. I had left
the capital of the Celestial Empire two years
before to make a journey of exploration for some
months across the north of Shansi and Central
Mongolia. There was then the same scene of
animation and bustle in the streets and at the main
gates, with a touch of colour here and there to
relieve the eyes. Pekin, one of the dirtiest towns
on earth, is usually only worth seeing just after
dawn, when the rising sun imparts a look of fresh-
ness to all things, or in the evening, when on the
occasion of some feast thousands of paper lanterns
are lighted on all sides.
On the morning of 20th June 1904 the heat
was overpowering. Not a breath of wind stirred
the still and heavy air. The road, well known
to tourists, which runs to the Tombs of the
Mings and the Great Wall, and which also leads
to Kalgan, was, at eight o'clock in the morning,
already hidden under a dense cloud of dust.
1 A
2 TEMPLE OF HANG-LING-TSE [CH.I.
We took with us only three Chinese sprirjgless
carts at the beginning of this expedition, which
were amply sufficient for our baggage. As a long
journey lay before us we had had to give up the
comforts which can be taken in an expedition
lasting for a few weeks, or only two or three
months. We had decided to live on the resources
of the countries through which we proposed to
pass, and a few bottles of champagne, for the due
celebration of supreme events, were almost the
whole stock of our provisions. In Chinese travel,
moreover, one can always obtain beef, mutton,
chickens, an occasional duck, eggs, flour, and a
sufficient supply of vegetables. The explorer is
consequently not to be pitied overmuch. The
main point is to have with one a good cook. The
cook, whom we had with much difficulty recruited
in Pekin, was an Annamite. Very clever at his
own business, he proved eventually to be a hope-
less drunkard. The other servants were a mafou,
to look after the horses, and some coolies.
I shall not weary the reader with a detailed
account of the five days' journey between Pekin
and Suen-hua-fu. Many authors have described
it. For years diplomatists and tea merchants
travelling from Europe to Pekin have gone by
Urga, Kalgan, and Stien-hua-fu. However, I
should advise those who use this road hereafter to
stop at the little town of Hang-ling-tse. A temple
on the top of a comparatively high mountain com-
mands the whole vast plain, and from Its stony
A CHINESE GIANT 3
platform one enjoys a magnificent view. In spite
of our long day's march we resolved to climb up
to it- and with this object sent our men to com-
mandeer donkeys. The temple itself is extremely
small, and contains only unimportant statues, but
to reach it a wonderful little stony bridge has to be
crossed, ornamented with inscriptions and spanning
a cleft in the rock. The custodian offered us tea,
and refused the small tip which I proffered for his
kindness, an experience new to me after Pekin.
On our way down we stopped for a few minutes
at another temple, larger and newer, where forty
lamas at prayer made a great noise in the dim-
ness of the chill and lofty hall of worship.
I must not omit to record that the evening
before we chanced upon an exhibition worthy of
Bamum's circus. In broad noonday our carters,
overcome by the heat, had begged for a short rest,
and while they lay stretched under the shade of
a tree I had made my way towards a group of
Chinese peasants at no great distance off. As I
approached I saw one of the tallest men con-
ceivable. He was then seated surrounded by a
group of laughing and jesting children, but when
he saw me he rose, and I could see that he out-
topped all present by some two feet in height. I
went and fetched my bag of anthropological
instruments, and when I returned began to take
the measurements of this colossus. But his
mother, a wrinkled old lady, intervened. She
said she feared that I should cast an evil spell over
4 AT SUEN-HTJA-FU [OH,*.
her son. The sight of a small ingot of silver,
however, successfully calmed her and banished her
fears, and I was allowed to proceed with my m^asure-
ment of her son. His height was fully 8 feet, and
a hump detracted from his full measurement in this
direction. The circumference of his chest, includ-
ing the hump, was 58 inches, and the length of his
foot 15 inches. Although only twenty-eight years
old he had thick white hair, and his whole outward
appearance was that of a being whose muscular
force and bodily weight were not in proportion.
We reached Siien-hua-fu on the 26th June, and
did not stay there long. The town itself has no
objects of interest, and the heat had developed in
it smells worse than those of Pekin itself, and this
fact alone was reason enough to hurry on. We
had been well received at the Kon-kuan, or
yamen, reserved for Mandarins on tour, but as
our arrival was wholly unexpected, we had the
pleasure of finding in each of our sleeping rooms
beggars, wrapped in noisome rags, who were
smoking opium, with the tacit approval of the
keepers of the house.
On leaving this prefectoral city, instead of
making for Kalgan, we branched off slightly to the
left and crossed the river Yung-ting-ho or (Hun-ho),
nearly dry at this season, with a bed of enormous
extent, and made of fine sand yielding here and
there beneath our tread. The country that we now
reached, west of the river, has the desolate appear-
ance of a bare plain, in which, however, thanks to
A CH1MSB GIAVT,
CULTURE OF OPIUM 5
a constant struggle against bad soil, small villages
have struck root and relieve the monotony of the
district. Moreover, this wretched appearance does
not extend far, and after recrossing the river and
reaching Chai-ku-pu one is struck with wonder at
the magnificent cultivation which meets the eye.
An island in the centre of the river is specially
fertile. On all sides there are to be seen fields of
poppies of varied colour, richly tinted,, pure mauve
and deep red, white and cream-coloured. The
island looks like fairyland. The irrigation of
these fields circled by trees has been devised with
much practical skill, and I greatly admire its
results. These unlearned Chinese cultivators have
taken advantage of almost imperceptible differences
of level to flood their fields with a productive
supply of water. Opium costs money, and the
town of Chai-ku-pu prospers accordingly. The
population, perfectly orderly, consists of about
five thousand souls.
Our object being to reach Mongolia at Or-tan-
ho by the shortest road, I ordered the caravan
to leave the beaten track, and to enter upon a
mountainous district bounded on the north-east
by the Yung-yang-ho. To do this we crossed the
Great Wall, not that in the neighbourhood of
Pekin, always visited by tourists, but that which
is almost endless in extent, since it is met with in
Manchuria and on the border of Kansu, and which
traces the limits of the northern frontier of the
great empire. This is now hardly a causeway.
6 DISAPPEARED OLD CITIES [OH.I.
It has lost all its splendour and importance. It
now retains only the value of a relic of history,
but it served through centuries as a sturdy defence.
At every pass through which a Mongol invasion
might break a way for itself the Great Wall rein-
forced by a fort stood against the invaders. Thus
at the issue of the river Yung-yang on Chinese
territory rose five or six hundred years ago the
fortified city of Shin-ping-fu, of which we could
only recognise the lamentable ruins. Opposite this
city the old maps mark a fortress with the name
of Ping-yuen-fu. This has entirely disappeared.
We could hardly identify the remains of its walls.
The general appearance of the country, after
leaving the fertile valley of the Yung-yang, is
again gloomy and poverty-stricken, and the caravan
climbed the mountainous district referred to above,
over ground made up of loose stones and dried
clay. Through low hills crowned by little deserted
temples we reached the top of the funnel facing
north-east, at the bottom of which lies Or-tan-ho,
reached by a gentle slope. The road has no point
worth mentioning, but cultivation prospers again,
and is able to support an adequate population.
We reached Or-tan-ho about midday, in great
heat, and much to our surprise, in spite of its
Mongol name, no single Mongol could be found
in the whole of the little town. On the other
hand, I observed a large number of persons,
more or less in rags, bearing on their back or
chest the distinctive insignia of the Boxers. This
TROUBLES WITH THE BOXERS 7
little centre was, four or five years before, a retreat
for brigands during the troubles, and a nursery of
the insurrection. From here started the bands
which attacked Shi - ying - tse, Or - shi - san - ho,
Tai-hai, and several other mission centres. How-
ever, thanks to the bravery of certain missionaries
possessed of common sense, the brigands were
driven back with loss. They had certainly heard
of the approaching arrival of our little caravan,
and the Boxers of the town had consequently
arranged for us a somewhat discouraging reception.
In the narrow road which led to the river curses
were showered upon us from, both sides, the
most common being Yang-qui-tye, which means
"foreign devils." This is not specially emphatic
when standing alone, but the victims of it find
this compliment, when too often repeated, very
trying to the nerves. We hoped to find peace
by closing our doors at the inn, and we were in
fact undisturbed at our meal. But as soon as
we proceeded to pay our bill a discussion arose,
for our host did not hesitate to ask an exorbitant
price for the use of his inn and kitchen. I
naturally declined to pay anything out of the
common, and, perceiving that he could not attain
his end unaided, the man threw open the door
and showed us, with a view to intimidation, that
the courtyard was full of Boxers, whose attitude
was unquestionably hostile. Realising the need
of haste, I wanted to break a way through the
crowd and get our caravan away from the inn,
8 OR-SHI-SAN-HO [OH.I.
Unluckily the great gate had been seeujely
closed and we were immediately surrounded by
all the people present, who, with the Chinapian's
customary treachery, began to press us against a
wall till we could no longer stir in any direction.
As the situation was becoming serious I drew
my revolver and threatened to fire upon the men
nearest to me. This produced an absurd com-
motion and a rapid flight of the whole company.
Some, since the exit was closed, climbed over
the walls, others took refuge in the rooms. My
men opened the gates, and the carts crossed the
stone threshold. The incident had ended happily.
I must say that this was the only occasion on
which we met with definite hostility from the
inhabitants of a Chinese town.
From Or-tan-ho we made for Or-shi-san-ho,
a prosperous mission station in an oasis of verdure
surrounded with skilfully cultivated fields and
growing woods, a large portion of which have
been planted by the missionaries. All this district,
like Or-tan-ho and like Shi-ying-tse, has been won
by the toiling Chinaman from the indolent Mongol.
It is partly the triumph of progress over savagery,
and if the Chinaman, rich and poor, were not in
the thrall of many vices, and specially of opium,
there would be no limit to his activity which
would extend the success that a frugal and
patient people can always command.
Leaving Or-shi-san-ho on 1st July, we made
our way southwards to Ta-tung-fu, one of the
ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS 9
largest towns of Shansi. None of the Interven-
ing country had yet been visited by a European
explorer, but, thanks to the old maps of the
Jesuits, a German publisher had been able to
publish a practically accurate sketch of it. From
the beginning of the day the road ran through
mountains and valleys, across low hills and shallow
declivities ; very numerous but nearly dried up
streams all ran towards the Yung-yang-ho. The
people seemed poor, and the land very barren,
Towards evening we rose about 2,000 feet, and
in a narrow little valley discovered the insignifi-
cant temple of Lan-ye-miao. As it offered no
accommodation for the night we decided to pitch
our tent near a group of cottages on the right,
a little below the temple.
The road continuing southwards next day
merged in the bed of the river Yutto, which is
a tributary of the Sang-kan-ho, itself a tributary
of the Yung-ting-ho. The volume of the Yutto
is considerable, and must, in the rainy season,
reach a high level, judging from the marks it
leaves on the rocks, between which it forces its
way. Early on the 3rd July we reached some
very interesting ruins of the Great Wall. Clearly,
the Chinese strategists apprehended here more
than elsewhere an invasion from the Yutto Valley,
for they multiplied defences at this point. Over
a stretch of 4 miles I counted the remains of
eighty bastions, some built up against the wall,
while others stood out in front like pickets,
10 THE TOWN OF TA-TUNG-FU [OH.I.
and could take the enemy In the rear, if, after
passing the first line of defence, they should reach
the wall. The wall itself must have readied a
great height, and, as I noticed here alone, it is
perpendicular on the Mongol side, and gently
sloping on the Chinese. By the irony of fate
the inhabitants of the district have dug out of
the mounds of earth that form the slope stables
for their cattle. Three miles away from the wall
rise the ruins of an old fortified city, which are
remarkable only for an ancient triumphal arch,
and a gate in the ramparts, made of hewn stone,
and strikingly well built. Still following the bed
of the same river we reached Ta-tung-fu on the
following day. This important place deserves
special mention.
Ta-tung-fu was very strongly fortified, and its
defences are still imposing. Its shape is rect-
angular, and it has four gates strengthened by
double walls. The northern gate, in old days
the point of danger, does not communicate directly
with the plain, but opens into a strong citadel,
a miniature copy of the city itself. In this are
the parade ground and the barracks of the troops,
recognisable from the number of small flags that
surmount them. I think I may assert that the
Chinese forces retain ancient forms not yet
Westernised ; for example, there is one flag to
every ten men.
The interior of the city contains some triumphal
arches, in the purest Chinese style, and great main
GROTTOES AT YUNG-YANG-MIAO ,; II
streets comprising shops well furnished for the
interior of a Chinese province. Particularly well
preserved also is a great wall covered with
coloured tiles representing a dragon. The tint
of these tiles is very fine, and no European
factory can produce richer work.
We did not stay long at Ta-tung-fu, for we
wished to reach the desert of the Ordos as soon
as possible, and purely Chinese towns did not
interest us overmuch. If it is true to assert that
all the cities of the Celestial Empire are alike,
it is a different story with the temples, for we
visited on the day after our departure from
Ta-tung-fu the most interesting and curious
temples that we ever had the fortune to see I
mean the grottoes of Yung-yang-miao.
To reach them one must travel along the
picturesque valley of the Shi-li-ho for some dozen
miles, and pass before a small but very striking
temple whose entrance gate is guarded from the
wrong-doing of the ill-affected by a wall covered
with tiles in a style similar to those I described at
Ta-tung-fu. Its roof is also coated with coloured
tiles. Soon after, the village of Che-kon-han-chu
is reached, where two chapels, which call for notice,
are cut out of the rock. They consist of two
square chambers, the vault above being supported
by a central rectangular pillar. I concluded that
they existed first as natural grottoes caused by
the passage of water, and that the Chinese had
only enlarged them and shaped them as they
12 BUDDHAS IN THE ROCK [CH.I,
are to-day. In one of them a spring which Arises
with a weak flow supports this theory. They
show otherwise clear traces of water action. To a
height of some 8 feet the friable rock has crumbled s
and the ceilings of both chambers are entirely mil-
dewed. Though now in poor preservation, they
remain a proof of some considerable sculptural
achievement. Each room contains over a thousand
figures, some nearly 6 feet high, others only a
few inches. The ceilings especially are a maze of
painted dragons. The statues also were painted,
but are now discoloured by the effects of the
water. However, Buddhist piety has succeeded
in repairing some of the figures, especially the
statue of a Turk, in a turban crowned with an
aureole, in the first room, whose presence seems
a tasteless anachronism. I concluded that gates,
which have perished, originally closed the entry.
As to the inscription in the interior of these
grottoes goodwill alone could not suffice to
decipher them.
A little further on are the village and temple
of Yung-yang, made up of grottoes all cut out
by human hand in a great wall of limestone
reaching for three-quarters of a mile on the bank
of the Chi-li-ho. They are many hundreds in
number, and all contain a seated Buddha carved
in the living rock. The nearest to Ta-tung-fu
are the only important ones. They are very
lofty and adorned on the outside with wooden
temples three and four stories in height. These
THE TEMPLE OF YCNG-YANG-MIAO.
LEGEND OF YUNG-YANG-MIAO 13
storiea are connected by staircases cut In- the
rock, pnd are composed of platforms of which the
highesl are on a level with the eyes of the Buddha.
These Buddhas are huge, and are surrounded
by small figures like the angels round the
central figure over the altar of a Iloman Catholic
Church. The general appearance of the temple
is not unlike a theatre, of which the grotto serves
as the stage. In one of these grottoes a Buddha
50 feet high is entirely gilded, and wears on
his forehead a crown of coloured glass. His eyes
also are made of glass. The wooden temples
were repainted twenty years ago, and are conse-
quently very conspicuous and picturesque. Un-
luckily money was apparently lacking to renew
the platforms and railings, and I should not
advise any one to approach too near to the abyss
to get a close view of the statue, which is very
striking as seen either from above or below.
The other grottoes have no temples in front,
and the largest, which contain some gilded statues
adorned with imitation gems, are simply divided
from the outside by wooden bars. The smaller
grottoes have not even these. Legend, in the
mouth of the old lama in charge, insists that all
once had their temples in front, but some thousand
years ago, he avers, a deluge of twelve days' rain
loosened the foundations of the temples, even
then ancient, and reduced them practically to
ruins. Seven days after the rain, an unknown
man stood before the temples, and with uplifted
14 WE REACH SO-PING-FU [OH.I.
arm gave them the order to fall. A 11 fell
together, exposing the grottoes as they i lay be
seen to-day. The truth is, that, if these jorticos
ever existed, they fell one after another for the
all-sufficient reason that the Chinese, who occa-
sionally repaint, never restore or rebuild.
After a four days' inarch we reached So-ping-fu
on 9th July, having followed from the temples of
Yung-yang, a high road wholly without interest,
and only remarkable for the large number of old
towns and fortified villages, completely deserted
and abandoned, telling the sad story of the real
China of to-day, infinitely less populous and
industrious, whatever may be said, than it was
three hundred years ago. So-ping~fu hardly
deserves to be called a prefecture. It is a dead
city. Its empty streets form a melancholy contrast
to the activity of Ta-tung-fu. We stayed there
one night only, and spent it in the house of a
tea merchant, the inns being too repulsive.
The next day we set out with an escort of
six grotesque soldiers, armed with absurd knives
and with sticks. Having drawn one of these
terrible swords from its sheath I found the blade
to be made of wood, and the warrior quite shame-
lessly explained to me that he had sold the steel
that he might buy opium.
Our purpose was to go from So-ping-fu to
the Ordos by way of Cha-ber-noor, where lived
a missionary friend of ours, a man of enlighten-
ment. We had travelled together two years
THE RIVER ULAN-MUREN 15
before and I was looking forward to seeing him
again, There is no direct road from So-ping-fu.
to Chi -ber-noor. We had either to take the high
road to Kwei-hua-cheng, or, having reached the little
town of Shakolo, to try to make a way along the
river Ulan-muren, which has a bad repute, amply
justified by its quicksands. We decided for the
latter course, which was more difficult, but more
novel, and started for Shakolo, a very pretty little
town at the opening of a defile. In older days
the river Ulan-muren, which washes its walls and is
a tributary of the Yellow River, was defended by
a fortified bridge with very narrow stone arches,
which, spanning the stream here and there, pre-
vented the passage of troops in the shallow water.
Only the ruins of this interesting work now remain
on the left bank of the river.
We arrived at Cha-ber-noor after a march along
the Ulan-muren, which was not without incidents.
It was not easy to get our baggage carts along
the banks which were strewn with large boulders,
and when we had overcome this trouble we found
ourselves encountered by treacherous quicksands.
I nearly disappeared myself in one of these
deceptive spots while searching for a place at
which we could cross the river. Taken in by
the colour of the ground, I forced my horse
forward against his wish, and found myself about
8 feet deep in mud. Luckily, I was riding
an exceptionally vigorous pony. Roused and
Inspired by the instinct of self-preservation more
16 MANDARINS OF KWEI-HUA-CHENG [CH.I.
than by my riding - whip, he managed, ^ter a
series of struggles, to get clear of the Iquick-
sand.
The first 20 or 30 miles of the course of the
Ulan-muren are very thinly populated, and almost .
given up to the pasturage of sheep and goats.
An incalculable number of hares are also to be
found here. As they are not wild they are easily
killed. Near a hamlet called San - chou - long I
remember knocking over a dozen of these animals
in the little clearings between the scanty bushes in
less than ten minutes. It proved to be a waste
of powder and shot, for our men refused to eat
their flesh, A deep-rooted superstition convinces
them that the souls of their grandparents reside
after death in the bodies of hares.
After leaving the Ulan-muren we crossed a
small hilly district 1,200 feet in height, and
debouched upon the huge plain of Tumet, in
which are Cha-ber-noor, a number of flourishing
villages, and the great city of Kwei-hua-cheng.
Hardly had the Mandarins of this last place,
with whom I had often been brought into contact
two years before, heard of our presence at Cha-
ber-noor, than they sent us pressing invitations
to come to Kwei-hua-cheng. Although this
digression did not quite suit our plans, I decided
to comply with their request, hoping to obtain
from them letters of recommendation, and greater
facilities for crossing the Ordos. One of these
Mandarins, who rejoices in the title of the Tartar
THE FIRST CABAVAN OF CAMELS 17
Marshal, is the real head of the Ordos, of Tumet,
and rf Northern Mongolia. He represents the
Pekin^ Government among the Mongol princes,
and exercises great influence from this fact.
But before starting for the Blue Town I had
been obliged to make some changes on the staff
of our caravan. Having obtained clear evidence
of the thefts of which the mqfou had been guilty, I
had dismissed this gentleman, not without having
recovered, quite by chance, some of the stolen
property, among which was a bottle of mercury
which I had brought for astronomical observations.
Furthermore, all the information which I had
received latterly about travel in the Ordos, and
about the condition of the roads there, had made
it clear to me that I should only be able to use
my Pekin carts for a very short time, and
accordingly I had decided to send them back
at once and to buy some camels. At Kwei-hua-
cheng in the summer good camels can be bought
in the market for a sum varying from 40 to
50 taels. For the kind of work which the
animals had to do it was important that they
should be very fat, and not too young. In fact,
instead of travelling by night to avoid the heat,
as the Chinese and Mongols always do, we had
decided that we would cover our stages by day-
light, preferring to sacrifice the animals rather
than our sleep. Mongolian camels do not bear
heat well, and the hot sun is sometimes actually
overwhelming when reflected from the sand and
18 FESTIVITIES AT KWEI-HUA-CHENG [CH.I.
beating on the Ordos in August. Thef| chief
cause is that the long hair of the camels induce an
abnormal perspiration, which rapidly makesl/them
thin, and then their loads produce huge abscesses,
which render them useless. On the other hand,
they are not accustomed to eat at night, but only
during the day, and when they halt after a hot
stage they are so wearied by the heat that they
stretch themselves on the sand and rest rather
than eat the grass close by.
In such circumstances their health fails quickly,
but in spite of these drawbacks, provided that
their feet do not sink in the sand or the mud,
they are the best animals for crossing the Ordos
with.
We started then for Kwei-hua-cheng with a
small troop of camels and a new staff. The road
from Cha-ber-noor is flat, and very easy, and we met
with no difficulty. We were accordingly perfectly
fit and not at all tired when we established our-
selves in the Kon-kuan, which had been reserved
for us. We started almost at once upon a series
of sumptuous dinners, at which the dishes were
as numerous as they were indigestible, while the
feast was heralded, interrupted, and followed, by
performances of Chinese minstrels and jugglers,
which were very entertaining.
I remember especially a little man, full of
activity and good humour, who swallowed a fiery
ball somewhat larger than his fist, and made
grotesque gestures while his deeply impressed
REVIEW OF TROOPS 19
audie.ice watched the ball gradually descend to
the I'.vel of his stomach. After a few minutes
he mvide the solid mass rise to his mouth again
apparently with consummate ease. Another man
swung on a trapeze made of swords between two
trees, and managed not to cut his hands on the
sharp blades.
But by far the most interesting exhibition which
we witnessed was a review of troops, newly drilled
by a Chinese officer, who had received lessons from
the Germans at Tientsin in military movements
and tactics. I must own that he had profited by
his lessons, and had reached an altogether remark-
able result with the soldiers entrusted to him
by the Mandarins of Kwei - hua - cheng. Five
hundred of them performed all the exercises in
which the men of European regiments are daily
drilled. They wore a smart uniform of dark hue,
absolutely different from the long robes and the
impedimenta of all kinds that Chinese soldiers
usually affect. Oddly enough the General, and
the many officers of this regiment, had retained
the pale yellow or sky-blue gauze robes, and
seemed quite out of place amidst their men, who
were rapidly manoeuvring at the command of
their instructor.
I do not venture to assert that the soldiers
of Kwei - hua - cheng are at this moment to be
dreaded, especially if they were to be confronted
by European troops. No doubt, on the battle-
field they would quickly forget the fine precision
REFLECTIONS ON CHINESE SOLDIERS [OH.I.
of their drill and the spirit of discipline so Jiardly
inculcated, but, notwithstanding, the fact of itading
in the north of Shansi an instructor and well irilled
men seems to me worthy of notice.
Indubitably the Chinese are making efforts to
raise the level of their troops. In the neighbour-
hood of Pekin, Yuen-chi-kai, with Japanese help,
has set up a real army, and no doubt these men
enlisted from Japanese, and even from Europeans,
armed with Mannlicher rifles of German make,
will prove in future their superiority to their
absurd, barbarous, cowardly, and undisciplined
predecessors. Add to this the consideration that
the Japanese triumph over Russia has puffed
them up with pride. Everywhere, even in the
most remote town of Kansu, the Chinese people
know all about the decisive defeat of the Russian
arms, and as they draw no distinction between a
Muscovite, a Frenchman, or an Englishman, but
class them all under one heading, the defeat of
one entails a loss of prestige on all. I found many
proofs of this in all directions. But this is not
the place to discuss the future. I am content to
assert, and I shall not be contradicted by those who
have studied the new state of affairs, that the next
war with China will cost more lives than any of
its predecessors, and will raise more difficulties
than the European nations, more or less allied,
have yet had to overcome.
After the review we were invited to partake of
a light repast in the General's summer residence.
RECEPTION AT THE GENERAL'S HOUSE 21
It iVin the Manchu city. Kwei-hua-cheng, in
fact, Comprises two very distinct towns close to-
gether. The first, in which we were lodged, and in
which I had previously spent nearly two months,
is Chinese, laid out without apparent plan, and
very dirty. The second is well ventilated by
avenues of great trees, under which the homes of
the poorest seem less wretched than elsewhere;
contains some large yamens t and is inhabited by
the Manchu aristocracy.
The house in which we were entertained was
composed only of a few very small rooms, and
lunch was laid under a blue tent pitched between
the dwelling-house and the garden. This last,
without being extensive, contained a great variety
of flowers, which we had to inspect, for our host
was very proud of them. Owing to the special
gift possessed by the Chinese of planning a garden
in a picturesque style, and ornamenting the most
ordinary spots with taste and novelty, the general
effect was very artistic.
This was the last of the official entertain-
ments offered us by the Mandarins, and, our
preparations being completed, we decided to set
out without delay to cross the Ordos. On the
morning of our departure the Prefect came to
visit us, and enquired of me very confidentially
whether there would be a little rain. " I know,"
he said, "that Europeans have constructed
instruments by which they can foretell drought
or rain. For a long time not a drop of rain has
22 WE LEAVE KWEI-HUA-CHENG [OH.I.
fallen in the surrounding country, and I hive to
go to the temple and offer up public prayers to
the gods. But if the drought persists when I have
done this, I shall look somewhat foolish ! Can
you give me the slightest hint ? " I laughed, and
replied that the barometer had gone down con-
siderably, and that he might pray to the gods
with every confidence that his prayer would be
heard.
Escorted by the good Prefect we started off,
and a little later he left us to go to the temple.
I was a true prophet, for in the course of the
day we received several showers more beneficial
to the crops than pleasant for travellers.
CHAPTER II
THE ORDOS
BEFORE beginning the account of our crossing
of the Ordos Desert, I think it well to give the
reader a short description of it. This part of
the world has been seldom visited, and as it is
marked as a desert on all the maps, many people
no doubt think it absolutely barren, without life
and out of all touch with relation to the rest
of China or Mongolia, The Ordos have a curious
resemblance in shape to the Spanish Peninsula.
The nearest point to Pekin Is at a distance of
fifteen days' journey ; but couriers can reach the
capital of the Celestial Empire in less than a
hundred hours, thanks to the relays of good
ponies, which are much quicker and more active
than the short and squat animals generally ridden
by the Tibetans and Bhutans.
The Yellow River, Hoang-Ho, is the natural
boundary which encircles the Ordos on the west,
north, and east, and, at certain seasons of the
year, makes them almost Inaccessible to travellers
from the north. On the south, the provinces of
Shansi and Kansu, bounded by the Great Wall,
or at least what remains of it, mark the limit
24 MONGOL POPULATION IN THE ORDOS [can.
which the Inhabitants must not cross for fear of
losing their apparent independence.
Shut in, therefore, on all sides, the population
of Mongol tribes, scattered over this country,
incorrectly termed desert, has not been able to
extend, but has collected at certain fixed points
when the nature of the ground and the larger
quantity of rain allow of the rearing of sheep,
oxen, and horses, often in very large numbers.
This is the reason why the density of the popu-
lation is much greater there than elsewhere in
Mongolia, why the trade with China is more
active, and why the Chinese Mandarins draw a
large revenue from the Ordos. Even if the
Mongols were to cross their natural frontier, the
Yellow River, and to try to spread in all direc-
tions in search of rich pasture grounds, they
would be stopped on the north - east by the
Chinese, who have conquered little by little, by
force of patience, from other Mongol tribes, the
rich plains of Tumet, and the alluvial land left
on the north by the old beds of the river. On
the west, they would run against a real sandy
desert, barren and deadly, and if they succeeded
in crossing it, they would have to fight with the
sovereign prince of Kokonor and king of Alashan,
at present residing at Fu-ma-fu.
The climate of the Ordos is good and prefer-
able to that of the huge steppes of Mongolia.
The average height, about 4,500 feet, provides
a plateau on which the intensity of the summer
..::- :*
(E I'lHAVAX CRIISSISII THE I'LiX JOB DMT IIP
WATERS IN THE ORDOS SS
heat* is not felt so severely as in Alashan in
the same latitude. This plateau, without great
mountains or deep valleys, is furrowed by a few
water - courses, tributaries of the Yellow River,
and almost all flowing eastward. Their beds are
sometimes very wide, the bottom of them is of
fine sand, often shifting and perilous; but it is
rare to find more than a foot of water in the
largest river in summer. The inhabitants have
come to think nothing of the little streams
which cross their country, and the water which
they drink always comes from wells or from
muddy swamps left by the rains. This is obvi-
ously an unwholesome drink, and the peculiar
smell of some swamps would make the whole
faculty of medicine shudder. But here, as every-
where, habit is stronger than science, and the
Mongols, who often drink the water just as they
find it, when they have no time to boil their
tea, feel no evil effects from it. On the contrary,
the people seem remarkably energetic, and their
individual constitutions are as strong as possible.
Unluckily, the custom of opium-smoking is slowly
gaining ground, especially near Tumet, and is
rapidly extending its ravages. Their energy is
failing, life is dying out, and I have seen some
Mongol Mandarins whose haggard faces and
deeply-lined features reminded one of the worst
Chinese smokers.
The Mongols are, as is well known, divided
into two great political parties. One ranges itself
26 THE CONFEDERATION OF KINGS [OH.H.
under the ancient "banners, the other obeys chiefs
who bear the pompous titles of kings, and all
claim to be descended from the companions, or
even the family, of Jenghis Khan. The Mongols
of the banners inhabit the huge steppes which
stretch even further than Kalgan to the east,
up to Urga in the north, and as far as Turnet
on the west.
The country of the Ordos is governed by a
confederation of kinglets, five in number, who
live on good enough terms with each other. The
oldest, not he who has reigned the longest, is
Chief of the confederation, and treats directly with
the representative of the Pekin Government who
lives at Kwei - hua - cheng, or in the Mongol
tongue, Ku - ku - Hoto. The title of this high
officer, generally a Manchu, is that of Tartar
Marshal. He has power enough to enable him
to exercise a good deal of injustice, thanks to
which he fills his coffers in preference to those
of the State. Under the Kings, but with more
real power, some important lamas (ta lama)
govern the people by working upon their grossly
superstitious minds, and are here, as in Tibet,
the true masters of the situation.
After this long prelude, which I hope may be
forgiven, I resume the account of our expedition.
Being thoroughly furnished with letters of
recommendation and imperative passports for the
Mongol Princes, we set out towards the end oi
July, for the ruined town of Tu-tchrung, not fai
FLOODS OF THE YELLOW RIVER 27
from "which we were to cross the Yellow River in
boats specially prepared for the purpose. More
important than all these paper precautions, the
Tartar Marshal had sent with us one of his
secretaries, with orders to commandeer for us all
the requisite means of transport ; and I found
this fashion of travelling very pleasant.
After two days' march from Kwei-hua we
arrived at the banks of the Yellow River, just
in time to witness the complete destruction of
several villages ingulfed in the huge annual flood.
During two journeys, I have had opportunities
of studying the disastrous floods of this great
artery of Asia, so I may be allowed another
digression on this subject.
The Yellow Elver rises in Tibet, not far from
Lake Oring, in a high water-shed, on which the
snow collects in winter in large quantities. Before
entering Mongolia it passes a series of water-
sheds which, joined to those of Tibet, produce
an enormous volume of water when the snows
melt. As long as this liquid mass flows in a
channel shut in by rocks it obviously cannot
spread and do damage, but when it reaches the
huge plains of the North of Alashan, of the
Ordos, and especially Tumet, where the fall
is less marked, it loses in depth but gains enor-
mously in breadth. What also contributes largely
towards this change is a defile situated about
40 S. lat., and not far from Ho-Kau. At the
point the rocks contract the river-banks to such
^8 OBSTINACY OF CHINESE PEASANTS [CH.H.
an extent as not to leave a wide enough pfissage
in the summer. I should think it would be com-
paratively easy to widen this opening by means
of dynamite, and in this way to diminish the
disasters caused all along the previous course of
the river. Whether this may be the case or not,
as regards the future, the ravages of the annual
floods at present are frightful. It is useless for
the peasants to dig ditches several feet wide
round their mud-built houses, nothing can with-
stand the invading element, nothing arrest its
advance. Little by little the water makes its
way, undermining and bursting the dykes.
The cottages collapse in an instant, and with
them the harvest laid out to dry on the roofs.
This is the history of thousands of peasants who,
evicted by the flood, come back and build the
same house, and cultivate the same field to see
them once more become the prey of the flood.
The obstinacy of the Chinese is unrivalled. All
the country round the spot at which we reached
the river-bank was a swamp. Here and there
a few trees and a few roofs, which had not yet
fallen, were visible, and the sheet of water was
more than 3 or 4 miles broad.
Except for these floods, which sometimes make
navigation difficult, and, above all, render it im-
possible to fix on any definite landing-places, it
would be a profitable enterprise with the help of
the Mandarins, always a doubtful quantity, to
establish a service of steam tugs which would
A WELL IN THE ALASHAX DESERT
[Toficep.,
THE TOWN OF HO-KAU 29
make, much money by hauling the numberless
boats, which carry the products of Kansu to Kwei-
hua-cheng.
Being unable to cross the river at this point,
L we made for Ho-Kau, where we arrived after a
day's journey, after passing the imposing ruins
of Tu-tchrang, which was a noble stronghold in
the days of the Nestorian civilisation, and the
splendour of which Marco Polo has celebrated.
To-day a few grass mounds inside its circuit
barely mark the heap of ruins of some important
dwelling, and the cattle of the peasants eat the
shrubs that are growing over the turrets.
Ho-Kau is not a safe place in flood-time. The
contracted bed of the river causes the current to
impinge with terrible pressure against the dykes
protecting the town, which is built below the
water-level, and a single breach in the protection
works would be enough to destroy it. The level
of the flood, having been particularly high this
year, almost the whole of the population had fled,
and it, was with a sense of deliverance that we
left this town on the morning of the 28th July.
Our only difficulty in crossing the river was
the objection of the camels to venture upon the
moving tide. We had to employ a great number
of coolies, and lift the legs of the camels one by
one into the barge, to overcome their obstinacy.
On the other bank we were at once amongst
sand - hills, and at nightfall we stopped at a
hamlet composed of the wretched huts,
SO THE PALACE OF KING CHONGAR [CH.H.
Our intention was to cross the Ordos, in a
diagonal line, coming out at Mng-hsia in the
Province of Kansu. On the way we meant to
visit four of the Mongol Kings, and to see the
venerated monument which covers the remains of.
the greatest conqueror that the world has known
Jenghis Khan.
The road to the Palace of Cliongar, the first
of these princes, runs through a succession of
sand-hills; of plains partly cultivated by Chinese
peasants, and of rocky ground. One river only,
the Eul Ru Ho, flowing to the north - east,
crosses the plateau, and in the month of July
the water in it is not more than 5 or 6 inches
deep.
A few years ago the palace stood in a different
place. Probably the pasturage grew worse, and
the then reigning prince transferred the seat of
his government to another plain. On reaching
the top of a little eminence we suddenly came
in sight of several buildings, which, standing in
an almost complete desert, appeared magnificent.
These were the palaces. The King's palace is
surrounded by ruined walls 18 feet high, with
two entrances, of which the southern leads
straight to the royal buildings. These consist
simply of a large Chinese house, built in the
favourite style, with three central courts, with
carved wooden windows, and small panes of glass
replaced here and there by pieces of paper. The
walls and the courts are of brick, which gives
VISIT OF BONIN TO CHONGAR 31
the whole dwelling a comfortable appearance.
Not far away some flags and prayers, written on
small pieces of cloth, marked the temple where,
on great occasions, the Prince offers sacrifices,
jSuch as an outbreak of cattle disease, of drought,
or when his business is not prospering at the
Court of Pekin.
The Prince soon came to visit us. We had
hardly settled in a wing of Ms palace when he
appeared, dressed in official costume, and followed
by a train of dirty Ministers. A sheep boiled
whole was put before us, which is a mark of
honour in Mongolia, and the dinner was cooked
in a style which he fancied to be European. In
answer to my questions about the Tomb of
Jenghis Khan, he assured me that I was a long
way from it, that it was inaccessible, and that
no one had the key to it. His predecessor, who
was visited by the French explorer, Charles
Bonin, in 1898, during a few days' visit to the
Ordos, was much inclined to do kindnesses to
Europeans. He was the first to announce to
my fellow - countrymen the exact date of the
Boxer movement, and of the attack on the
Legations at Pekin. Bonin made it his duty
to inform his Legation immediately, which, of
course, instead of taking measures, or at least
making enquiries and warning the other Legations,
treated Bonin as a lunatic, put his letters in a
pigeon-hole, forgot them, and was attacked at the
appointed time.
m THE WIVES OF THE KING CHONGAR [can.
I mention this fact? which does not stand a alone,
simply to prove that what happened in China in
1900 might have been avoided, and that much
bloodshed might have been spared.
The former Prince of Chongar did not inhabit'
this new dwelling, but had built for himself a
very pretty little palace a little further north and
outside the ramparts, carefully constructed and
surrounded by a kind of park. In one of the
inner courts were ornamental pools and fountains
true luxury in the Ordos. One or two of the
many wives he left behind him are now living
there, and spending the rest of their days in
regrets for the time past, and in smoking opium.
The reigning Prince is married to quite a
young woman. He has only one lawful wife, but
he has generously offered hospitality to his aunt
and her daughter. We went to see them, and
I do not think that I ever met with a stronger
smell of opium in a Chinese house than in the
room of these two women. They live an entirely
useless and unoccupied life, and one wonders how
they escape utter boredom.
As the sun was setting, the Prime Minister
insisted that we should visit the yamen of
justice, and we complied with his wish. This
yamen, of which he seemed very proud, was a
wretched place, its only furniture being a strong
box made of carved wood, heavily strengthened
with iron bars, and chains intended for criminals.
The strong box is empty, and the chains rusted,
ON THE WAY TO KING WANGTSE 33
for there is little crime in the Ordos, and when
it does happen the murderer always escapes. In
the evening we received another dinner sent by
the Prince, and the following morning we left
.the palace, escorted by Mandarins, and by soldiers
armed with blunt knives and home-made guns,
long, slender, and equipped with rickety wooden
stocks. They are fired from a fork like the
Tibetan guns, and are only effective at a very
short range.
The Palace of Chongar, simple as it was,
afterwards seemed to us a marvel, compared with
the poverty and smallness of those which we
visited subsequently.
Our guide had been ordered to take us to
the King Wangtse. Every attempt to draw the
conversation to the subject of the Tomb of Jenghis
Khan was coldly received, and as all the answers
were evidently untruthful, I thought it politic on
my part to seena to give up the idea. I relied
upon the directions left by Bonin, upon chance
and upon strategy to attain my end.
Our road ran west, and crossed a large number
of moderate-sized and small rivers. The country
was by no means such as could be called a desert.
There were fields, cottages, crops drying in the
sun, in all the many little valleys which we had
to cross. This portion of the Ordos is populated
and fertile, and plenteously rewards the labour of
its cultivators. These latter are all Chinese, who
have generally met with a series of misfortunes
c
84 STUPIDITY OF THE MONGOLS [can.
in their own country, have fallen out with .their
Mandarins, and have come to seek shelter, food,
and peace under the banner of a Mongol Prince,
who on his part gains a double advantage from
their settlement in his little kingdom.
These settlers afford a means of imposing
taxes, however small, and of buying on the spot
the corn which the people use,, at a much cheaper
rate than he would get in the Chinese market.
The Mongol is in fact the prey of the Chinese,
since his simplicity and his astounding idleness
make him a pigeon easy to pluck. He never keeps
a shop, or cultivates the ground ; these occupations
are too servile for him. He never works a mine,
for that would bring on him the curses of the
mountain genie, and in short owing to his pride,
laziness, and superstition, he never obtains any
advantage from the natural richness of the
ground. The only occupation which he considers
worthy of his lofty origin is the bearing of arms.
Pekin pays each Mongol soldier a very small
salary, which is enough for his immediate wants,
and to meet any further requirements he sells his
horses or his sheep to the Chinese merchants,
who are constantly crossing the country in all
directions. In the Ordos the normal price of a
good horse, not an ambler, is from 10 to 15
taefo. Animals which have been taught to amble,
and do it well, reach a much higher figure, from
40 to 50 taels. A sheep costs 1 tael, and an
ox 5 or 6,
ARRIVAL AT EDCHEN KORO 35
After some stages, and a two days' halt near
a little Chinese village, in consequence of a sudden
attack of fever, I had reason to suppose that I was
very close to the Tomb of the great Emperor, and
without arousing the suspicions of my Mongol
escort, I approached a group of Chinamen, and
asked where Edchen Koro was, for this is the
Mongol name of that sacred place. They replied,
" You are not a day's march from it. If you take
this road you will get there to-night." I ordered a
start to be made at once, and instead of pursuing
the road which my guides were pressing me to
take, I took the road for Edchen Koro. Their
pitiable faces amused us very much for some
minutes, and one of them disappeared to carry
to the Prince of Chongar the disastrous news of
our visit to the tombs.
The sun in fact was still high in the heavens,
when we distinguished at a turn of the road which
had been running through hilly country since
morning, a plain and unadorned white mass, with
two gilded balls above it. This was Edchen
Koro. The Tomb is situated on the eastern side
of a small hill, some 50 yards above a wretched
village, where lives the custodian who has charge
of the keys. It faces south, and is raised on a
terrace some 8 feet high. A palisade of posts
fixed at intervals surrounds the terrace, and in it
is a single crumbling and worm-eaten gate opening
towards the south. The general aspect of the
tomb is so poverty - stricken that one feels a
36 THE TOMB OF JENGHIS KHAN |a*-n.
painful shock in traversing this miserable entrance
of what may be called the Tabernaculum. Two
small tents, one behind the other, and connected
by a very low inner door, made of worn-out
felt, and admitting, through their rents, the rain
and the wind are the "monument" destined to
perpetuate the renown of the greatest conqueror
the world has known; and one who in his life-
time possessed a greater extent of territory than
any contemporary monarch ; whose name spread
terror, and commanded obedience from the banks
of the Yellow River to the borders of Poland.
The ashes of the body of Jenghis Khan are
deposited in a kind of chest, cubic in shape, and
placed on a wooden support made of small
coloured pillars, adorned with paintings on all
its sides, except that facing south, which is
covered with a finely-worked copper plate repre-
senting a divinity surrounded by four animals
which are difficult to identify. Each side of this
coffin, which serves the purpose of a funeral urn,
is adorned with a handle of gilded copper, by
which it is raised, and which seemed to me a
fit emblem of the eternal migration of one who
overran so many countries when alive, and even
after his death has not found rest. The Tomb,
in fact, has not always been here ; but it is difficult
to know exactly where the first descendants of the
great Emperor laid his remains.
One thing is certain, from the admission of
the Mongols themselves, that the tents at Edchen
MONGOL IGNORANCES 37
Koro have been comparatively recently set up.
They have not the slightest idea of who Jenghis
Khan was, and of their own history they know
nothing, of their conquest of the ancient world,
of their struggle against China, and of their final
defeat for want of organisation ; nor do they know
the date of Jenghis Khan. The custodian of the
tomb, when questioned by me on this matter,
replied that at least three thousand years had
passed since his death, and when I tried to fix
the dates, and to convince him of his mistake, he
simply turned his back upon me, and carefully
shut the doors of the first tent, which serves as
an antechamber, after having put out the tallow
lamp which he had lighted when we came in,
and which, when he prostrates himself, he raises
in his hands.
To conclude, there is very little to see, and
still less to admire at Edchen Koro. The tents
contain nothing remarkable except the coffin. As
everywhere else, in all temples, large and small,
coloured flags, dirty and dusty pieces of silk, a
few nicknacks, a looking-glass over the coffin,
some prayers written on pieces of cloth, and a
canopy of silk, easily filled the chief tent, which
is only 4J yards long and 3 yards broad, It is
worth noting that this tent was the only felt
tent of an oval shape that I saw. As to the
first tent, it was absolutely empty.
The territory of Edchen Koro is under the
rule of the King of Wangtse, and the key of
38 CHANGE OF SCENERY [OH.H.
the coffin Itself Is deposited in his palace. As
to the Mongols trusted to keep the tombs, they
form a little tribe called " Targat " (in the Mongol
language, <k that which pays no taxes "). The fact
that they keep watch over the great man's remains
exempts them from the slight annual payment
that lies heavy on their fellow-countrymen.
I must confess that we expected to find a
sumptuous, or at least, a respectable monument,
and that the discovery of the real lamentable
state of things was a disappointment to us. But
for the two gilded balls above them, these two
tents would entirely fail to catch the' eyes of a
traveller.
Soon after leaving Edchen Koro we had a
complete change of scenery. Instead of ravines
and little hills, divided by very scanty streams,
there was a boundless expanse of huge green
plains, where flocks abounded, and there were
fewer Chinese.
Here and there are some absolutely deserted
villages, and we camped the first day in an
abandoned spot, where it was difficult to provide
for our meals. The Mongol Mandarin, a button
of the third rank, of pale blue crystal, whom the
Prince of Chongar had ordered to conduct us
to his neighbour, and to procure food and shelter
for us on the way, was a worthless rascal.
He might have been any age, and, like all
opium smokers, had no energy at all. We always
had to wait for him in the morning, for he had
TROUBLES WITH OUR GUIDE 39
never finished his opium smokingj and it required
all my self-control to restrain me from giving
him a thrashing. Through his fault, we found
nothing prepared at the end of a stage, and
I would rather travel alone than with such a
major-domo.
The 20th of August was a specially bad day.
Having found my Mandarin absolutely unable to
get up in the morning, I took from him his
official badges, which gave him the right to
commandeer, and left him. On our way, at a
place where several roads meet, I forced a China-
man to guide us, for fear of our mistaking
the road. Having received the order without
saying a word, the man started off walking in
front of our caravan. After 8 or 4 miles, I
discovered that he was deaf, and was quietly
returning to his own home ! As we retraced
our steps a violent storm broke upon us, which
did not add to the pleasure of the situation. I
have observed that in the Ordos, during August,
storms occur pretty regularly every three days,
and are accompanied by violent lightning; but
given certain atmospheric conditions, the clouds
are on the level of the earth, and the lightning
does not appear in flashes, but rather like a very
bright and sudden luminous radiance.
I noticed throughout this country many traces
of coal, sometimes on the surface, sometimes
exposed by river channels. I doubt whether the
veins are very important ; but even if they were
40 TRACES OF COAL [can.
the finest in the whole world, there are no
means of working them remuneratively, in the
present difficult conditions of transport in China.
I shall have the same to say in another chapter
on the mines of Kansu, which have so tempted
the King of Belgium that he has sent several
engineers to study the mineral riches on the
spot, and keeps at Liang-chou a permanent agent,
commissioned to obtain acceptable terms from the
Governor by no means an easy thing.
The sudden view of the temple of Chongara
T'chao, which rises out of an enormous green
plain, and looks like an oasis of tall trees, was
a complete surprise to us. Its roofs of coloured
tiles, green and yellow, are very striking. The
gorge in front of it, formed by a small river,
is very picturesque, and the general effect is
charming.
This temple, built upon the territory of
Wangtse, contains, it appears, more than seven
hundred lamas. This would be little for Tibet,
but is much for the Ordos, where it is not easy
to get together the necessary supplies for a large
community. It is a collection of great buildings,
part of which have been made after the Tibetan
fashion, that is to say, with little square windows
painted with dark colours, which contrast with
the white walls. The two principal temples
stand on brick terraces, and the beams of the
entrance are adorned with specially fine painting.
Inside the second hall, and on one side of it,
TEMPLE OF CHONGARA TCHAD 41
Is a collection of handsome statues of gilded
copper, all dressed in silk draperies, some of
them more than 9 feet high. This second
temple, or second hall, is built in the Chinese
.fashion. Three rows of elephants' trunks and
tusks support a gabled roof. Before the altars
there was the usual offering, cakes of mutton
fat, heaps of flour, and bowls of pure water. I
tried to buy some of the pictures which adorned
the walls, but I could not acquire any at any
price. The lamas attach the greatest value to
these pictures, often several centuries old, and
attribute them to the days of the first disciples
of Buddha. While walking across the village,
where the houses of the priests stand close
together, I noticed many ancient paintings In
a remarkable state of preservation. One of
them had for its subject Heaven ; and the artist
had undertaken to represent the pleasures, the
walks, the siestas, the dinners, and the prayers
which await the good man. Another, on the
contrary, represented Hell, and consisted of a
wheel pressed between the legs of a frightful-
looking genie. In the upper part of this wheel
are depicted evil actions, and in the lower part,
divided into sixteen little squares, the way In
which they are punished.
We were lodged almost comfortably in a great
lofty room adorned with tapestries and Mng-hsia
carpets, and we hoped to enjoy sound sleep there,
but had reckoned without the piety and the
42 DIFFICULTIES WITH PRINCE WANGTSE [<"
religious zeal of the lamas* who were keeping
some festival or other, by mumbling and chant-
ing prayers all night. In the morning the chief
lama, in his richest vestment of yellow silk, came
and presented us with dried dates and butter.
We left Chongara T'chao soon after, and fol-
lowed a track which crossed a Chao country similar
to that which I have already described. It is
noticeable here, however, that the Chinese element
which is pre-eminent in the territory of Chongar,
has almost disappeared on that of Wangtse,
This Wangtse, who is one of the least
important in the confederation of the Ordos,
showed no consideration whatever for the orders
which the Tartar Marshal had sent as to our
reception. On hearing of our arrival, he had
simply prepared the mud houses, where, by
Mongol custom, hospitality is given to pilgrims
crossing the country, and going to the holy
places, such as Kumbum. Naturally, we could
not put up with such cavalier treatment, and,
putting spurs to my pony, I rode to the Prince's
house. On my arrival I found all the doors
shut, but with the assistance of some men
I set about opening the chief entrance. The
interior of the palace seemed absolutely silent.
We had nearly finished our work when one of
the Prince's servants came out of a little side
door reserved for inferior officers, and asked me
to follow him. I replied that I would only enter
through the chief gate, and ordered our caravan
THE PALACE OF WANGTSE 43
men. 9 to go on with their work. A few minutes
later a man came up rather better clothed than
the others, and introduced himself as the Prince.
He begged me to come in by a small door, for he
assured me that the chief gate was never -used.
But, at this moment, my men had succeeded in
opening the closely fastened shutters, strengthened
with bars of wood laid horizontally, and I advanced
into the chief court of the palace.
It was indeed different from that of Chongar.
Instead of the great Chinese court, paved and
comparatively clean, it was a square of stamped
earth surrounded by walls, and absolutely disgust-
ing. Its only interesting peculiarity was the
presence of two Mongol tents, of an ordinary
type, under which the Prince lived, rather than
in the little Chinese house, containing only three
rooms, which he had built on the north of the
enclosure, and used only for receptions. We
took up our abode quietly in it, and, as all
earthly tilings have their humorous side, we had
much pleasure in observing the altercation which
took place between the chief of our escort and
the Prince. The former, happy to be able to
frighten a Mongol with impunity, by picturing
the Tartar Marshal's anger, took a very high
tone with him, and the wretched Prince pleaded,
prayed, and sobbed for more than a quarter of
an hour, before our centurion consented to forgive
him. I may add that this forgiveness cost the
Prince a good round sum.
44 HUTS ON WANtrTSE TJSKR1TOKY L OH - n -
The territory of Wangtse seemed poverty-
stricken. We could not find flour fit to cook,
and only after a long parley could we obtain
a sheep. The fact is, that the ground does not
lend itself to cultivation, and scarcely more to.
cattle-rearing. It is very marshy in places, and
in the huge prairies, which stretch for 35 miles
in front of the settlement, lakes appear and
disappear quickly, leaving a swamp behind them.
A temple near the palace does not deserve any
description.
The frontier between the States of Wangtse and
Wuchin lies 7 miles to the south. It is marked
only by a little tent pitched on the sand. Huts
of some description are noticeable in this part of
the country, for the Mongols, being no longer
nomads, do not feel bound to raise felt tents and
wooden stakes, which always admit the cold wind
in winter ; they prefer the mud cottage, but have
given it the sugar-loaf shape of their former tents,
so as to keep up the immemorial customs, which
would be upset by a rectangular room. Some
of the polite customs of the Mongols are worth
mentioning.
To begin with, the visitor who crosses the
wooden threshold must not put his foot on it,
which is a great breach of good manners. He
must not bring his riding -whip with him, but
must leave it with the man who holds his horse,
or fasten it to the saddle, if he is alone. It
would be very had manners to pass in front of
MONGOL SUPERSTITIONS 45
the altar which stands inside the tent on the
north-west, the door being always on the south,
or to put down any burden before the little statues
of Buddha which usually adorn it. A well brought
up Mongol will never lay the ashes of his pipe on
those of the cooking hearth, and will never turn
his back to the altar while speaking.
On the 24th August, before reaching the
temple of Tara lama, we had occasion once again
to admire the splendid stupidity of the Mongols,
and the absolute faith which they have in their
lamas. Having noticed a horse tied by the tail
to the door of a tent, I asked why the animal
was not fastened with a halter like his fellows.
I was told that an old man lived here who was
very ill, and finding himself worse, had sent for a
lama from the Tara monastery to obtain medical
advice. The unscrupulous lama had said that the
old Mongol would certainly be cured if he paid
a certain sum of money, and held in his hands for
a whole day a rope tied to the tail of a sacred
horse. The monastery always keeps a few such
horses for similar occasions. Absurdities like this
are not at all uncommon, and I could give plenty
of other instances.
The monastery of Tara lama, which provides
a peaceful life for a hundred lamas, is very
dilapidated. The first of the temples of which
it is composed is surrounded by dirty and ragged
tents. The lamas do not seem gifted with a high
order of intelligence. I could not get from them
46 DREADFUL HEAT [ H - n -
the slightest Information as to the distance which
lay between us and the Palace of Wuchin. Some
said that it was at least 150 Us off, others 400.
To add to the general confusion, a Chinese
travelling merchant, who was trying to sell some
nicknacks, and especially match-boxes, to the
priests of the temple, told us as a fact that it
was 300.
We set out again in overpowering heat, so
severe that some of our camels, having managed
to undo the rope, which, passing through their
noses, tied them to the animals in front, dug up
the hot sand with the nails of their feet, and
squatted on the cooler ground which they thus
exposed. We were crossing a country of the
true desert type. Hidges of white sand succeeded
one another, varied occasionally by a clump of
tamarisks. The few tents which we saw were
surrounded by broken boughs, which made them
look like negro huts. But the country gradually
improved, and we finished our march on a grassy
road between high hedges, which seemed at times
to be crossing an old deserted park. Here and
there the men of our escort stopped to gather
a small, white, wild berry, of a very bitter taste,
or to pick for their evening meal a herb which
smelt, unfortunately, very like garlic.
All this sand was extremely tiring to the
horses, and though our camels were quite at home
in it, our steeds were exhausted, when we met
the troops of Mandarins and soldiers whom the
RECEPTION OF KING WUCHIN 47
King* of Wuchin, the actual chief of the Ordos
Confederation, had sent to meet us.
Having decided to give us the best reception
possible, the King was awaiting us under a great
umbrella of yellow silk, surrounded by his
Ministers and the chief lamas of the country.
When we arrived all those who accompanied us
broke into a mad gallop, amidst a deafening
noise of crackers. After a ceremonious introduc-
tion, the Prince himself led us to the apartment
reserved for us, and soon after I called upon him,
following the most exact rules of diplomacy. He
was not a very interesting person, but I had an
opportunity of observing the great lama of the
Ordos, who had been recommended to me as a
man of superior intelligence. Of middle age,
and corpulent appearance, his face was attractive
and refined. He wore on his yellow hat a
button of the same kind and degree as that of
the Prince, but was dressed in purple. The
people undoubtedly showed more respect to him
than to the Prince. He always lives with the
chief of the Confederation, and is the undisputed
head of the temples scattered over the Ordos.
Entirely independent of Lhasa and Kumbum, he
maintains fairly constant relations with these two
sacred cities by means of the pilgrimages which
he organises from time to time.
Like all similar dignitaries, he tries to
exaggerate his importance, and, in answer to one
of my questions, assured me that he had a million
48 PRESENTS TO KING WUCHIN [CH.II.
lamas under him. He has quite twenty thousand,
and is supposed to be very hostile to Europeans ;
but I think he is only hostile to the missionaries
who are working directly against him. On the
other hand, his quick intelligence is inclined towards
progress, and he did not rest until I had explained
to him the working of telegraphs, telephones, and
railways, of which he had heard.
We decided, on the day after our arrival in the
kingdom, to go to an antelope hunt. These
graceful animals wander in the neighbourhood in
herds of from three to five hundred. We
succeeded in bringing down three. One of them,
which was only wounded, cried and wept like a
human being, until it was given the coup de
grace.
We received the same day two ponies and a
dog as presents, in return for which I gave His
Majesty, to his great delight, a small nickel-plated
revolver. 1 was, of course, careful not to add any
cartridges, for fear the Prince, in his exuberant
joy, might kill one of his followers, or himself.
These ponies were very small like all in the Ordos,
but their perfect forms, their spirit, and endurance
make them remarkable animals. One may often
see a Mongol load one of these animals, about
twelve hands high, with a saddle weighing twenty
pounds, and baggage weighing fifty, and then
mount the little beast, and start on a thirty or
forty days' journey across country where the grass
often fails.
THE SALT LAKE OF REULBADGI-NOR 49
I jiote s in passing, that I could not find one
of the lakes marked on the maps. The maps,
printed in Germany, have been copied from
ancient Chinese documents, which are often very
inaccurate, and contain erroneous details. The
lake possibly existed some hundreds of years ago,
and has disappeared as others shortly will.
Leaving this hospitable Prince, we set out
again through sand and grass plains in constant
succession, and in a temperature moderated only
by storms occurring regularly every three days,
as I have already said. Wild animals haunt the
neighbourhood, and we found the tracks of a
panther near the carcass of a camel killed the
day before. Accordingly I ordered my men to
keep a good watch over the animals at night, but
those who know the Chinese peasants will not be
surprised to hear that in making my usual round
towards one o'clock in the morning, I found my
men huddled together in a tent trembling with
fear. The panthers gave no sign of life to our
great disappointment ; but they must be numerous
in this district, for, on one day's march, I counted
more than ten carcasses of their victims.
On 22nd August we passed along a salt lake
called Reulbadgi-nor, and entered a country rich
in flocks, the inhabitants of which, subjects of the
King of Ottock, make profit by rearing camels.
Before arriving at Ning-hsia, we only had to
visit the Prince of Ottock, whose small yamen
is on the side of a bare hill. This young Prince
p
-50 VISIT TO THE KING OE OTTOCK [am.
is but eight years old. His father and mother
died four years ago of an infectious disease,
probably small-pox, which thins the ranks of the
Mongols, and left him to the care of his Prime
Minister. The latter brought the little Prince
to see us, with his face washed no doubt for the
first time. The cleaning process had only been
superficial, and a fine black line made a natural
necklace round his neck. I presented him with
a musical box, and in return he gave me a
splendid grey roan stallion, and a pistol, which
I have managed to preserve through many
difficulties.
He also ordered his soldiers to drill before us,
and to fire their primitive guns. It was a re-
markably grotesque sight. Lead being very rare
in the wild country of Ottock, the veterans loaded
their weapons with small pebbles, and one of them
burnt his face by neglecting the elementary pre-
caution of turning his head away when the powder
caught fire and the shot left the gun. Nobody
cared in what direction the bullets, or rather the
pebbles, went. The Prime Minister told me with
pride that his master could lead to battle six
thousand soldiers as brave as these, commanded
by eighty-five captains with blue, and nineteen
generals with red coral buttons.
Poor little Prince, he lives alone in his narrow
palace surrounded by sacred books, in which he is
instructed by toothless old masters. Never the
least distraction, never a game, never a laugh.
END OF THE ORDOS DESERT 51
Even 8 his brothers have been removed from him,
for his tutors believe that his childhood must
be a serious one, that he may learn to rule over
some thousands of shepherds scattered in this
corner of the world.
We soon came in sight of the summits of the
mighty range of Alashan, which begins at
Ning-hsia, and finally loses itself in the sands of
the desert, west of the Yellow River. After
a few more days' march over the undulating
plain of dry grass, we reached this prefectoral
city in the Province of Kansu. Not far away,
the Great Wall runs along the river Ara-cha-gol,
and the Ordos Desert terminates at the foot of its
ruins. We had crossed it without any difficulty,
caused either by Nature or by man.
CHAPTER III
BURIED CITIES OF ALASKAN
HAVING crossed the Great Wall and the river Ara-
cha-gol we were no longer in the Ordos, but still
had to cover a small distance to reach Ning-hsia.
Above all we still had to cross the Yellow River.
Although the day was well advanced, we decided
to make a great effort to reach that prefecture
before nightfall. But we had not allowed for a
series of incidents which delayed us. To begin
with, we had to wait awhile at the gates of the
little town of Hong-chong-ku. Although very
dismal to look at and seeming practically deserted,
it still gloried in the presence of three or four
Mandarins. The circuit of its walls was nearly
empty, the old inhabitants had all emigrated in
the hope of finding more fertile lands, but the
force of custom is so strong in China, that a sub-
prefect of the third grade was still kept there by
the Government.
An excellent man was this sub-prefect. He
offered us delicious peaches grown in Kansu,
and seemed very anxious to see us start again for
Ning-hsia. He no doubt had no desire to disburse
I*"
c
THE GREAT WALL, AT A POINT 2,000 MILES FR03I PEKEf,
WE LOSE OUR WAY IN THE DARK 53
the few sapegues that a halt for the night on our
part would have cost him. He insisted on accom-
panying us to the boat which he had prepared for
us on hearing of our arrival, and I must admit that
I never saw a Mandarin exert himself to such an
extent. He ran in all directions, shouting and
gesticulating, giving such preposterous orders that
it took us more than an hour to put on board the
little luggage that we wished to have with us on
reaching Ning-hsia. The over-tired camels were
to follow on the next day.
The crossing of the river presented no difficulty,
but the landing on a strip of slippery mud caused
a few harmless tumbles, and as I was ordering my
men to start at once, we observed that the soldier
given us by the sub-prefect to act as a guide had
deserted, taking advantage of the gathering dark-
ness. This occurrence was exceedingly disagree-
able. From our starting-point a great number of
roads branched off in all directions. We could not
guess as to which would lead us quickest to our
goal, and I had to trust to chance to direct our
steps. Chance proved no friend to the weary
traveller, for it was nearly two o'clock in the morn-
ing when we reached the wooden shutters studded
with huge nails, which formed the gates of the
great town. We were very tired, having travelled
since six o'clock on the previous morning, and our
mounts trembled on their exhausted legs.
Following track after track we had covered a
long way from the Yellow River in the dark, and
54 THE TOWN OF NING-HSIA [cam.
had been badly received at the few houses of the
rustics from, whom we enquired the way. The
traveller who knocks at a door at unreasonable
hours is naturally taken for an evil-doer, and is
more likely to be bitten by a raging watch-dog
than to gather any useful directions. Even on
reaching the city gates our bad luck was not over.
Probably stupefied with opium the guardians of
this noble citadel slept a sleep that the most
alarming shouts and piercing cries could not
disturb. At last, after we had waited nearly
half an hour a night watchman came to find out
the cause of this extraordinary disturbance, and
without answering his question, as soon as he
opened the door, we burst into the town like a
whirlwind.
The rest of the night we spent in a disgust-
ing hotel, thickly peopled with undesirable in-
habitants. Our first care on the following morn-
ing was to establish ourselves in the inn reserved
for touring Mandarins. The prefect sent some of
his satellites to hang up lanterns made of red cloth
over our door, and we set out to inspect the town.
It is only moderately interesting. Having
reached the terrace of an old temple which rises
in the heart of this ancient city, we discovered
that misery and ruin held undisputed sway every-
where. Hardly a quarter of the whole enclosure
is inhabited. The rest is given up to swamps,
heaps of verdure, and waste land. However, some
remaining ruins here and there point to greater
COMMERCE OF NING-HSIA 55
prosperity in the past. Opium has largely killed
this city, all of whose inhabitants indulge in this
drug, and when once this awful vice has thoroughly
mastered a Chinaman., he sells all he has his
.land, his wives and children, the roof, doors, and
windows of his house, in summer nearly all his
clothing, and dies of cold in winter, stripped and
naked in the street.
Commerce has consequently diminished con-
siderably. Nowadays nearly all that the Mongols
buy comes from Kwei-hua-cheng and Pao-tu,
a very commercial city on the Yellow River
to the west, and about ISO miles from the
Blue Town. While at Pao-tu the chief firms
are worth 100,000 taels, those at Ning-hsia do
not reach in value the sum of 20,000. Ning-hsia
practically exists on the com trade, wool, camels'
hair, and the manufacture of excellent carpets of
all hues and sizes, from a saddle-cloth to the
covering of the largest Krang. The dues paid
by the boats that carry from Kansu to Kwei-
hua-cheng the produce of this great province,
bring in a large and valuable profit to the Man-
darins, but very little to the general population.
Having left the old temple behind us and
crossed the relics of fortifications which lie in the
centre of the city, we went towards two very
high towers in excellent preservation, which are
the only monuments really worthy of attention.
They are about 125 feet high, and have seven
stories. It is absolutely forbidden to climb the
56 DISTRIBUTE GIFTS TO FOLLOWERS [CH.IH
stairs within, since the day when a merchant,
having mounted to the top storey, threw himself
down and dashed out his brains. Never having
succumbed to the fascination of climbing stairs,
several hundred steps high, we did not insist
upon admission. But the view from the top of
these towers should be very fine, for It must
command the plains of the Ordos, the great
ribband of the Yellow River, and the mountains
of Alashan. These mountains rise on the west and
north-west not far from Mng-hsia. Their highest
altitude is only 10,500 feet, but I doubt if there is
anywhere a mountain chain more bare, uncultivated,
and wild. I shall allude to this again later on.
Having returned to the inn we presided at a
distribution of small gifts for the recompense
of the Chinese and Mongol Mandarins who
had accompanied us across the Ordos. The
presents, which consisted chiefly of pieces of silk,
saddles, pipes, and snuff - boxes, were received
by the Chinese with expressions of the liveliest
gratitude. But not so by the Mongol Mandarins.
Being very poor, the highest do not blush to
accept small pieces of money, and our gifts in
kind did not seem to please them. I acted how-
ever, as though I did not understand the mimic
farce of their troubled faces, and I dismissed the
whole crowd with a few words of good- will. I
learnt later that the Mongols promptly resorted
to the nearest shops and sold for a quarter of
their value the presents they had received. With
CONVERSATION WITH THE TCHENTAI 57
the proceeds of the sale they proceeded to buy
Chinese brandy, and became so intoxicated that
they could not start on their homeward way for
two or three days.
When a Mongol gets the chance of eating his
fill at some one else's expense he can take in
more nourishment than a member of any other
race. During the two days that I entertained the
King of Ottock's servants at Ning-hsia they ate
60 Ibs. of flour, without counting other ingredients,
being only eight men in all. Poor fellows ! after
all, I don't blame them, for they often spend
days practically fasting.
Towards evening the Tchentai, or Commander-
in-Chief of the district, came to visit us. This
exalted officer had not been with us more than
five minutes, drinking the cup of tea, with
which, according to etiquette, I had at once
supplied him, when I perceived that he was
particularly uncomfortable. His manners were
constrained, and his politeness forced. I questioned
him closely, anxious to discover the reason of his
strange behaviour, and soon found that he had
divers disagreeable affairs and complications on
his mind, which had recently arisen between the
authorities and the Christian Missions of San-tao-
ho and the neighbourhood. He told me a series
of more or less unlikely stories, but amongst
them some facts which seemed unluckily only too
probable. The most recent disorder was due to
concessions of land, and blood had been shed.
3 WE LEAVE NING-HSIA [oH.ra.
I do not intend at present to enlarge upon
he subject of missionaries and missions, of their
aethods of work, of the good and the evil which
hey bring about, but I will merely state that
heir custom of setting up and establishing colonies -
>f Christian peasants, and trying to withdraw them
nore or less from the control of their natural
governors, however vicious the latter may be, is
me of the reasons which make a good understand-
ng impossible between the missionaries and the
Mandarins. Soon after this description of the
situation the Tehentai rose and went off to
smoke a large number of pipes of opium in
bus dilapidated palace. Several other important
people also came to see us, but all seemed more
or less inimical and averse to us, and realising
that we could expect no good from them we
decided to lose no time in leaving Ning-hsia.
Our way lay northward and followed, at a
greater or less distance, the course of the Yellow
River. The road was dusty, flat, and dull.
As our animals were still tired after crossing
the Ordos, we moved only slowly through a
monotonous country ; on all sides were flourish-
ing crops, for the plain is alluvial, formed by
the river, and exceedingly fertile. The cottages,
as usual, were made of mud without any taste
or ornament. Here and there popular supersti-
tion had erected a small temple to the genii of
all kinds, which the imagination of that childish
people has created. These pagodas are generally
CANALS DUG BY THE JESUITS 59
crumbling to ruin, and keep only some strips of
painting, constantly rain-washed, as evidence of
their former glories. The irrigation of the fields
was well devised, and the channels had been dug
with a genuine knowledge of the requirements
of cultivation.
We went slowly through some small villages
where our presence excited public curiosity, and
we stopped for the night at an inn where a
strong smell of opium prevailed in spite of our
care in opening both doors and windows. The
following morning the cold was intense as com-
pared with the day before, with a cutting north
wind blowing from the already ice-covered plain
of the Upper Gobi. Our march was consequently
a trying one, and we were glad to reach Ping-lo,
and to fall upon a hot meal offered us by an
obliging shopkeeper, who gave us hospitality for
some hours. Ping-lo has been a flourishing city,
but here, as in all northern China, half the town
is in ruins. Everywhere it is the same true and
sorrowful story of a nation that has ruined itself
by its vices and stagnation.
Travelling as fast as the condition of our steeds
would allow, we succeeded in reaching the mission
of Hia-hin-tse before night. The road, fairly good
to start with, became more difficult as we advanced
along the great canal which was dug by the Jesuits
before their great exodus from China more than
two centuries ago. This canal was made with great
skill, for after this long lapse of time, the water
60 FLOOD OF THE YELLOW RIVEE [OH.IH.
which still flows along it has done very fittle
damage to Its banks. It distributes its fertilising
fluid over regions which, but for it, would be
almost wholly barren, being a little above the
level of the inundations of the river.
Having left the canal the road became very
bad. As the river had flooded the high road we
had to turn off across wheat fields, often flooded
as well. We used the hedges between the fields
and the tracks trodden by the cattle. The result
of all these inconveniences was that we reached
Hia-hin-tse very late in the evening. The scenery
before us at dawn next morning was both depress-
ing and strange, but one not easily forgotten.
On three sides a sheet of water poured
out by the Yellow River stretched calm and
mighty. It had covered the fields, overthrown
the houses, flooded the roads, and, to put it
shortly, arrested all life. On Its waters, hardly
stirred by a light wind, flotsam of all kinds was
to be seen, a testimony to the wretchedness of
the inhabitants, driven from their homes by the
pitiless flood. Here were the beams of a roof,
there a coffin. The current, in some places,
fairly swift, especially where It had burst the river
banks, had been strong enough to detach several of
these funereal objects from their resting-places, and
those that had not been entirely submerged floated
half rotting on the surface, sometimes containing
the relics of skeletons. The custom of the poor
Chinese of depositing coffins upon the fields, with-
TROUBLES OF MISSION OF HIA-H1N-TSE 61
out 'even covering them with earth, leaves them
open to these mischances. In some places where
the level of the flood had begun to sink, amid frag-
ments of wood and rags of cloth, one struck one's
foot against a bleached skull half full of water.
On the chief road leading to the main
entrance of the mission, and a little to the
right, rose a funereal structure several feet high,
made of a rope fixed to two stakes of wood,
Cases, with bars far apart, ten in number, swung
from this rope in the wind, and held no less
than ten heads of executed criminals, Some
months before Hia-hin-tse had been the scene
of a tragic murder of missionaries in the follow-
ing circumstances.
During the trouble of 1900 the wives of some
Christian Chinese had been seized, and sold in all
directions. Several of them had been bought by
Mussulmans, who are numerous and powerful in
this district. The missionaries, eagerly seeking for
these women wherever they were to be found,
and rescuing them without paying the indemnity
demanded by their actual husbands, had raised
against themselves lively feelings of hatred and
revenge. A coalition was formed which resulted
in a plot and the consequent slaughter of two
Belgian priests. The Mandarins on hearing of
this had arrested a certain number of supposed
criminals, and had beheaded them. To make the
punishment better known, and to produce a greater
effect upon the people, they had suspended these
68 WE DECIDE TO GO TO SAN-TAO-HO [OH. in.
hideous trophies close to the scene of this crime,
and, moreover, as the Mussulmans were far from
being pacified, and the agitation continued, they
had stationed at Hia-hin-tse a small picket of
soldiers with instructions to keep order. These
gentlemen spent their time in smoking opium
and in plundering the surrounding peasantry, and
if fresh trouhle breaks out in this spot, I shall
be surprised if these soldiers do not take the lead
in any crime that may be committed.
Having enjoyed the kind hospitality offered
us for three days, we resumed our journey to
San-tao-ho, the most important of the Christian
colonies established in Mongolia, which I was
very anxious to see. To do so, San - tao - ho
being some hundreds of miles down the Yellow
River to the north, we had only to follow the
banks of the river. However, this course, though
simple, did not attract us, for not far from Hia-
hin-tse great sand-banks come down to the level
of the water, and being very loose, make a march
over them very difficult.
On the suggestion of a native we decided to
make for Shih-tsui-tse, close by, and to hire a
boat there, and go down the swift current to our
destination. No sooner decided than done ; we
did not linger. We reached the little town of
Shih-tsui-tse, at 5 P.M., as we had been long
delayed on our road by diverse sections of the
flood, and by the slippery mud left behind by
the receding waters. It is only a tiny village,
TRAVELLING ON THE YELLOW RIVER 63
and i>ut for the constant passage of boats would
not even exist.
The boat which had been reserved for us was
about 80 feet long, and something like 10 feet
broad. It was flat bottomed and square prowed,
divided into three compartments by wooden
screens. In the middle compartment a kind of
hut of matting had been constructed in which
we settled ourselves very comfortably, delighted
by the idea of drifting lazily down the stream,
and of avoiding a ride of several miles on horse-
back with the north wind blowing in our faces.
We did not leave that night, the darkness being
too dense, but the master of the boat, a suspicious-
looking Mussulman, wearing the little white cap
peculiar to his race, assured us that he would start
down stream at daybreak next morning. On
waking we found that he had kept his word. We
were gliding rapidly on the muddy waters between
the wide banks of the river. The appearance
of the country was constantly changing. First
bare and naked rocks, then bushes of tamarisk,
then sand-hills shining in the sun. The boat
went down the current almost as fast as the
stream, and I calculated our pace at about S
miles an hour when the banks drew together,
and at about 5 when they opened out again.
Nothing could be more pleasant than this rapid
and peaceful motion without dust or friction.
After many months this journey is one of our
most agreeable recollections. The country that
64 TRAFFIC ON THE YELLOW RIVER [OH. rot.
we were slipping through was lighted up by a
warm sun, and the creaking of the long piece
of wood acting as a rudder was the only noise
that reached our ears.
From time to time we passed a barge very low
in the water, its speed checked by its heavy load ,
or we met an empty boat returning from Pao-tu
painfully towed along the banks by the boatmen.
From Shih-tsui-tse, where we had embarked,
to Pao-tu, the hire of a boat is 50 taels, and
a boat carries 80 tins of merchandise, or 9,000
Ibs. in Chinese measure. A boat accomplishes
the journey of 300 miles in six or seven days,
but to get up stream again and return to its
starting-point it requires three or four weeks,
according to the energy of its crew. A large
number of boats ply upon this river. Between
the two points which I have named, and between
which I could gather statistics, no less than
5,000 boats ply their trade. A service of steam
tugs to tow them to and fro, and reduce the
trip from thirty -five days to six, would meet
with certain success, and would unquestionably
fill the pockets of its shareholders. The river is
nowhere too swift for navigation or too shallow
for the boats. Our crew repeatedly assured me
that the river was at least 5 feet deep all over
its course from bank to bank; that depth is
ample. There are certainly constantly shifting
sand-banks, but it is the business of the pilots
to locate their positions daily, and to avoid them.
I KILL A SACRED ANTELOPE 65
On the afternoon of this restful and charm-
ing day, while we were gliding 1 along the range
of mountains called Arbas-ulan s about 7,000 feet
.in height, the most important elevation on the
Ordos plateau, I suddenly sighted an antelope
chinking in fancied security, and betraying no
excitement at our passing. In the hope of
getting a good shot I gave orders to draw near
the bank, and set about getting possession of the
precious game. I soon saw that it had left the
water and was browsing on the tough grass. I
fired, the animal gave a leap, trotted a few yards,
and stopped. I had obviously missed it, and
expected to see it disappear at full speed, but
to my great surprise it did not move. With
a grateful uplifting of my heart I aimed at it
again, and brought it down. However, I was
covered with confusion and horror on discovering
when I reached it that the graceful animal's neck
was decked with the prayer - slips and bits of
red cloth with which the superstitious Mongols
dedicate all sorts of beasts to the gods, and was
in fact a tame one !
Not far away towards the mountains I was soon
aware of two tents, and of a still more disagreeable
sight, namely, some half dozen Mongols running up
gesticulating wildly. With the help of two boat-
men who had followed me, I tried in all haste to
carry the antelope to tjie boat. But the Mongols
were too fast for us, they cut across our path,
and began to insult and threaten us. To calm
66 ARRIVAL AT SAN-TAO-HO [OH. in.
them I offered them an ingot of silver, but that
was not enough for them. They demanded a sum
which it would have been quite absurd to pay.
Handing them 5 taels, about three times the value-
of the antelope at Mng-hsia, I made for the boat
and got on board safely with my booty, which
proved afterwards to be very tender and tasty.
In the evening we stopped at the village of
Tung-ku on the bank of the river, for the boats
never continue their journey at night. This is a
little point perdu, half buried in sand, which the
wind piles up in mounds for some distance, and
owes its relative importance only to the salt trade.
After a peaceful night we continued our
journey through country very like that which
we had seen the day before. On the left bank
were numerous tamarisks and sand-hills, on the
right bank sand and dry mud. Towards three
o'clock in the afternoon we came in sight of San-
tao-ho, and having found with some difficulty
a convenient landing - place, we were heartily
welcomed by Monsignor Bermyn, Vicar Apostolic
of the Ordos and of Western Mongolia. As I
have said before San-tao-ho is one of the largest
Christian colonies to be met with, and one of
the most flourishing. Thousands of peasants live
around it, and though I do not approve of the
principles by which they have been collected, yet
I must admire the hard work and the persever-
ance displayed by the missionaries who have
erected such an establishment.
HISTORY OF SAN-TAO-HO 67
Here, as everywhere, at the same season of
the year, the flood had done great damage. The
disaster now extended so far that most of the
'crops were destroyed, and the cultivators were
compelled to live on little, and to look to the
mission as a nursing mother. San-tao-ho, properly
speaking, comprises a fairly large quadrangular
circuit of walls built of mud mixed with straw,
supporting a raised walk. These walls offer a
good resistance to bullets and common balls,
My own experience enables me to state that a
Mannlicher rifle bullet fired from 20 yards off
does not penetrate them further than 6 inches.
Their greatest enemy is the water from the floods
which washes their base, and dislodges little by
little the material of which they are built.
Inside, the church, the residence, a large garden
and a small village are side by side. Also the
dwellings of the missionaries, who had given us
one of their best rooms, are comfortable, what
gave us the keenest pleasure were the vegetable
garden and the park, with its large and fine trees.
Such splendour surpasses the expectation of the
traveller who has just crossed the Ordos, and
pauses for a moment at the entrance to the
terrible desert of Alashan.
San-tao-ho has a history of its own, which it
would take a long time to record in detail. I
will only say that during the troubles of 1900,
instead of running away and leaving their
Christians in the moment of danger, after giving
68 ADVANTAGES OF BEING A CHRISTIAN [CH.IH.
them many fine promises in times of peaCe, as
certain misguided missionaries did, the missionaries
of San-tao-ho undertook a fine defence, which was
rewarded by the flight of the Boxers and the*
safety of their converts.
Around San-tao-ho there are numerous
Christians cultivating the lands conceded to them,
and living happily enough together. When there
is any dispute, or any cause for the intervention
of authority, it is referred to the bishop, who
maintains a constant court of appeal. The worst
of this system is that the Christians consider their
missionaries morally bound to support them under
all circumstances, whether they are right or
wrong. In case of famine, instead of looking
for work or relying on their own industry for
their food, they have recourse to the ever-open
purse. Under these conditions to be a Christian
is to be practically certain of support. It is not
to be wondered at that many find in a change
of religion a provision for daily bread.
The authorities are apparently very ill-disposed
towards San-tao-ho. I had proofs of that at
Ning-hsia. Here I gained more. Pamphlets,
hostile to Europeans, have been posted up close
by. In fact San-tao-ho is perpetually at war with
all the neighbouring authorities. The actions of
the Tartar Marshal do not make for peace, when
he takes back from the actual tenants the lands
yielded on bail by the Mongols. In doing this
he acts in the name of Fekin, but, by offering
EXCURSION IN THE NORTH OF ALASHAN 69
no reasonable compensation, he unduly Irritates
the people. Bands of brigands scour the country,
and are largely composed of dispossessed persons.
One frequently hears of murders committed upon
the official envoys or their troops. The authority
of the Tartar Marshal does not seem to be worth
much here.
I mention all these little facts to give the
reader as exact an idea as possible of what
is going on away from the great centres. At
Pekin the pass word is " Set fair " ; in the
interior it is otherwise. Jealousy, lying, treason,
and murder occur daily, whether between
Christians and Chinese or among the Chinese
themselves. It has always been so ; it will be
so for years to come, wherever the influence of
Japan does not extend. We hear on all sides
that China is changing. China has not changed.
It is only her Government that is trying to
change. In certain directions it may succeed,
but a long number of years that no one can
calculate must pass before the hundreds of millions
of Chinese peasants shall awake from the sense-
less lethargy of their daily life.
We decided to leave our hospitable shelter for
some days in order to push on a little into the
north of Alashan. We wished to visit the old
buried cities which used to flourish on the banks
now deserted by the Yellow River. The river has
often changed its course, being constantly divided
by the sands of the desert. We also intended
70 WAY TO THE WEST [OH.IH.
to visit, on our way from the south, the temple
of Aque-miao, at which the Russian explorer,
Obrotchieff, spent some time on his way from
the north-west.
The caravan was made up of camels. I had
bought some new ones., and had no idea of taking
any other animals into a country largely composed
of loose sand.
An amusing incident marked the beginning of
our march. One camel, awkward as they all are,
managed to tumble into a ditch of thick mud
between the road and a wheat field. When once
fallen a camel can only get up again if it can
arrange its large feet conveniently under it, and
if the ground is nearly flat. In this case it was
not so. And the animal lay with all 4 feet
in the air, perfectly resigned, and incapable of
a single movement to help itself. To draw it
out took more than half an hour, and required
the united efforts of many men, with cords passed
under the camel's back.
Having marched 85 Us, say 11 miles, to the
north of San - tao - ho, across the fields of the
Christians we turned certainly westward, and at
once entered upon a change of scene. When we
had crossed two or three sand-hills we were in
open desert. We followed a faint path made by
caravans of camels which had gone before us, and
that evening we halted on the edge of a well
with no margin, imperceptible from 10 yards
away.
WE DISCOVER OLD TOMBS 71
The following morning we started early, and
did 13 miles in the same direction before
breakfast. As all this country is simply a desert,
'with very few wells dug by caravan drivers, we
did not find any water to drink, and started again
at once. Towards evening we reached the bank
of one of the old beds of the Yellow Biver. The
wind has made enormous fissures in the bank,
and all the neighbourhood has suffered from this
erosion. Not far away, there is a well, sheltered
by two sand-hills, which could not be found without
a skilled guide, such as the Mongol Norbo whom
we had brought with us. The mountains were
covered by clouds, all the sand-hills were alike,
and yet this son of the desert did not hesitate
for a moment about the actual position of the
well which he had only visited himself once
before.
On 16th September we only travelled a
short distance towards the south-west, but we
reached a particularly interesting point of the
desert. Amid the bare and wild expanse were
more than three hundred tombs, half sunk in the
alluvial ground, some covered with sand, some
gaping, others perfectly intact. These are the
most striking and impressive traces of a former
considerable civilisation which we were the first
to look upon, after a lapse of time impossible to
calculate accurately, during which they have been
lost to the knowledge of men.
These tombs are from three to four yards long
73 SEEVANTS OBJECT TO VIOLATION [OH.III.
and, as a rule, a yard and a half wide. There are
generally two together, and round each of these
pairs the old lines of the ditches which surrounded
them can foe traced. This is the usual Chinese"
procedure in the case of the tombs of rich persons..
A ditch or a low wall divides them from the
neighbouring field. Their summits are in the
shape of a dome ; the space which they occupy
is rectangular. They are built of large and heavy
bricks, grey in colour, occasionally red, and about
a foot square. Some of these bricks have been
reduced to powder by the wind and the sand,
but some are still perfectly intact, and they are
certainly the heaviest and strongest bricks that
I have ever seen.
I had decided to extract from these tombs all
the information I could, and I ordered the men
to attack one of the best preserved with a pickaxe.
I had some trouble in getting this done, for to
a Chinamen the violation of a tomb is a serious
matter, and he fully believes in his superstition
that such an act will cast an evil spell over the
rest of his life.
However, after some time they had to obey,
and the pickaxe resounded on these old bricks,
which offered a great resistance. Having removed
the upper part of the tomb we found a piece of
exceedingly hard ground exactly filling the interior.
The men dug a kind of well 5 or 6 feet deep, and
from this depth the spade brought up a large
quantity of broken wood, . This wood, which
WE FIND OLD COINS AND POTTERY *t$
seemfed to me to be poplar, must have been very
ancient. The fragments were, moreover, scattered
and separated by layers of earth. I was quite
unable to find bones or any other object. Leaving
my men to cook their dinner, I went down myself
into the hole that they had dug to examine the
ground more closely. It was alluvial ground
which did not seem to have been placed here by
human hand, for every three or four millimetres
an unbroken horizontal line ran across the deposit.
This alluvial earth seemed to have penetrated the
tomb, and settled there long after the construction
of the monument.
Not far from the tombs-, and spread in great
abundance over the ground, were small fragments
of pottery. Having found only the remains of
ancient coffins inside the tombs, I set myself to
search carefully in the places where I found this
pottery, and was lucky enough to find some old
coins, ancient sapeques, arrow heads in flint, and
the handle of a kind of spoon. Amongst all these
fragments I selected several broken pieces of
pottery which had formerly been part of vases
and basins, the design on which was specially
remarkable. I found also some earthenware
marbles such as children play with, a whetstone
for sharpening knives, and various objects more or
less broken up, of which I could not determine
the origin or the use.
Continuing my investigation I came to an
old brick furnace entirely demolished. Was it
74 BEGINNING OF THE COLD SEASON (Win.
that in which the builders of the tombs use*d to
make the magnificent bricks that we had admired ?
I could not be sure, but it was likely enough.
Then again the ground was covered with pottery
broken almost to dust. I could not understand,
how it had become reduced to such tiny fragments.
How did it happen that they were hardly covered
with earth, and seemed to have lain there only a
few weeks? Probably the wind had recently
displaced the sand which covered them. How-
ever, night came on, and I had to postpone my
researches till the next day.
At dawn, on 17th September, I began again
to examine the traces of this vanished life. On
the west, amid fairly high sand-hills, I found a great
number of human bones. Having examined them
carefully I discovered that they were not of great
antiquity, and were only the skeletons of Mongols
abandoned at this deserted spot, according to
their custom, by their relations after death.
As a more prolonged search did not seem
likely to bring any fresh results, we marched back
towards the well which we had left the evening
before, to the great pleasure of our horses, who
had had nothing to drink for more than twenty-
four hours. There is not a drop of water or a
patch of good grass in all this place.
The night of the 18th September was very
cold, 24 F. We suffered from it only less
than our people, who believing that winter would
not set in so soon, were still wearing their light
,
GRAVES DISCOVERED NEAR POU-IIOTl).
THE RUINED CITY OF PORO-HOTO 75
summer clothing. They spent the night in feeding
a great fire with dry brushwood, and did not sleep
at all, so that they were ready to make an early
start.
Moving northward again, through a desolate
and dreary desert, we made for some ruins, the
exact situation of which our guide Norho said
that he knew. The Mongols, who venture into
these regions in pursuit of a strayed camel, call
these ruins Poro-hoto or Grey Town.
Having journeyed for 20 miles, and crossed
an old bed of the Yellow River, we stopped in a
kind of funnel formed by the wind, between three
high sand-hills, which sheltered us from the cold
wind. The camels began to eat some brushwood
round about. All was silent and still.
The ruined city was not far from our camp,
and we went there the next morning accompanied
by ten men carrying pickaxes and spades.
This city is rectangular in form with four gates,
and in one of the angles there was clearly a citadel,
behind which there were two temples. On the
ground are remains of tiles from the roof, and many
pieces of iron and lead which seemed to have
been melted in a great fire. I began to dig here ;
the men worked willingly, for this time we were
not profaning a tomb. My disappointment grew
with the size of the hole that we made. The spade
brought up nothing but fragments like those upon
the surface bits of iron, lead, or leather, and pieces
of coloured tiles. I had another opening made a
76 DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY !>i.m.
little further on. The result was the same s except
that we found a coin such as we had found
two days before In the tomb. I therefore gave
up the site of the temples, and we went round*
the circuit of the city. Large stones without
cement unquestionably mark the site of the
yamen built against the northern wall and facing
south, in front of the chief gate. These stones
were foundations of the different buildings, and
from them the fallen rooms can be reconstructed ;
on all sides there were many coloured tiles which
had crumbled away, and fragments which seemed
to have been wantonly broken.
As we were finishing this identification a
Mongol appeared in a breach of the circuit wall,
and politely enquired the object of our visit.
When satisfied on this matter he told us that
no Mongol in Alashan knows the true origin and
history of Poro-hoto. Long before our visit the
shepherds and camel drivers, who happened to
pass close to the site, had searched carefully and
taken all the coins and small objects which they
found on the surface of the ground. He assured
us that not far from our camp there were more
tombs, and according to legends the bones inside
them were much larger and heavier than those of
the men of to-day. Having thanked this good
Mongol, who lived in a poor little tent some miles
to the north, and made a living by rearing some
thin camels, we made for the site of the tombs
of which he had spoken. They were like those
WE LOSE OUB WAY 77
which we had examined two days before, but in
a better state of preservation. I managed to
unearth a thighbone, but its length was quite
normal, and it did not seem very ancient.
Towards six o'clock in the evening, after having
sent our guide "Norbo to buy provisions from a
Mongol tent, we began our march towards a
well which the Mongol had told us was not far
away, and which I hoped to find myself. Far
away or not, I could not find it, and after having
wandered till ten o'clock without a guide, and
following constantly crossing trails of camels, I
finally ordered a halt in a little valley between
the sand-hills, which had the advantage of being
covered with brushwood, which afforded the means
of making a fire, and that was something. We
had not a drop of water, and after a day spent in
pretty severe exertion in the ruins of Poro-hoto,
not having had anything to drink since morning,
we were very thirsty. So keen was our need for
water that we could not eat some rapidly roasted
meat, which would only have increased our
thirst.
We lay down to sleep, after having heard the
complaints of the men in the caravan. Whenever
anything disagreeable happens, these gentlemen,
who are accustomed to very little, are loudest
in their lamentations.
On 20th September the sun had hardly risen
when we set out in the hope of quenching our
thirst as soon as possible. Under the friendly
78 A WELL IN THE DESERT [CH.ZB.
light of day we could follow the wide road without
losing it, and having at last found a trail made
by caravan camels, and not wandering animals,
I knew that we should soon find a well.
As we advanced, the sand-hills became highey
and broader, and there were very few traces of
vegetation. We moved fast, and the mountains
which sheltered Aque-miao drew nearer to us.
Suddenly from the top of a sand-hill we saw
two or three hundred camels driven by some
Mongol girls, making for a point not far on
our left. Accordingly we changed our course
a little, and came to a well where these girls
were watering the camels, which are brought
up in freedom in the district. These girls were
about sixteen or seventeen years old, and had
smiling faces, clouded for a moment by the
surprise caused by our arrival. They did not
seem frightened by the camels which crowded
around them, biting and rearing in the hope of
getting the first drink. From time to time they
struck them on the nose with a bit of rope, and
went on quietly drawing water in a wooden cane
bucket, as closely made as possible, but which
allowed a great part of the precious liquid to
escape on the way. Having asked them for a
little water, they amiably offered us the bucket
out of which a camel had just drunk, and were
greatly astonished at our insisting upon a more
appetising draught.
We made a short halt near this well, and ate
TOWAKDS AQUE-MIAO 79
a light meal quickly cooked on a fire easily fed
with camel dung.
As we were setting out again, Norbo appeared,
bringing the necessary provisions. He had spent
all the night, he said, looking for us, terrified by
the thought that we might be lost.
I knew the Mongol well enough to be aware
that all his explanations were a mere matter of
politeness. Norbo had spent an excellent night
not far from the well where he had rejoined us,
after an excellent dinner, the proof of which was
a considerable breach in the provisions which he
had brought.
We were not far from, the lamasery of Aque-
miao, which we intended to visit. To get there
we had only to cross the little strip of sandy
desert 4 or 5 miles across which still lay between
us and the Chara-nariii-ulan mountains.
Towards noon we reached these mountains.
They are not very high, and are absolutely barren.
Their naked sides rise above the desert like a
great deep-coloured wall, sometimes blue, some-
times yellow, or white or pink. At the foot of
them, here and there, a spring or a well gives
water for the caravans coming from Kansu
through Rapalaraitze, and going to Pao-tu or to
Urga. Small temples have been built In these
places, and the lamas live on the tolls of the
caravan drivers.
Before entering the Pass of Aque, named from
the temple inside it, I noticed a little to the right
80 ARRIVAL AT AQUE-MIAO [cam.
a high and broad fissure which is called the Pass
of the Kalchas. Through it many missionaries
escaped in 1900, avoiding the danger which they
thought was imminent in Kansu. This was als
the road taken by one of the envoys sent by the
King of Belgium into Kansu, in the hope of
securing mining concessions. The name of the
Pass of Kalchas, given it by the caravan drivers,
is justified by the fact that it leads to the country
of the Kalchas Mongols who live in the north of
Gobi, not far from Urga,
The gorge which we had entered contained
some picturesque bits, in spite, or perhaps because,
of their extreme wildness. All along the river
bed, which was dry, were successions of cairns,
covered with small stones set up by the pious
superstition of Mongol pilgrims, who believe that
this homage will please the gods.
As we went up, the ravine became extremely
narrow, and left us just room to pass ; then
suddenly it opened into a circle surrounded by
hills. In this circle were the terraced Temples
of Aque-miao. We reached them at 2 P.M.
The lamas had had only one European
visitor, and they seemed to look upon the
approach of our modest caravan with some fear.
In 1900 they caused the plunder and death of
Christians of San-tao-ho and the neighbouring
mission, by working upon the excited feelings of
the people, and preaching a holy war. They
knew that we came from San-tao-ho, and dreaded
DESCRIPTION OF THE TEMPLE 81
reprisals. In trepidation they led us towards the
great tent adorned with festal cushions of yellow
tapestry, and pitched in a court, while the caravan
drivers went to another tent, rather larger but
quite plain.
The usual courtesies took place, tea was poured
out and drunk, and little by little I reassured them
about our visit. We only wanted to see their
temples, which had been described to us as very
interesting, and having done that we should leave
the next day. The latter portion of my speech
seemed to give them peculiar pleasure, and at my
request they prepared to act as guides to us.
Aque-miao was not like any of the lamaseries
which we had seen. Its site is extremely wild, a
little plain formed by the meeting of the valleys
which open upon it, surrounded by pointed and
almost inaccessible rocks, which keep the sun from
it nearly all day. The temples have only one
storey, they are white with square windows,
painted red, and they have terraces. A great
cairn rises in front of them, and the annual fair
or market is held around it. The houses of the
Buddhist priests cling here and there to the sides
of the rocks, and one has to reach them by such
difficult paths that, having once arrived safely,
one has no great desire to go down again.
However the most curious sights of Aque-miao
are not confined to its position, but are to be found
more especially in a temple built in a grotto half-
way up the hill, and in an underground passage
82 LAMAS OBJECT TO SHOW GROTTOES [CH.IH.
of which the Mongols speak with the greatest
veneration.
To reach the chief temple we climbed a pretty
steep stair which brought us out 300 feet
above the other temples. A painted wooden
railing ran all the way up, and here and there,
but very close together, are fixed small praying
wheels, so that while going up to the temple the
lamas may reap a large harvest of merit. It
seems to me that the feat of climbing this
slippery stair, which must be impassable after a fall
of snow, several times a day, is in itself sufficiently
meritorious. When we reached the gates of the
temple we had to wait some time, for the porter
in charge of the keys was very old, and had great
difficulty in climbing. When the heavy gates
were opened we made our way into a natural cave
which has been utilised by the lamas, and trans-
formed into a hall of worship. It does not con-
tain any large or remarkable statues, but there
are in it a great number of silk rags, banners,
and wax candles. The hall was cold and damp,
and a strong smell of grease made a longer stay
unpleasant to the nostrils of a European.
When we had come down again from this
eyrie I asked our guide, a very respectable lama,
to judge by his girth, to take us at once to the
grotto. He promised to go and fetch the key,
but returned no more. I had a search made for
him, but he was not to be found. As to the other
lamas, when questioned, they professed a complete
THE GROTTO OF RED OCHRE 83
ignorance as to the living place of our guide, and
affirmed that he alone could open the grotto.
Clearly the lamas had no desire to see us profane
this sacred place, but as it formed part of our plan
of inspection, I sent to the chief lama to say that
we should remain at Aque-miao, at his expense,
until we had seen this famous grotto. This threat
produced an excellent effect. Our guide re-
appeared, and without giving any excuse for his
conduct, begged us to follow him. We went
back about three-quarters of a mile along- the road
which we had trodden in the morning, and the
lama invited us to scramble along the rocky
rampart. At first sight it seemed to us impossible
to venture upon those slippery stones in fur boots.
I sent one of my men in front, but he soon came
back saying that there was a narrow path. So we
began to climb. In places the rock was so slippery
that the help of my bare-footed men was most
useful. This climb is really dangerous, a single
slip, and we should have fallen Into an abyss of
some hundred feet.
At last we arrived safely at the entry of the
grotto, and entered it through a little low wooden
door, quite plain. There was thick darkness
within. Some tallow candles burning before the
little gilded figures hardly gave us light enough
to guide our steps. The floor was very uneven,
and the ceiling varied in height, with the disagree-
able result that we were constantly knocking our
heads against it. The pilgrims are obliged to
84 AN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE [CH.UI.
crawl into a little hole 3 feet square in the
middle of the passage to reach the furthest hall.
The general effect is certainly strange, but not
nearly so remarkable as I had hoped. On coining
out we both gave a cry of surprise. We were
red, absolutely red, in face, hands, and clothes !
The walls of the grotto were of red ochre, which
comes off at the least touch, and we had taken no
precautions. We did our best to rid ourselves of
this colouring, a little too gaudy for our taste,
and our efforts seemed to give much pleasure to
the lamas who were with us.
Just as we began to come down I noticed on
one side a little above the entrance to the grotto
a four-wheeled chariot resting on a small platform.
The presence of this unexpected vehicle is thus
explained. Some time ago, the lamas of Urga
sent a statue of Buddha, with a caravan of
pilgrims, in homage to Aque-miao. This statue
was brought from the south of Siberia to Alashan
on the chariot which we had seen, and the chariot
had been sanctified by its burden. The statue is
in the grotto, and the chariot outside. It is built
so that the front wheels are not independent of the
back wheels, which must prove inconvenient in
turning. It seemed well preserved.
I wondered how it had been possible to drag
such a heavy burden along the slippery rock,
worn by the feet of lamas and pilgrims. It is
but another proof that superstition is one of
the most potent levers in the world.
POSITION OF THE SAND IN NORTH ALASHAN 85
Before leaving Aque-miao, on 21st Sept-
ember, we had an excellent meal, owing to the
great number of red partridges which lived
amongst the neighbouring rock. The lamas were
very much scandalised at hearing the echo of
shots in so sacred a place, but our fear of offend-
ing them gave way before our desire for a good
dish. As it is contrary to their rules to kill
anything, or to shed blood, the game, which has
never been disturbed, is not at all wild. I was
told that wild goats often come to drink at the
monastery wells.
Our return to San-tao-ho was marked by one
incident. Three of the camels, no doubt think-
ing that they had had too little to eat during
the week, escaped one night, while their drivers,
according to their custom, were fast asleep instead
of watching.
The country was without variety, a vast alluvial
plain crossed by ridges of sand occasionally lofty,
and often crumbling, which made our advance
difficult. With regard to this portion of the
Alashan desert it is well to note these points.
The sand is chiefly collected at the two ends,
which touch the mountains and the river. At
these points the altitude of the sand is consider-
able, while in the centre there is little sand,
but loess and clay. On the other hand, I could
not fix the general current of the wind in this
district. The sand-hills face in every direction,
and change very rapidly. I myself observed, on
86 WE LEAVE SAN-TAO-HQ [OH.UI.
17th September,, that the strong wind which was
then blowing for less than two hours described a
complete circle of 860. Rain falls seldom in
'the centre of this desert, and the twisted shape-
of the loess, now like an old tower, now hollowed
into deep ravines, or built up in pyramids, must
be due to asolian erosion, powerfully aided by
the sand moved by the wind.
After some days spent in pleasant idleness
at San-tao-ho we resumed our march towards the
capital of the King of Alashan by a road which
no European had ever taken, crossing another
part of the desert of Alashan.
Our staff had undergone more changes. Since
our Annamite cook had not been able to break
himself off his drunken habits, but, on the con-
trary, had developed them to the extent of absorb-
ing two quarts of Chinese brandy daily, and was
quite incapable of working, I decided to give
him enough money to take him back to Pekin.
I have never heard of him since, and I doubt
as to his whereabouts, for he would certainly
have drunk his journey money in a very short
time. But what could I do? He had really
become a nuisance, and had to be suppressed.
Henceforth all our servants and camel drivers,
six in number, were men from San-tao-ho four
Chinese and two Mongols. These latter had
charge of the nine camels, which, with eight
horses, formed the caravan.
Is it advantageous or otherwise to have
ABOUT CHRISTIAN SERVANTS 87
Christian servants when travelling in China? I
should answer the question in the negative.
The fact is that Christians, accustomed to being
'constantly helped and pampered by their mis-
sionaries, consider themselves specially unlucky
unless they always receive the same amiable
and confidential treatment. But the chief of a
caravan must keep his men at a distance, and
make himself respected, and this is impossible
in dealing with Chinese Christians, who become
insolently familiar, and discuss their orders as
soon as they cease to grovel. After a few days
they are discontented, and constantly threaten
to report to their missionaries the cavalier treat-
ment which they are receiving. With this nation
above all others fear is the beginning of wisdom.
I should always recommend travellers to take
with them heathen Chinese, not opium smokers,
if possible, to pay them liberally, and to punish
them mercilessly for the least fault. For money
the Chinaman will go anywhere, and usually
behaves well when his evil instincts are held in
check by the hope of a large reward. The
Christians are as great thieves as the heathen,
but they are more hypocritical, and certainly
more deceitfuL Finally, there are opium smokers
among them, as I proved later on.
We started under a bright sky; after some
miles we reached a tamarisk wood on the banks
of the Yellow River, which was very picturesque.
The shrubs rise about 13 or 14 feet above
88 OUR ESCORT MISBEHAVES [OH.HI.
the soil, and have a strong growth on a bed of
sand and alluvial deposit. The river this year
had uprooted a great number, the flood having
been specially strong. Swamps formed by the-
overflow were full of wild duck, of which we
killed many. They were very fat and very
good eating, when kept for two or three days
after being shot. One kind, called the Mandarin
duck, whose feathers are yellow and black, and
whose cry is shrill, is a little larger than the
others, but its flesh is tough, and it is hardly
worth shooting. There were wild geese also in
great numbers, and the readers know as well as
I do the worth of a wild goose when properly
cooked.
We spent the night near a little ruined
cottage inhabited by two old men, which serves
the few travellers who go along the river from
Ning-hsia to Pao-tu as an inn. Here the five
soldiers whom the Mandarins had given us for
a guard began to misbehave, and I had to bring
them to reason by severer measures than mere
words.
Profiting by the incapacity of the inn-keepers
to defend their property, they stole and killed
one of their sheep, and made a feast while the
poor old men, fearing that the gallant warriors
might take it into their heads to kill another,
behaved as gently and politely as possible, but
had tears in their eyes.
I think the main cause of the hatred shown
ARRIVAL AT THE VILLAGE OF TONG-EU 89
to Europeans is the type of soldier given them
as an escort. If the traveller pays the innkeeper,
the soldier gets hold of the latter, and extracts
from him half of what he has received. The
soldier levies a tribute of opium, provisions, forage,
and money wherever he goes with a European,
unless his employer, knowing what a rascal he has
to deal with, keeps a strict watch over him. Under
these conditions it is not surprising that trades-
men and innkeepers view the arrival of a traveller
with disfavour, seeing that his presence will cost
them more than they will gain from it.
After discharging these men we refused every
kind of escort that was offered us, and we were
received with smiling faces everywhere. On
30th September our road was like that of the
day before, following the course of the river over
grassy patches and through bushes of tamarisk.
The population was very scattered, which seemed
strange, for the soil was good, and the flood did
not seem to have extended so far as in the
neighbourhood of San-tao-ho.
We arrived at Tong-ku in a blinding sand-
storm which lasted only a few minutes, and then
swept across the Yellow River into the mountains
of Arabas-ulan.
Tung-ku, near which we had spent a night
in our boat on our way to San-tao-ho, contains
no comfortable inn. So we asked hospitality from
a shopkeeper who had just built a new house,
ornamented on its carved woodwork with fresh
90 THROUGH THE ALASKAN DESERT [OB. in.
painting in red and green. Unluckily, he was an
opium-seller, and all the rooms were permeated
with the dreadful odour of this nauseous drug.
In any case it would have been difficult to sleep-
well. For all the inhabitants of the village,
anxious to make our acquaintance, presented them-
selves one after another at our door. When we
had had them shown out they did not admit
defeat, but poking holes with their ringers in the
paper of the windows, tried to get the best view
obtainable of the faces and belongings of the
foreign devils. I could not think of any means
of ridding ourselves of this curious and disobliging
crowd, until suddenly seizing a teapot full of hot
tea I rushed to the door and sprinkled with tea
the faces of the nearest. They recoiled, half
amused and half angry, and disappeared after a
short time, allowing us to proceed to undress.
The road that we took on 1st October to reach
Wang-ien-fu, or Fu-ma-fu, the capital of Alashan,
has never been traversed by any European, and
hardly deserves to be styled a road at all. It is
rather a trail beaten deep by the heavy tread of
camels marching through the sand in Indian file.
Here and there wells have been dug by the camel
drivers, and usually near the wells one or two
tents of very poor nomads are to be found con-
cealed behind a mound. The whole of this
portion of the country is genuine desert, in which
only a few bushes grow, enough to sustain the
frugal camel. The nomads live by rearing camels,
1 UUP n IHL ttlSfln DESERT
HOW THE MONGOLS HUNT GAME 91
and by selling the wool of their few sheep, whose
flesh is very unpalatable. This is not surprising,
seeing that they have not one good tuft of grass
to eat. The nomads also subsist upon a kind of
cheese and curdled milk derived from these sheep.
From time to time they contrive to kill an
antelope, a marvellous feat considering the bad
quality of the arms they use. Their matchlock
guns can only be fired by resting them on a
tripod, the length of the barrel in proportion to
the weakness of the butt making it impossible
to raise them to the shoulder. The match when
lighted takes some time to ignite the powder, and
all this time the hunter must keep his eye upon
the quarry. But he must alter the level of his
gun if the animal moves, and when at last the
shot is fired it does not always carry as far as
the hunter has aimed. A good Mongol gun will
carry perhaps 50 yards with force enough to kill.
However, in spite of all these difficulties they
attain success by craft and patience, sometimes
stalking an animal for two or three days until
they find It asleep.
These Mongols showed an extremity of terror
on the approach of our caravan. We had nothing
formidable about us, and our rifles were not even
slung on our backs, but laid on the baggage, where
they could not be seen.
On 2nd October, on nearing the tents and
the well at Kreupa, where we intended to camp
for the night, we saw men, women, and children
92 OUR PRESENCE FRIGHTEN MONGOLS [oa.m.
leap on the backs of ponies already saddled, and
gallop away. They left behind them an old
woman, feeble in body and mind, who gazed
fixedly upon us, and seemed to understand nothing..
They had closed the doors of their tents as firmly
as a Mongol tent door can be fastened, and had
let their dogs loose to attack us. As these latter
seemed fierce, and their teeth were certainly
formidable, we approached armed with sticks,
and forced the doors in with our shoulders, for
we had to get some flour for our men.
We settled down as well as we could in the
deserted tents, hoping that the owners would
return, and that our Mongol camel drivers might
be able to reassure them with a few fair words.
But the night passed, and the time for departure
arrived. Not a soul appeared, arid, we started off,
leaving behind us in a conspicuous place in one
of the tents a small ingot of silver.
That day we had a still more disagreeable
experience on suddenly arriving from behind a
ridge of sand at the wretched hovel of Kreupa.
The inhabitants had no beasts to ride away on,
but at the sight of us they fell on their knees and
broke into lamentations. The women shrieked
and rolled on the sand, the children gave vent
to piercing yells. It was a scene of ludicrous
panic. Our men, who grew annoyed at these
postures and antics, wanted to fall upon the men
with their fists. The two Mongols reviled their
fellow-countrymen in the most energetic terms. I
WE BECOME MORE POPULAR 93
had hard work to re-establish order, and wondered
what the Europeans at San-tao-ho could have
done to create for their race such a reputation.
This fear, fright, and weeping were all extra-
ordinary. I never met with similar occurrences
on my first journey three years before, or again
in our recent crossing of the Ordos.
By degrees we obtained a hearing. All stood
up, and in return for payment we procured some
camel dung for our fires very necessary, since the
thermometer fell at night to 30.
The next day we managed to buy a small calf
from the Mongols of Man-ti-rai, and were received
with less terror. The report that we were good
payers, and did not ill-treat the natives, had
obviously preceded us. These poor people are
not ill-natured, but they are timid and suspicious.
They are only like children. Their joys and
sorrows are keen and soon over. A kind word
wins their hearts. Failure to punish their faults
makes them impertinent, for they attribute it to
weakness. They do not understand kind actions,
but have a keen sense of justice. However, the
purchase of a calf proved our popularity, for the
Mongols hardly ever sell these animals.
The scenery around had now changed some-
what. We had sand-hills of hard, Instead of shift-
ing and drifting sand, and after passing them we
reached a great flat, devoid of grass, and very
desolate in appearance, which stretched between
two ranges of hills running from north to south.
y* i rum&Jbi OFILJM SMOKERS [OH.III.
We advanced at a fast pace on this firm ground,
which gave good footing to the horses, and reached
our goal early. As a rule, we accomplished 15
miles a day. It was not much, hut some of the
camels still felt their work under the burning sun
of the Ordos and needed considerate treatment.
For two days the temperature had been trying.
It passed continually from one extreme to the
other. We were constantly putting on our furs,
only to take them off again. Winter and summer
were still waging a doubtful battle ; in a few days
winter would be victorious.
On 6th October we were still climbing a long
gentle slope of loess, practically bare of grass. To
the west, however, many camels were feeding, and
there must be much brushwood in that neighbour-
hood. Hills, some of them of considerable height,
ran from north to south. The brambles that grew
on their sides made a fine blaze under the stars.
That night I performed an act of discipline,
which I hoped might bear good fruit. I had
absolutely forbidden the soldiers of our escort to
smoke opium, for the excellent reasons that I
loathe this abominable vice, and that the smell
of opium is extremely disagreeable. However, in
making a round of the camp towards midnight, I
had no doubt that one of the men was smoking,
for a strong smell was proceeding from one of the
tents. I hastily caught up the flap, and found
three soldiers happily enjoying the poison. Before
they could recover from the astonishment caused
EXTENSIVE VIEW OF ALASKAN 95
by my appearance I seized their pipes and broke
them across my knee. As to the boxes containing
the opium, I dispersed their contents over the
sands.
\ From our camp at Kou-ou-tou on 7th October
we could see the range of hills running from east
to west, behind which lies Fu-ma-fu. We should
reach the capital easily that day. We had only
17 miles to cover, and the ground was easy.
There had been a sharp frost during the night, but
the sun had risen in the morning in a cloudless
sky, and there being no wind the temperature was
already 60 at nine o'clock.
At sunrise I had sent the Fou-ye, or sergeant,
who commanded our small escort, with a Chinese
visiting card and the passport, to inform His
Majesty the King of Alashan of our arrival.
Without this precaution I was none too sure of
finding a lodging.
The road ran through low, bare hills. The
monotony of their hue was occasionally broken
by tints of red ochre caused by dried clay.
Having progressed some 10 miles we noticed on
our right a cairn raised on the summit of a small
hill, about 350 feet high, which must command a
view of the whole district. I immediately made
for it, and did not regret my trouble on arriving.
The view is extensive, and the cairn has been
erected at the exact spot where the roads from
the north, east, west, and southwest meet to
form one single artery. To the north lay the
96 ARRIVAL AT FU-MA-FU [ CH . m .
huge plains which look fertile from this point,
but which we know by experience only too
often fail to provide sustenance for animals. To
the west stretched a gently sloping dry country
with lofty sand-drifts and two or three rocjky
heights. To the south were trees, and beyond
them could be seen the city, and the view was
bounded by a chain of hills running from east to
west. On the east rose the formidable mountains
of Alashan, with their varying colours changing
from a slaty to a brick hue, and again to grey
and white.
An hour later we reached Fu-ma-fu.
CHAPTER IV
JFU-MA-EU
WE had hardly come in sight of the ramparts
when two soldiers, wearing their uniform which
had once been ornamented with black velvet, but
which the misfortunes of years had reduced to a
state of rags, greeted us on behalf of the Prince,
and assured us that they had come to conduct
us to the lodging reserved for us.
We followed them, and instead of entering the
city we skirted the ramparts to the west and south,
to reach the suburb where were the inns devoted
to travellers and Chinese and Mongol merchants.
Some of these inns are repulsively dirty. Not one
is really possible for Europeans, especially if they
wish to stay two or three days. However, our
guides stopped and begged us to enter one of
these doubtful hostels, with gestures as courteous
and polite as if it had been a palace. The court
was full of ragged people. Only one small room
was free from the invasion of mule drivers, of
whom the inn was full, This was the comfort-
able konkuan reserved for us by the Prince of
Alashan,
Without dismounting or speaking I turned my
97 G
98 INTERVIEW WITH KING OF FU-MA-FU [en. iv.
rein and ordered the caravan back. We went by
the same way across the suburb, and made for the
chief gate of the city. I intended to see the
Prince himself, and thus to force him to offer us
a more decent resting-place.
When we had entered the circuit of the walls
we made a great sensation, still more so when we
crossed the threshold of the palace without dis-
mounting. A servant of the Prince appeared, to
whom I gave my card, and we awaited his return.
He soon came back, running at full speed,
obsequious and smiling. The Prince was delighted
to receive our visit so soon after our arrival so at
least he assured us. After this lie, he led the way,
and the Prince himself received us at the door of
his reception hall.
Salutations after the Chinese manner took some
time, then we sat down, and I was able to observe
the sovereign of Alashan. He had a very jovial
face, and a smiling expression which betokened
unlimited self-satisfaction.
He was disfigured by the unfortunate fact that
he squinted perceptibly. By an effort of will he
can, however, concentrate his gaze for a very short
time like an ordinary person. For this reason, in
his photographs the defect is not obvious.
He enquired the reason of our visit. I replied
that I thought it necessary to inform him of the
manner in which his people had disobeyed his
commands. I was quite sure that he had given
careful orders that we were to be taken to a
PVTTISG UP THE TEST PRESENTED BY THE PHlXt'E OP IT-lTA-Pl*
\Tn tin .1
WE HAVE A GOOD TALK 99
pleasant konkuan, but his soldiers had led us to
a squalid inn where half of our baggage could not
even be taken in.
Appreciating that I had given him a means
of extricating himself without loss of dignity,
the Prince answered that I had done well to
come to him without delay, and that the men
who had treated us in this way and misconstrued
his clearly expressed wishes should be terribly
punished. He called his major-domo, and in
severe language ordered him to take us to a
little palace near the town, and to see that we
were supplied before evening with everything that
man and beast could eat for eight days.
We were now the greatest of friends. He
spoke of Pekin, of the Russians, and of the
Japanese. He seemed greatly interested in the
war. He could not believe that his Russian
friends would admit defeat. He assured me that
it was a ruse on their part to crush the Japanese
armies when intoxicated with success. That was
a regular Chinese idea ! When we left him he
made us promise to return next day, when his
wife, he assured us, would be present. This was
a great proof of friendship, and we could only
promise to do as he wished.
The yamen to which we were taken was not
large, but surrounded with trees, and away from
noise and dust. It was composed of ten little
pavilions standing apart, and would be very com-
fortable for some days.
100 DESCRIPTION OF FU-MA-FU [ca.iv.
The reader may judge, after this little account,
of the extreme importance among these childish
people of going straight to the point without
hesitation, and of never allowing them to treat
a European with contempt. A certain class of
missionaries allow themselves and their wives to
be daily insulted in the streets of the cities which
they inhabit. They do this with a perpetual sickly
smile upon their lips in the name of Christian
charity, and this is one of the reasons why I think
their existence in these parts infinitely harmful.
On the other hand, it is always well in dealing
with a Mandarin to leave him margin enough to
let him lay the blame for his own faults upon his
inferiors. He retains his dignity, and is always
much more inclined to assist one.
The city of JFu-ma-fu deserves a special
description. To start with, it is a remarkable
fact to find in the middle of the desert a true
city surrounded with walls, and encompassed by
populous suburbs. The principal reason of its exist-
ence is to serve as a market between the Chinese
and the Mongols the latter being naturally robbed.
The Chinese buy sheep's wool, camel's hair, horses
and camels for the caravans which transport their
purchase to the export centres, A good number
of the Chinese buyers act for European firms at
Shanghai or Tientsin, and make a profit in trading
unsuspected by their employers. The Mongols
buy from the Chinese flour, rice, common stuffs,
coal, and ornaments, such as waist buckles, orna-
THE CENTRAL PAVILION OK TIIK TRIPLE OK Klf-MA-KU,
DESCRIPTION OF FU-MA-FTJ 101
mented knives, necklaces of coloured glass, cotton
to line clothes in winter, and, above all, shoes.
For these they pay three or four times their real
Value.
The, general appearance of the town is poor
enough, the shops are little looked after, and rarely
repainted, since the shopkeeper takes no pains to
attract Mongol customers. Many of the houses
are of mud. The palace and one or two yamens
are grey brick. Channels of water flow across
the town from east to west, and form muddy
swamps here and there.
The town has not many interesting features.
In the eastern portion stands a large temple in
an excellent state of preservation. It is like many
others in the arrangement of its buildings, but
excels most of them in cleanliness, and in the care
spent on the different buildings. The number of
lamas is not as large as in some of the Ordos
temples; but they are much more friendly.
The other object of interest is a garden
40 yards square, in which are carefully cultivated
plants rare in the Alashan desert. We were
made to admire more especially a fig-tree, whose
miserable appearance was enough to prove that
it was out of its element there. In a kind of
green house, facing south, there are common
plants set in pots, as one sees them in Chinese
houses at Pekin.
The celebrated Prince Tuan is in retirement
at Fu-ma-fu. He was living, I was told, in
102 THE FAMOUS TONG FU THIANG- [OH.IV.
a yamen Inside the town, but as I was anxious
to remain in favour with the Prince of Alashan,
and to obtain all the facilities I could from him,
I made no detailed enquiry. Had I appeared ta
take too great an interest in the life and doings
of his friend Tuan he would have become
suspicious, and his apparent amiability and good
will would have undergone a change.
While on this subject I may mention that not
far from Ning-hsia the celebrated bandit. General
Tong fu thiang, has set up his headquarters. It
is difficult to state precisely what number of
men he has under him ; even the Mandarins of
Mng-hsia do not know. His numbers swell accord-
ing to the plenitude or emptiness of his coffers.
His way of filling them is simple, and consists
only in intimidating the Mandarins of all ranks,
who hold charge In this part of the Province of
Kansu, with the perpetual threat of letting his
ruffians loose in the town.
As they are armed, or at least are supposed
to be, with European rifles, of course through
German contraband trade, they spread terror in
all the district. According to the latest news,
Tong fu thiang is ill. He is, moreover, an opium
smoker, and there is a good chance that he will
soon rid the world of his presence. He has the
deepest hatred of Europeans, and his influence
over the Mandarins may partly explain their
antipathy to strangers.
To conclude, Fu-ma-fu possesses a Russian
A RUSSIAN "ECLAIREUR" 108
shopkeeper, or at least a Burlat. This man, still
young, acted as Mongol interpreter to one of the
latest Russian explorers of the Gobi, Cassanova.
Having returned to Siberia after the expedition,
this gentleman, by name Badmadgaproff, decided
to return to Alashan 9 and to settle in Fu-ma-fu
as the agent of a commercial house at Urga.
That at least is the story which he wished us to
believe, but as a matter of fact he is settled here
as political agent of Russia with the Prince of
Alashan.
Being a Buriat, he speaks Mongolian and
Russian; he has received some education, and at
first sight would not awaken any suspicion. But
if one considers the small stock in trade which he
has with him, and which he does not even dispose
of, one wonders what can be the commercial profit
to him of his presence in this neighbourhood.
The Mongols buy some coloured stuff, printed
handkerchiefs, nails, and little things of this kind ;
but they cannot pay a high price for more valuable
articles. The most they can do is to exchange
the wool of their sheep for such articles, as they
do with the Chinese for pairs of shoes.
The Prince himself is the only victim of the
commercial aptitude of this Buriat. He pays
fantastic prices for European arms and curiosities.
He told me himself that he had paid 200 taels
for an old-fashioned little Winchester carbine,
which was worth twenty, and the poor man has
to pay I tael for ten cartridges. He has also
104 BIOGRAPHY OF PRINCE OF ALASKAN [on.iv.
bought from a Chinese photographer at Tientsin
an enormous photographic apparatus, with sensitive
plates and chemicals enough to last for years.
He is a progressive Prince, and greatly interested ,
in everything relating to arms and railways. He is
bored to death in this corner of the desert, and has
only one desire to return to Pekin. He is not,
properly speaking, Prince of Alashan, but really
Prince of Kokonor. His change of kingdom is
an amusing story.
Several years ago he went to Pekin to be
married. The policy of the Pekin Court, to
bhat extent wise, consists in marrying to all
the Mongol kinglets princesses of the Emperor's
household, thus binding them to the dynasty
by the links of matrimony. The Prince of
Kokonor, having married a Princess, set out
igain with his spouse for his distant kingdom.
The Princess had no liking for this journey, and
2easelessly lamented the distance of the country
in which she was to live in future. At last,
laving reached the opening of the Alashan. desert,
she absolutely refused to go a step further. The
Prince in his perplexity sent couriers to Pekin
:o submit his case, and to beg that his spouse
night be forced to be reasonable. The reply
rom Pekin was that if the Princess refused to
o on, he must settle in the place where she
lad stopped, and thus the Prince of Kokonor
)ecame Prince of Alashan.
We visited him on the afternoon of the second
lay that we spent at Fu-ma-fu. He received
VALUABLE PRESENTS 105
us very affably, and introduced to us his wife.
He has several, but this one, with whom we had
the pleasure of drinking tea, is the chief wife,
whom all the others must respect.
Some moments after the youngest of his sons,
a boy of twenty, embellished by one of the most
notable stomachs that I have ever seen on a boy
of his age, dragged me into a photographic dark
room arranged in European fashion, with running
water for washing the plates., and different coloured
lanterns. In the semi-darkness of this room I
should have thought myself back in civilisation,
if, on opening the door, I had not found myself
confronted by a krang of polished wood, full
preparations for opium smoking, a copper brasier,
and carved wooden windows painted in startling
colours.
We had hardly been back in our yamcn
a few minutes when some Mandarins of the
Prince's following appeared, accompanied by a
great number of people carrying burdens.
They came to offer us a great number of
presents from their master.
To begin with, a Mongol tent of medium size,
but of very thick felt, bordered with blue, and
lined on the inside with green and black calico.
This was a present of the greatest value for us,
for I had tried in vain to secure one at any
price. The idea of facing the Arctic cold of
Gobi in January, with no other protection at
night but the slender thickness of a canvas tent,
106 WE LEAVE FU-MA-FU [OH. rv.
had been depressing. This felt tent, therefore,
was very welcome, and the present, moreover,
would secure the respect of the Mongols wherever
we went, for the Prince of Alashan had used it
himself in some of his tours through his huge
and yet insignificant kingdom.
After the tent came furs. Each of us received
two cloaks of the finest iamb's wool, and each of
our men a large and warm sheepskin.
To conclude, there were four carpets of Ning-
hsia make, small, but very useful, for the inside of
the tent, and, lastly, a thousand German cigarettes,
very bad, which I could not make up my mind
to smoke. The excellent man had really taken
trouble to give us what we most needed, and
had succeeded perfectly. I distributed a little
money among those who had brought these
presents, and told them to thank the Prince. I
entrusted to them also a watch, I am afraid of
no great value, which they were to give the
Prince as a memento of our visit.
I finished the day by buying six fine camels
for a moderate sum 40 taels a piece. Fu-ma-fu
is the home of the biggest and finest of these
animals, and I was convinced that the poor
creatures which had accompanied us across the
Ordos could not go much further.
On 10th October we left Fu-ma-fu at four
o'clock in the afternoon. The Prince had asked
me in the morning to take an observation of
latitude in his presence, and I could not refuse.
ON OUR WAY SOUTHWARDS 107
The observation, followed by several cups of tea,
detained us a long time, and we could only
accomplish a short march of 5 miles before
sunset.
We found our new tent ready pitched at the
inn of Pachentsu, a Chinese house in the shade
of a huge tree, and we spent an excellent night
in our new dwelling.
The country to the south of Fu-ma-fu is
broken by a number of small ravines, often dry,
which have been dug out by the torrents from
the Alashan mountains. These torrents run in
parallel courses, and lose themselves in the sand
at the foot of the Sai. I found no lake for them
to flow into.
On the next day we went on southward. On
the road which goes to Mng-hsia carts can pass
along, and it is the great trade route of the
country. It crosses a country of ravines and
hills like those of the day before. To right and
to left were some mud-built houses inhabited by
Chinese and Mongols. They all more or less act
as inns, and are disgustingly dirty, like all the
places reserved for travelling Mongols.
We started in beautiful weather, and could
distinguish the temple of Kanseshan-miao perched
on the side of the Alashan mountains 14
miles to the north-east, forming a white spot
against the dark rock. After the march of
15 miles, under a particularly hot sun for the
time of year, we reached the inn of Turgoon.
108 DIETY LODGINGS [CH.IV.
Here the high road turns towards Mng-hsia
across the mountains. As our object was to survey
the west side of Alashan towards Chung -wei,
on the following day we should take a road to"
the south. The inn was kept by a tall Mongol
woman of active appearance; her husband had
been dead for some years, and she had under-
taken the management of the inn in his place.
With the help of her two children, boys of ten
or twelve years old, she made the Chinese carters
obey her with a decision and a promptitude
which we admired. There was none of the
Mongol timidity about her.
As the rooms in which we might have rested
were in such a state of dilapidation that we could
see the sky through the ceilings, we preferred to
set up our comfortable felt tent in the middle
of the court.
I let our animals rest for a day, for the day
before they had done a march of thirteen hours
without stopping, during which they had covered
30 miles to find water. We were not pressed
for time, and I preferred not to tire them. They
had to be fresh to face the bare desert in a few
weeks' time.
On the 1 7th of October, leaving the ribbon of
the Ning-hsia road on our left, we turned south
across an undulating plain in which were many
antelopes. But, owing to a vivid mirage, I was
not able to bring down one of them. A hundred
yards away, the plain seemed to float in the air,
DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY 109
the smallest grasses looked like bushes s and it
was impossible to sight a rifle. Towards evening
we came amongst the mountain spurs running
from east to west, which finish in the desert,
growing smaller as they near the plain. Crossing
picturesque gorges of rose granite and scattered
boulders, we reached the well of Payen Uson, a
name often given by the caravan drivers to the
wells which they dig in this country. A great
torrent bed ran down beside it, to lose itself in
the sand.
As I have just remarked, the march of the
18th of October was a hard one. We had come
out of mountain country only to cross more, and
after negotiating this, having come to a plain
inhabited by the Amen Uson Mongols, we had
crossed a fresh chain of mountains, running in
the same direction and bearing the Mongol name
of Payen Sortru. Then we met with a great
undulating plain with some stretches of good
grass, in which antelopes abounded. This plain
slopes gently down towards Chung-wei. It is
uninhabited, and seems only used for the rearing
of many troops of horses, who may be seen
gambolling around the stallion who orders their
march, and watches over the young ones. These
horses are well trained from their earliest years
to the privations and hardships of desert life.
They cover enormous distances at a canter, when
thirst forces them tp come to the wells to drink.
In winter they drink the snow, and scratch the
110 TROUBLES WITH CARTERS [OH.IY.
surface hardened by the frost to reach the dry
grass under it.
At the wells of Oiero Ottock, which we
reached at ten o'clock at night, we found some
Chinese merchants installed. Installed is perhaps
euphuistic, for they were smoking their opium
between two stuff hangings with a camel's saddle
for a roof. They were carrying loads of coarse
stuffs and of opium to Fu-ma-fu. The next day
at six o'clock they started with the first rays of
the sun, and towards noon, when we were lazily
resting, we saw a line of Chinese carts approach-
ing, drawn by mules and driven by inhabitants of
Chung -wei, who were carrying forage for the
winter to support some of the Prince's animals.
This was the first time that I had seen Mongols
take such precautions for their beasts.
At the end of the day I heard the voices of
my men rising in a discussion which seemed likely
to become serious. I went to the spot at once, and
enquired into the facts which were causing so
much indignation on the part of my caravan men.
[ learnt that Norbo, when about to mend the
saddle of one of the camels under his care, had
bund the straw out of two saddles removed. In
:he course of his enquiries he became convinced
:hat the carters had stolen the straw to give it to
,heir mules, which were eating it at that moment.
Upon this evidence, the carters having nothing to
irge in defence, I ordered twice the value of the
traw to be taken from their carts, and told them
ARRIVAL AT CHUNG-WEI 111
to leave at once, though the next well was a
good distance off. I had no desire to let these
marauders spend the night near our baggage,
fiaving no confidence in the watch kept by my
people.
The next day's journey was not marked by any
accident. We started early, and having crossed
the bed of a river which exists only in the rainy
season, the bottom of which was covered with a
blood red plant, we covered a small stage, and
encamped at the well of Ulan Utbuc. Here
again we met other caravans. The road to Fu-
ma-fu seemed well frequented. The high hills
had disappeared, and instead of them were deep
hollows and sandy plateaus. ISTear the well the
eeolian erosion had made terraces of red clay in
strange shapes.
The next day we reached Chung -wei, after
a march of about 14 miles. As we drew
near this town, the sand collected in great
quantities till it formed large sand-hills, marked
at the foot by the tracks of antelopes.
We passed the Obo of Sare, the border mark
between Mongolia and China, and soon after
crossed the great wall, here a little mound hardly
worth noticing.
Crossing the ridges and valleys of sand which
kept increasing in size, we came down towards
Chung - wei, and suddenly saw before us the
wide plain in the middle of which this town is
built, not far from the Yellow River.
I SEND TO FU-MA-FU TO BUY CAMELS OH.IV.
During the flood of the preceding months,
the whole plain had been under water., and in
many places large swamps still remained. When
we had left the wall of sand and begun to cross
the field I observed that these swamps were
covered with ducks, geese, and wild swans, in
great abundance. They are easily killed, since,
except the swans, they are scarcely wild, as the
Chinese do not shoot these birds. A few shots
obtained for us an abundance of succulent food,
that would enable us to dispense for some time
with the mutton of which we were so tired.
The house which the Mandarins had prepared
for us was that of a Chinese merchant, the agent
of a firm in Shanghai for the purchase of wool.
Three small rooms, clean and warm enough, were
put at our disposal, whilst the men and animals
were comfortably housed in large rooms with
mud walls, and in fine stables.
Seeing that we should be comfortable there
for a stay of some days I decided to send Norbo
back to Fu-ma-fu to buy twenty other camels.
The information that I had received proved
beyond doubt that the price of one of these
animals at Lian-chou or at Liang-chou would be
much higher than that which I had had to pay
at Fu - ma - fu ; and I had every advantage to
gain in buying all my animals in that town,
seeing that not only was their price less, but
that they were stronger and not injured by badly
weighted loads, as those that I could obtain on
SITUATION OF CHUNG-WEI US
the other side of the Great Wall were likely
to be.
The town of Chung- wei is not large. Within
its walls many dwellings are in ruins and, beyond
the wool trade, which is important, there is not
much traffic. Several European firms keep agents
there to buy wool. On the road to Ning-hsia,
following the river front, was formerly a bastion
three-quarters of a mile from that town. Around
its ruins, has grown up the suburb in which we
were temporary residents.
The situation of the city is peculiar. High
ridges of sand surround it on the north and west,
at varying distances never more than 7 miles
away, which I have noticed before. The lines
of these ridges all run from east to west, and as
far as I could ascertain, the wind blows steadily
in this direction during almost the whole year.
On the south of the city flows the mighty Yellow
River, to the east stretches the plain, through
which the river has cut its channel. There is
only one high road, that from ISTing - hsia to
Liang-ehou. I do not reckon amongst high roads
that by which we had come from Fu-ma-fu.
The alluvial plain which surrounds the city
is remarkably fertile. But at times the harvest
is lost, owing to too sudden a rising of the river,
whose waters destroy everything within their
reach.
We spent some time in this little Chinese
town in the greatest peace. The Mandarins
H
114 GOOD SHOOTING [OH.IV.
visited us, and I returned their civility. One
day, when we had invited them to a great feast,
one of them begged me to allow him to retire
into the bedroom to smoke opium. He assured
me that he could not spend an hour without
smoking. I asked him to retire to his own
yamen since we particularly disliked the smell of
opium. We have never seen Mm since, and are
not sorry. It will hardly be believed that he
was not more than twenty-two years old.
Our greatest pleasure was to shoot in the
neighbourhood of the town, where a great variety
of game was to be found. This was our bag
for five days : thirty ducks, three geese, and a
wild swan. The flesh of the swan is uneatable,
but its magnificent white down makes a very
soft cushion. In connection with shooting I
recollect a funny story. The military Mandarin
in command at Chung -wei (he commanded
perhaps fifty men), had a request conveyed to
me that he might shoot with me. Naturally
I agreed to his wish and took him with us.
It took me a quarter of an hour to drive into
his sluggish brain the chief precautions that
he must take to avoid accidents, and we began
shooting.
He let off his first shot too soon and landed
a charge of small shot in the foot of one of
the soldiers in attendance. Luckily the range was
a long one, and the man was not seriously hurt.
His second and third shot were attended neither
LIFE IN CHINESE TOWN 115
by success nor by disaster. Just as he was
going to fire his fourth, he unfortunately slipped
at the side of a ditch and took a mud bath.
That was enough for him. Climbing upon
his mule, he ambled off at full speed towards
his yamen, without thinking of bidding us
good-bye.
I took also during these fifteen days a series
of meteorological observations which may be
useful, as making known the pressures which
prevail in autumn in this part of the world.
On the 24th of October there was a heavy
fall of snow, and the courtyard of our dwelling,
as well as all the streets and valleys, became a
dirty drain. All active life was suspended, and
our existence became indescribably monotonous.
I think that we should have gone mad with
boredom if we had had to live Jong shut up in
a Chinese town. During the bad season of the
rains there is nothing whatever to do. Social
life exists but little in China. Friends rarely visit
one another, there are no places of public enter-
tainment except the sacred theatre where plays are
given only on certain occasions, and which is far
from amusing even for the Chinese. After some
fearfully unoccupied days, I began to understand
the huge influence over this nation of the opium
which produces a feeling of lassitude and of forget-
fulness of the idea of time. There is practically
no communication with the rest of the world.
Hews spreads from the leading city of the
116 ABOUT A SILVER MINE [CH.IV.
province to the small towns by means of carters
and caravan drivers, but after having passed
through so many mouths it is no longer recognis-
able, and is wholly devoid of interest.
The cities which have telegraphic and postal
communications are certainly better off, but even
here the mistakes, the delays, and the lies in
which these departments excel in China have
to be reckoned with. Considering that a letter
written at Liang-chou and addressed to Europe
cannot receive an answer before seven or eight
months, it is not too much to state that life is
not worth living in the interior of China, except
for some devoted missionaries and others, who
have some special vocation there.
On the 26th I received a visit from a merchant
of the town, who came to ask me whether I should
not like to go and see the silver mines close to
Ping-liang-fu, about 100 miles to the south-east,
which he said were wonderful. His plan was
extremely simple. After inspecting the mines, I
was to get leave to work them from the Governor
of Kansu, and I was then to pay my friend a
large percentage on the profit, in return for his
zeal in putting me on to such a good thing.
There was only one slight objection, merely that
the Governor has never made any concessions to
Europeans except on excellent terms for himself,
and that the agents of the King of Belgium at
Liang-chou have obtained nothing from him in
spite of all their efforts. So I sent the merchant
LEAVING CHUNG-WEI 117
about his business and patiently awaited Norbo's
return.
He arrived from Fu-ma-fu with twenty camels,
'which were far from satisfying my desires. Most
of them were thin and weak. To get a better
idea of their condition I had the saddles removed
from their backs, and discovered that two of the
animals were badly galled. ISTorbo seemed even
more astonished than I. He had bought the
camels with the saddles on s and never for a
moment suspected that his Mongol brothers
would play him such a dirty trick. He had paid
a very high price for them, and this trusty
servant must have made a handsome profit on
the account which he presented to me. I could
do nothing but set out with these sorry animals,
and do my best to feed them tip well before
using them in January in the Gobi.
Without wasting time we left Chung - wel
by noon; the camels which had arrived the day
before were loaded, and the long procession filed
down the street, the bells which the leaders
carried on their necks giving notice of their
approach.
During the first stage we travelled towards
the south-west on the stones of an old bed of
the Yellow River, which covered, in the dawn of
history, an enormous extent of ground. Compared
with what it has been, this huge river seems to-day
a feeble stream. Its current is fairly swift, and it
works the wheels of two tanneries which have been
118 WE LEAVE THE YELLOW RIVER [CH.IV.
erected on its bank. Further along, in front of the
village of Yula, there is a rapid, which makes its
presence known from afar by the flashing of its
water. To avoid this danger, and to allow the "
boats that go down the river to make a safe
passage, a small canal, large enough for three
boats abreast, has been cleverly constructed, which
runs alongside of the river, and enters it again
when the current has calmed down.
On this night one of the best horses was
attacked by fever. The poor beast shivered like
an aspen, and seemed to me very ill ; but the men,
having held a consultation, went up to the animal,
and one of them burnt a roll of thick paper under
its nostrils while the others held it still. They
assured ine that after this treatment, or rather
torture, the beast would soon recover its normal
condition, and in fact two hours later it ate its
corn greedily.
At this point the road left the river, to cross
ridges of sand very lofty and difficult to climb
because of the extreme dryness of the sand which
gave way under the feet. The river itself issues
from a narrow gorge, and it is impossible to follow
its course up to Liang-chou. The mountains finish
abruptly at more points than one, and forbid a
passage along the bed, and the Chinese have not
thought it necessary to undertake the hard work
which a road in those places would involve. The
sand, therefore, must be crossed, and one must
travel towards the south-west for a long distance
NEW TROUBLES WITH ESCORT 119
before turning back in a south-easterly direction
towards Liang-chou. Carts, of course, cannot over-
come the great obstacle caused by the sand-hills.
They have to cross the river, travel for some
distance on the right bank, and recross the river
after having passed the ridges of sand. A caravan
with camels and horses can avoid these tranship-
ments, but has to climb a steep ascent, and put
in a tiring stage on shifting ground.
In spite of all our efforts, and even some rude
speeches, I had not been able at Chung-wei to
escape the inevitable and hateful escort of a little
fat Mandarin and five thieving soldiers. After
one day's march they began to get on our
nerves. They tried to persuade my men to share
with them the provisions which I had bought
for the journey. I intervened in time to stop
this little game; but one of the soldiers then
declared that he would go no further with me if
he was not fed. To my mind that was an
additional reason for refusing. The following
morning he had deserted.
No doubt he would plunder in the neighbour-
hood until his companions returned from Liang-
chou, and would lay all the thefts which he com-
mitted at the door of the "foreign devils." On
various occasions I had asked the Mandarin in
command in the towns where our escorts were
appointed whether I had to furnish their ordinary
food, flour and rice, to the soldiers. I always
received the same answer, that I had not to think
HO FU-MA-FU [CH. iv.
of anything, and that they had to provide for their
own nourishment It is certainly a fact, none the
less, that these men receive no provision when
they leave their home to accompany a traveller. .
The Mandarin knows it, and in this way makes
himself an accessory to their brigandage. The
result is that, when robbed, the peasants dare not
bring complaints, since they know that their judge
is himself the chief culprit of whom they will
have to complain.
From Chung - wei we had risen more than
1,800 feet, and at this season of the year this
slight change in latitude caused a much greater
change in the temperature. It was very cold at
night, and the thermometer hardly rose above
freezing point by day, whenever the sun retired
for a few moments behind a veil of clouds.
We were on a great plateau whose northern
side sloped gently down to Alashan, and whose
southern flank was supported by a low chain of
mountains. From the village of Siwantnatse, at
which we had halted, and which is only a miserable
hamlet, we saw in the clear splendour of day the
chain of the Alashan mountains defined against
the north-east, and standing out from the plain,
strongly coloured in dark blue and mauve. In
the earlier part of the day the road had followed
the course of a tributary of the Yellow Hiver, and
all along it we had come across ancient beacon
towers, of which the authorities made use in old
times to communicate interesting events quickly
UNFORTUNATE PILGRIMS 121
from one point to another. Torches In varying
numbers served as an alphabet.
On the 4th of November, the camel drivers
asked me to give the animals a little rest. Those
that they had recently bought were not yet in
training for daily marches. I hesitated a little,
for I thought that this proposal was due to
laziness rather than to their concern about the
camels ; but having inspected the animals I decided
to halt for one day at the village of Yang pri
choui composed of six houses. Instead of
devouring with eagerness the grass which was
fairly good many of the camels crouched on the
ground, their long necks extended and their eyes
closed, which is always a sign of fatigue. I
wondered anxiously what use I could make of
them, unless I got them into better condition,
in a country where long halts are not possible.
The day was not entirely wasted. I took some
observations with an eclimeter to determine the
height of some snow peaks far to the west.
Towards evening, one of the men, Sarol,
brought to us four lamas, whose miserable appear-
ance and unwontedly humble attitude showed that
something important had happened.
The poor wretches had come from Pekin, and
were going on pilgrimage to Kumbum. They
had quitted the capital of the celestial Empire
six months before, and had gone first to Utaishan,
had then continued their journey by the Shansi,
up to Ning-hsia, and had been delayed at Yang
122 DREADFUL WOUNDS OF PILGRIMS [OH. iv.
pri chotii for several months, as the result of a
night attack.
On their arrival, they had pitched their tent
at a short distance from the village 9 where?
incidentally, was a garrison of ten soldiers,
posted for the suppression of brigands, thinking
themselves perfectly safe under the protection of
the authorities. But in the middle of the night
they were suddenly and treacherously attacked
by some gentlemen armed with swords and
Mongol rifles, who stole the money which the
pilgrims were taking to Kiimbtim as an offering
from their monastery, and left them in the most
pitiable condition.
One of them had his neck nearly severed,
another had lost an ear and was pierced in the
shoulder, a third had his elbow cut open by
a sword stroke, and the fourth, in defending
himself had seized in his hands the sword of
his assailant, and had thus received a most painful
wound.
Since then they had remained where we found
them, at first too much damaged to travel, and,
when they had partly recovered, too much afraid.
Furthermore, they had not been allowed to join
any large caravan travelling in comparative safety,
and they had come to beg us to allow them to
travel with us on the next day. They were
certain that the brigands would never attack a
company, however small, commanded by a
European, and armed with repeating rifles,
THE MANDARIN OF SUTRAN 123
We granted their request through sheer
humanity ; but we gave the men strict orders to
keep a keen eye upon their behaviour and
movements, for your lama is the most hypo-
critical, insinuating, and skilful of thieves.
Our new travelling companions appeared
punctually at the hour of our departure, in the
most grotesque dress. The weakest of them,
with the wounded neck, was seated on an
unfortunate little donkey, a tiny animal which
could hardly manage to put one foot before the
other. The three stronger lamas walked, very
gloomy, and pushing before them two little asses
on which they had put the little that remained
to them, a small tent in rags, some sheepskins
on which they slept, and some 10 Ibs. of
flour.
The only interest attaching to our journey on
that day was that we turned south, and left the
plateau which commands the desert of Alashan.
We entered a little winding valley, and at once
the temperature seemed to rise, and the wind
was less cutting. After having descended for 16
miles a series of hollows, we reached the little
town of Sutran. According to custom, the
Mandarin sent one of his followers to present his
card to us, and to greet us in his name. This
man brought us to a fairly clean little house,
and invited us to take possession of it, when,
suddenly, just as I was ordering the camels to
be unloaded, the Mandarin himself arrived, one
124 EFFUSIVE RECEPTION [OH, iv.
of the most curious specimens of his kind that
I have ever met.
Advancing towards us with extended arms,
he performed several salutations. Then, suddenly,
he rushed towards me and pressed me to his
chest, with every sign of the keenest emotion.
My resistance was useless, he repeated this
comedy, and on its conclusion begged us to
follow him to his yamen, where he had prepared
a room for us.
The yamen was one of the poorest, made of
mud, painted white, and ornamented here and
there with large rings of red. The whole building
was shaky, and suited the wretched little town
in the midst of which it was built.
But the reception prepared for us was as
careful as could be. We were given Chinese
brandy instead of tea, and our host drank a full
cup of it. I began to understand the strangeness
of his behaviour. He was a drunkard, and seemed
to have prepared for our reception by the most
copious libations. I afterwards learned from his
servants that their master was never sober to
their knowledge, and that no man from there to
Liang-chou could drink so much brandy without
falling flat on the floor.
I decided to spend a day at Sutran with
the object of making a map of the sun'ounding
mountains. The Mandarin could not express his
joy at this news, and finally drunk off at a gulp
another cup of his favourite beverage.
RESOURCES OF CHINESE MANDARINS
The reader may be interested to know the
pecuniary resources and the occupations of these
small Mandarins. An officer of the blue button,
like the one at Sutran, receives a fixed salary
of 400 tads about 48 a year. When I say
that he receives this pay, I mean that he is
supposed to, but for a number of reasons which
would take too long to explain, and which are
more or less due to the rapacity of his immediate
superiors, he seldom handles it. On Ms side he
has to support a certain number of soldiers,
subordinates of all kinds, a steward, some beggars,
himself, and his family.
In China living is evidently cheap ; but it is
impossible to live on nothing, even on the edge
of the Alashan desert. What, then, can our
Mandarin do, since he gets little or no money?
He must oppress the people until he obtains his
requirements, and more besides. He has, in fact,
paid a certain price for his post, and he naturally
desires to recover his expenses. Furthermore, if
he wishes to get on, and have a brilliant career ?
he must save a sufficient sum during his three
years' occupation to buy a higher post, which will
probably cost him double what he paid for that in
which he is at the moment exercising a semblance
of authority. He must sell justice, make a
profit out of criminals, force lawsuits upon rich
merchants, allow his soldiers to rob, and omit to
pay his debts. In this way the Chinese Mandarins,
from the highest to the lowest, are rotten to the
126 PAY OF THE SOLDIERS [OH.IV.
core, and to change this deplorable state of things,
which is at the bottom of Chinese stagnation,
prodigious efforts are needed, and a lapse of time
of which those who speak of the regeneration of
this huge empire have no conception.
All the forces, for good and evil, in this
populous country are not centred round Canton,
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tientsin, and Pekin, or
in the neighbourhood of the open ports, and
only a very small fraction of the people has
been impressed and affected by the presence of
the Europeans with whom they are in frequent
and compulsory contact. Ninety per cent, of the
Chinese people have not the least idea of our
ways and our ideas, and we shall have to
overcome the formidable resistance of all the
authorities who are profiting by the actual state
of things before we can arrive at any practical
result. In that day we shall perhaps bitterly
regret that we did not leave the terrible monster
who will then rise before us, crouching in his
muddy lair.
The soldiers, who keep guard at the yamen
ict as police, receive pay ranging from 2 to 3 taels
3, month. They all smoke opium? and their pay
^ just enough to enable them to indulge in this
dee. On what then do their families subsist?
On thefts protected and unpunished, and, above
ill, on blackmail. That is the chief means of
extracting money from the tradesman. Give me
so much or I will denounce you to the Mandarin.
The wretched trader pays, and unless he leaves
FORTIFIED FARMS 127
the city and appears In his new home as
a poor man, he will die a beggar. An old
comic opera assures us : La Chine est un pays
charmant.
On leaving Sutran, we passed a great number
of towns, villages, and fortified farms. The last
Mussulmans rebellion which caused fearful ravages
all through Kansu caused the elevation here and
there of fortified dwellings surrounded by great
mud walls, sometimes more than 20 feet high,
with one or two towers which command the
country, and act as bastions. Inside these walls
is a path on which are heaped broken stones and
large pebbles. Very rarely the inhabitants possess
a bad rifle or a jagged sword. Their one hope and
resource lies in their implements of work, and in
these heaps of stones. Sometimes above the
entrance gate is a turret built out like a balcony.
Through a hole in the flooring of this the
defenders, in case of attacks, would try to throw
upon their assailants boiling water, bricks, and
anything that might wound or kill.
Before the Mussulmans spread on all sides
with fire and sword, these farms, which look so
warlike to-day, were only surrounded by walls
of moderate height. The difference in colour
between the upper and lower portions shows that
they have only been recently fortified.
What caused, and probably would again cause
the ruin of these unlucky peasants if a new
rebellion broke out, is their want of united action.
128 COAL DEPOSITS NEAR SACEETIEN [OH. iv.
Each farmer took refuge In his own farm, with
his wives, children, and servants, in all perhaps
ten or fifteen persons of both sexes, and tried to
beat off the enemy in his own way. These
isolated dwellings were taken and burnt one after
another. The conquering assailants murdered and
plundered, though they were not numerous, and
had only imperfect weapons like those of their
victims.
The general aspect of the country is conse-
quently most picturesque, and we felt as if we
were travelling in the Middle Ages in the days
of bandits and highwaymen, of strong castles and
civil wars.
Before concluding our march for the night, and
halting at the Httle fortified village of Sacretien we
crossed a ridge about 1,200 feet high, around which
lay numerous deposits of coal, scattered on the
surface of the ground. The inhabitants of the
country profit by these abundant riches, and use
them for immediate needs. Their methods of
work are very primitive. Wherever the precious
mineral protrudes above the surface, they attack
it with pickaxes, and dig a hole never more than
10 yards deep. Whether the vein is exhausted or
not, they abandon it, for fear the earth should fall
in. They will not take the trouble to prop up the
walls of the cavity which they have made. They
rarely follow the vein to its full extent. That
would compel skilled work, which they consider
useless and costly, while a little further on they
MINES IN KANSU 129
can tap fresh supplies of coal on the ground level
without trouble or expense.
Kaiisu is extremely rich in mines of all sorts
coal, silver, gold, tin, zinc, copper, and iron.
Unfortunately communications between this remote
province and the rest of the world are costly and
lengthy, and certain minerals, such as coal, which
would yield large profits under other conditions,
must remain unproductive until the conditions for
working them improve.
The coal of these mines is burnt in all this
district as far as Liang-chou. Near this capital are
other very rich mines.
We continued a monotonous journey in a
country full of farms, destroyed by Mussulmans,
and small fortifications of the kind that I have
already described.
In the morning a disagreeable surprise awaited
us. Three of the camels, and three of the best,
were absolutely incapable of starting. They
seemed drunk, with their legs straddling to keep
their balance, their heads hanging, their eyes
closed, their thick lips slobbering. Every effort
to make them advance or move being vain, I
was obliged to wait for another day, for I could
not lose these three animals. As for leaving them
behind, and committing them to the care of the
peasants, they might just as well have been
sacrificed at once.
The camels had been poisoned by a plant
with a thin stem and a red corolla, which
i
130 TREATMENT OF SICK CAMELS OH.IV.
grew in the neighbourhood. Oddly enough, the
horses, mules, and ases had eaten this plant
with impunity. Only the camels had suffered
from it.
The men began at once a course of treatment
which consisted in beating the animals with sticks
until they tried to move. As a result, they fell
heavily to the ground, and lay with their necks
stretched out in front. Then the men opened
the animal's mouths and poured into them a
draught difficult to specify, but in which ammonia
played a great part. Then they let the sick
beasts rest near the tents, while the others were
peacefully feeding in a part of the plain where
the dreadful plant did not seem to have taken
root.
Towards evening, the Mongol ISForbo asked
me for some sapeques to buy aniseed with from
a neighbouring farm. He crushed it, mixed it
with flour, and made pills of it, which he caused
the camels to swallow. A little while after two
of them were strong enough to get up and take
a few steps. If not loaded, they would be able
to manage the march of the next day. I was
not so happy about the third, which had not
opened its eyes all day, and which was dropping
a great deal of foul smelling saliva from its
mouth.
That night was a disturbed one. At about
eleven o'clock I suddenly heard a noise of hoofs
and of frightened neighing. Seizing a carbine,
ATTACKED BY A PANTHER 131
which I always kept loaded* I ran out, and for
some time could distinguish nothing in the dense
darkness of the night ; I heard the men calling
to one another, and I went towards them. es A
wolf had carried off the chronometer mule," they
told me, shivering with fright. I handed rifles
to two of them, and we started in pursuit, but
only met with a few casual falls, due to the
invisible inequalities of the ground.
In the morning I examined the tracks left
by our nocturnal assailant. I could easily see
from the size of the pads and the length of the
claws that it was no wolf, but a panther, that
had carried one of our beasts off. I questioned
some countrymen who had been drawn to the
spot by the news of the incident, and they assured
me that sometimes panthers of great size come
down to the plain in search of food, and carry
off their sheep.
The half-eaten carcass of the mule lay a few
hundred paces away.
On 18th November the cold was intense.
Snow was falling fast, and under these conditions
our march was a trying one. The men were
grumbling; they always wanted to stop as soon
as the temperature became unpleasant. Their
sighs and sulky faces furnished us with our only
entertainment on this hateful day. We slept
in a tiny house, which we hunted out in the
middle of a small town strikingly like a mediaeval
stronghold, with its moats, dungeons, and fortified
132 LIANG-CHOU [CH.IV.
gateway. Its three hundred inhabitants were
huddled inside it, terrified at the sight of us.
In the night the temperature went down to
10, and the snow was frozen hard. Luckily,
we should reach Liang-chou on the next day.
CHAPTER V
THROUGH KANSU
THE city of Liang-chou, the capital of the Province
of Kansu, is very picturesquely situated. Hemmed
in on one side by the Yellow River it extends
over a large plain between three valleys, and con-
tains a population reckoned at a million souls. I
think this number greatly exaggerated. I should
consider the half of it a correct estimate. The
most curious feature of Liang-chou is the bridge
of boats which joins the two banks of the Hoang
Ho. This bridge is made up of a large number of
boats on which has been set a kind of pontoon,
constructed of roughly joined planks of wood, so
that there is a certain amount of danger in crossing
it. The boats are bound together by huge iron
chains running from end to end of the bridge. If
the iron employed were of better quality a band
of half the diameter would suffice. The current
is not very rapid, and the danger of a breach
is confined to the time of the melting of the
snows, when large blocks of ice are carried down
by the water. The city inserts a large sum in
its budget every year for the upkeep of the
INFERIOR SOLDIERS [CH.V.
bridge ; but, owing to the usual system of plunder,
very little of it is spent in that way.
Below the bridge some strange rafts may be
seen on the muddy water, made of inflated sheep-
skins tied together with ropes. A deck thrown
over these bladders is more or less firmly attached,
and we have before us the kind of vessel which
transports travellers and trade from Liang-chou to
Mng-hsia. An ordinary wooden boat would not be
able to resist the rapids, which pass, as I have
noted before, between pointed rocks standing close
together, and swing round sometimes actually at
right angles. Even these boats are not safe, and
five years ago an unfortunate European met
his death under sad circumstances not far from
Liang-chou. In endeavouring to escape from a
threatened massacre, he took refuge on one of
these rafts, and entrusted himself to some inex-
perienced boatmen who, at the first rapid, were
unable to control the craft. It perished, with all
on board, in the waters.
The barracks, parade ground, and rifle range of
the Liang-chou garrison are not far away, opposite
the eastern gate. I was not able to ascertain how
many men the garrison was supposed to consist
of, but certainly the Governor does all in his
power to improve his soldiers. The men are far
inferior none the less to those whom we reviewed
at Kwei-hua-cheng. I witnessed some of their
drills, and can state that they have still much to
learn before they will even be presentable.
RIFLES IN LIANG-CHOU 135
Liang-ehou possesses also a factory of arms,
existing in a large and clean building, originally
built by a German company which attempted to
manufacture cloth. Had the company succeeded
its profits would have been enormous ; but it had
to fight complete corruption and sordid greed, and
was obliged to close its doors in total failure.
The' factory of arms produces rifles such as
our grandfathers used a century ago. They are
hammer guns well enough made for arms of this
kind, but quite incapable of resisting the smallest
troop in modern warfare. A great number of
these rifles are delivered at Sining-fu, where they
are bought at a high price by Tibetan caravan
drivers, who always dread the attacks of robbers
between Sining-fu and Lhasa. At Liang-chou the
price of one of these weapons is 9 taels.
It is also possible at Liang-chou to procure arms
made in and imported from Germany, Mausers,
and Mannlichers, with their cartridges. Every one
knows, but nobody mentions, the source whence
they come, and the illicit contraband of which the
importers are guilty.
While at Liang-chou we received the kindest
hospitality from Mr Splingaert, originally a
Belgian, now a naturalised Chinaman. He is one
of the only Europeans I believe who has held for
a long time an administrative post in the interior
of China. He is a Mandarin of the red button,
both civil and military, and has received the
celebrated decoration of the ten thousand families.
136 DECORATION [OH. v.
That decoration is as follows : When a Mandarin,
in charge of a great city, has satisfied the in-
habitants by his honesty and good administration,
a certain number of families, ten thousand, join
in offering him three large parasols, to which are
attached a number of small black and yellow silk
streamers, one for each family, and inscribed with
its name. They also present to him a dress of
black and yellow silk with inscriptions. The
Mandarin has the right to wear this dress at an
audience of the Emperor, and thus prove to his
master his qualities as a servant and officer.
Another and much commoner mark of the
esteem in which an officer is held is the hanging
up in a small cage of wood at the entrance to the
town, under the arch of the chief gate, of a pair
of his shoes when he leaves the town. All who
have visited Chinese cities must have noticed
these cages.
At Liang-chou we met two German explorers,
Lieutenant Filchner and Doctor Taffel. The
lieutenant had come from Shanghai to Liang-chou
by the well-known high road, accompanied by
his wife; but the lady had stayed at Sining-fu
with the representatives of the China Inland
Mission, dreading the weary journey through
Tibet, while the two explorers were doing their
best to reach the Oring Nor.
They had thought it advisable to have re-
course to the Chinese forces to assist them on their
journey, and had appealed to the military Mandarin
GERMAN EXPLORERS ATTACKED 137
of Sining -fu. He had given them a strong
escort of well- armed soldiers, and one of his
own official tents, with a view to impressing the
inhabitants of that undoubtedly dangerous portion
of Tibet.
But all these precautions proved useless, for
they were attacked by a troop of armed Tibetans,
who began to fire on them at night after they
had come out of a defile. The European caravan
suffered no loss ; but the next morning they judged
it prudent to retreat at full speed, leaving their
baggage behind. They reached Yunnan, and
thence Liang-chou and Sining-fu.
The result of their expedition strengthened the
resolution which we had long formed to rely solely
on our own force in crossing Tibet, and to avoid
everything which might suggest to the Tibetans
that we had any connection with the Chinese
authorities. Their hatred and contempt for the
Chinese is so strong that that feeling alone will
drive them to attack a convoy which they would
probably allow to pass unmolested without an
armed escort. The presence of an escort shows
them that the explorers are afraid of them, which
incites them to brigandage. This theory was
justified by experience.
Liang-chou is also the principal site of the
mining agents of King Leopold, who have been
vainly trying to acquire mining concessions for
years, with more perseverance than knowledge of
the situation.
138 ABUSES OF EUROPEANS [CH.V.
Strangers seem to be absolutely loathed at
Liang-ehou. It is no rare experience to be insulted
in the open street by persons of all classes, and
to have the harmless but exasperating salutation of
"foreign devil" dinned into one's ears. The
Mandarins are difficult of approach, for they
follow the example of their chief, the Governor,
who considers all Europeans to be dust under
his feet, and treats them with the most perfect
unconcern. In spite of treaties, in his official
relations with the missionary bishops, he never
gives them the titles conferred upon them by the
convention signed by Mr Gerard. I do not think
that the convention is to be approved of, since it
degrades Europeans by definitely placing most of
them lower than some Chinese officials in its
endeavour to raise the prestige of missionaries
but anything once signed should be held to.
On one of the walls of the city pamphlets
were stuck up, vilifying and cursing Europeans.
Shortly before our arrival, abuse of Mr Splingaert
had been written up, Chinese Mandarin of high
rank as he was. There is no open declaration of
war, but the latent hatred is only waiting the
signal to break out.
It is practically useless to appeal to Chinese
tribunals for justice to secure the condemnation
of the insolent ruffians who try to make Europeans
a popular laughing-stock in broad daylight in the
open street.
While we were there, a Boxer publicly con-
BAD CONDITION OF OUR CAMELS 139
ducted so active a propaganda that the magistrates
could not shut their eyes to it. They arrested the
gentleman and sentenced Mm to a very small
number of strokes with a bamboo, and left him
free to begin again. Within six months of the
troubles of 1900 this man would have been
beheaded. Such is the change already !
While waiting at Liang-chou I did my best to
improve the condition of my caravan camels.
Many were hurt, and all very thin. As I was
constantly told that our caravan drivers were
neither experienced nor clever enough to keep
them healthy, I sent for a camel driver named
Lao Yang from Liang-chou. He had a great
reputation for his skill, and had served under
Mr Splingaert on one of his many journeys,
when he acted as secretary to Baron von
Reichtoffen on his celebrated expedition.
When Lao Yang had arrived and taken
command of our little troop we had no more
reason to delay at Liang-chou, and, in spite of the
kind hospitality offered us, we decided to start again.
Our course, before entering the Gobi Desert,
included a diversion to Sining-fu and Kumbum.
I shall not enter upon a detailed account of
this road, not specially interesting, since it has
been travelled over by all the explorers and
missionaries who have gone to Kansu.
The road leaves the river and leads to Ping-
fan, a sub-prefectoral town, which commands the
high road to Liang-chou and Sining-fu. It follows
140 WE TRAVEL IN CARTS [OH.V.
the windings of a little tributary of the Yellow
River, down hill all the way, across lofty and
picturesque terraces of red clay which seem to
keep to an altitude of 4,000 or 5,000 feet, without
exceeding it. The population, without being
numerous, seems prosperous enough, and food
and lodging are easily found by the traveller.
Having reached Ping -fan on the 3rd of
December we decided to send all the camels and
two-thirds of the men to wait for us at Liang-chou,
not thinking it worth while to take them round
by Sining-fu. The renowned Lao Yang assured
us with much gesticulation that he knew of an
excellent place not far away, and to the west of
Liang-chou, where the animals would find plenty
of food, and would visibly improve their condition
in three weeks.
We only kept with us what we wanted and a
little money. We hired two carriages, or rather
two springless carts, covered with a straw roof,
in which to journey to Sining-fu. Each cart
cost 20 taels and was drawn by a horse and a
mule in tandem strong animals both. I promised
the drivers a little extra pay if they covered the
840 Us (115 miles) between Ping-fan and Sining-
fu in four days. This distance could easily be
covered, were it not for the intervention of steep
ups and downs, and the crossing of a ferry.
We settled ourselves as comfortably as possible
amongst bundles in one of the carts, and having
put all our men into the other, started off at a
FIRST SAWh; NEAR UANG-TCHOU-FU,
ASPECT OF SINING-FU 141
good pace, while our caravan of camels moved
slowly northward under the noisy and tumultuous
orders of Lao Yang.
We arrived at the day and hour fixed ; but
we had some trouble in doing it. After the
first SO miles, the fine rapture of the drivers and
their animals began to fail; after 60 miles, the
carts crawled. We contrived it by making night
marches, sleeping in the carts.
Sining-fu is a very picturesque city, not only
owing to its position, but chiefly because of the
number of different races which contribute to its
population.
In the chief streets, lined by shops of all
kinds, may be seen Chinese from all parts of
China, Tibetans from the North and from Lhasa,
Ordos Mongols and Mongols from Tsaidam,
Kansu Mussulmans and Mussulmans from Kash-
gar , aboriginals, whose ancient history can
hardly be traced, and half Russianised Buriats
occasionally even a Hindu. Pile m&le, crowded
together, the naked shoulder of a .Tibetan against
the blue cloth of the Chinaman, they discuss for
an interminable time the price of a box of
European matches or of a small looking-glass.
The pointed coiffiire of the bold-looking Tibetan
women overtops the mass of dirty caps with red
silk buttons worn by the Chinese. All are busy
and interested, for Sining-fu is the chief emporium
of civilisation for a large portion of the world.
Here the great caravans that come twice in the
142 WE GO TO KUMBUM [CH.V.
year from Lhasa and Shigatse obtain what they
require. Through Simng-fu, the news of China
reaches the centre of the desert, and along with
the cheap articles which the common Tibetans can
afford to buy. Whether ail these races are always
OB the best of terms with one another it would
be hard to say; but there did not seem to be
an unusual amount of quarrels and discussions.
All visitors to Sining-fu seem chiefly animated
by the desire to satisfy their curiosity, to amuse
themselves, and to buy as much as possible at
small expense.
The Rev. Mr Ridley, of the China Inland
Mission, kindly came to see us, and gave us
interesting details about the country which he
knows through and through. I am indebted to
him for a chart of the distribution of the different
nations in the neighbourhood of Sining-fu., which
is full of interest.
As we did not intend to make a long stay at
Sining - fu, we decided to go the next day to
the famous monastery of Kumbum, so much
extolled and celebrated by the various travellers
who , have seen it, from the Fathers Hue and
Gabet, down to the most recent explorers, for
example, Sven Hedin.
This monastery was the principal cause of our
visit to this portion of Kansu.
We could not start before midday. We had
to hire some horses, and as those which had been
brought to us in the morning were unfit for use,
SAROL'S HAPPINESS 143
we had to wait several hours before we could
obtain suitable animals.
There was nothing remarkable about the first
portion of the road, which followed the bed of
the river until it turned at right angles to follow
the course of a small tributary, near the source of
which stands the great monastery. We advanced
at a good pace, not being burdened with a
numerous following or much luggage. We only
had with us a few soldiers, and an officer of low
rank whom the Mandarin in charge of the Tibetans
had thrust upon us, under the pretext that we
should be better treated by the lamas.
One of our own men amused us greatly by the
exuberant joy which he exhibited without ceasing
all the way. He was Sarol, the Mongol. He had
put on his finest clothes to go to Kumbum, and,
even then, not considering himself sufficiently
sumptuously attired, had borrowed various orna-
ments on all sides. It was a great day for that
good Mongol, the fact of having gone to Kumbum
more or less as a pilgrim gave him an absolute
right to everlasting happiness, and meanwhile un-
doubtedly caused him great terrestrial pleasure.
He gesticulated, shouted, yelled, sang out of tune,
and galloped about, trying to make his pony
perform skilful evolutions on the edge of the
ditches, until both pony and rider eventually
rolled over on a stretch of thick mud.
Having passed several mills, worked by the
swift current of the little river, we came in sight
144. DISTURBED SLEEP [CH.V.
of Kumbum. But night was now beginning to
fall, and we had to continue our way by the light
of the many lamps which shone out on all sides
from the different buildings of the temple, with
the most pleasing and picturesque effect.
Some lamas, warned of our arrival, were waiting
for us near a dimly lighted porch leading to a large
inner court. They led us politely to the little
room which had been reserved for us, which we
reached by climbing an unsteady ladder serving
for a staircase.
We found a meal, consisting of butter, tea,
and some cakes, cooked in the Chinese manner,
laid in a room some 15 or 18 feet square, with a
wooden floor, ceiling, and wainscoting. After bid-
ding us good-night, the lamas retired, fingering
the small beads of their rosaries. We woke in
the night nearly suffocated, and having lit a candle
we found a thick and bitter cloud of smoke coming
into our room through the cracks in the flooring.
Some pilgrims had made a fire in the room under
ours, and were peacefully cooking their dinner
with no idea that they were smoking us out.
After a short parley, they laughingly consented
to remove their kitchen and their fire to the
middle of the court. At dawn some lamas came
and knocked at the door, and presented us with
a piece of silk from the Grand Lama. They were
to be our guides over the monastery.
The court of the house in which we had spent
the night presented an attractive spectacle. A
THE TEMPLES OF EXJMBUM 145
large number of Tibetans, men, women, and
children, were warming themselves In the sun,
or finishing their meals, and as the sun gradually
warmed the air, partly threw off their sheepskin
clothes, exposing their naked and sinewy shoulders.
All were wearing the little pointed cap, which
gives so unwarlike a look to Tibetan soldiers,
but is not without originality.
We then began our inspection of the different
temples. All are well kept up, and some of them
richly ornamented. On some pillars of the largest
hall panther and leopard skins were hung very
old, and covered with dust. Others were covered
with very well-worked Turkistan carpets. There
were statues like those in other temples, but more
richly decorated, and, as elsewhere, pictures repre-
senting scenes in Buddha's life. The true wealth
of Kumbum lies in its precious collection of
Buddhist sacred books, which are of the highest
interest to scholars of this difficult and arduous
science, such as Rockhill, but which leave the
ordinary traveller unmoved. These books are
usually made up of separate pamphlets pressed
together between two pieces of painted carved
wood, and bound together by rolls of em-
broidery.
One specially interesting spot is where all the
pilgrims prostrate themselves at full length in
homage to the divine Buddha. In front of the
open gates of a small temple some planks are
laid on the ground, which are longer and broader
K
146 APPEARANCE OF THE GREAT LAMA [OH.V.
than the length and breadth of a man. The
pilgrims prostrate themselves on these boards,
sliding forward on the palms of their hands until
their whole body is resting on the ground. Then
they rest, and prostrate themselves again, until
they are turned out by the attendants. Some
lamas keep order and receive the offerings.
We were surrounded by a group of inquisitive
lamas. They were also very evil smelling, which
is not to be wondered at, considering that it is
their custom to smear their bodies with butter
and grease, and that they generally put on a new
layer without removing the former one. But
suddenly^ as if by some enchantment, we saw
them disappear in all directions, and we were left
alone in the middle of a court.
Their precipitate flight was soon explained by
the appearance of the Grand Lama. He was pro-
ceeding to a temple near by, crowned with a
yellow hat resembling an old Roman helmet in
shape, and had in his hand a painted wooden
sceptre. He has the right to inflict severe corporal
chastisement on any lamas whom he may find
offending as he passes along, and the latter are
not at all anxious to meet him.
He was a cheerful looking person, of the well-
fed type, and he allowed us to photograph him
with evident pleasure. The Kumbum lamas have
been completely civilised by the passing visits and
sojoumings of a few Europeans, and have even
learnt the value of tips.
THE FAMOUS KUMBUM TEEE 147
What we particularly wanted to see was the
famous tree which is attributed by legend to the
times of the Buddha himself, and on whose leaves
and bark letters like those in the Buddhist books
are supposed to appear, which are universally
venerated and worshipped. Some travellers have
attached great value to this legend, and assert
that the phenomena of the appearance of the
letters cannot be otherwise explained. We never
imagined for a moment that anything super-
natural took place, and our only object was to
discover the "fake" practised by the lamas to
inflame to such an extent the credulity of the
pilgrims. In December the tree, a kind of wild
cherry, was naturally leafless, but the priest in
charge of the temple before which it grows begged
us to admire the lettering printed on the bark,
which only extended, a point worth noting, to the
height of a man. Its falsehood was not difficult
to determine, and to make sure I inscribed my
name in Chinese characters, according to the
process evidently employed.
A thin transparent skin covers the bark of the
tree, loose in places, and hanging along the trunk.
Between this and the bark is a certain amount
of liquid which colours the skin. If the skin is
forcibly pressed against the bark the liquid is
forced aside, and the skin sticks to the bark by
atmospheric pressure. Owing to the absence of
the liquid, a white line forms where the skin has
been crushed, which can be seen some way off.
148 WE BECOME UNPOPULAR [OH.V.
This is how the writing grows on the famous tree
at Kumbum. The tree itself also is far from
being very ancient.
I had hardly finished writing my name when
the lamas who were present became violently
angry and pushed us out of the enclosure with
more energy than consideration, while the priest
in charge of the sacred tree prostrated himself
before the altar at the back of the little temple,
and began a series of noisy prayers and exorcisms.
However, we got back to our lodging in peace,
followed by an unsympathetic crowd, and, having
bought a few curiosities, we set out on our return
journey to Sining-fu by a shorter road than that
by which we had come, across the small group
of hills to the north-east.
One of the greatest difficulties that the traveller
in China has to contend with is the unpunctuality
of the people that he has to employ. And the
worst of it is that there is no remedy for it ; for
in the primitive intellect of the peasants, mule-
drivers, and members of the lower classes, the
notion of time is extremely vague. In spite of
our orders to the people we had hired for our
journey to Liang -chou, across the lofty and
difficult mountain country named after Czar
Alexander III., to be punctual at six o'clock in
the morning, not one had deigned to put in an
appearance at ten o'clock, and I was beginning to
lose patience when at length our drivers and their
animals came in under the gateway of the inn.
DIFFICULTIES OF STARTING TO LIANG-CHOU 149
We had had great difficulty in securing the
necessary transport. The way was hard, and even
perilous in winter, and no one was anxious to
venture upon it, considering that it is possible
to reach Liang-chou almost comfortably by the
Ping-fan road. But this latter well-known road
was not what we wanted, and although the season
was against us, we had determined to go by the
mountain way, and to overcome with high pay
the reluctance of the mule-owners. Furthermore,
the inhabitants of these mountains have a very
bad reputation. Rightly or wrongly, they are
said to plunder and rob travellers without mercy,
and our own servants trembled in every limb
at the thought of the great perils, from men
and from nature, which they were about to
experience.
We soon entered a valley, through which ran
a small half-frozen stream, the general direction
of which was clearly north. The slope was
gentle, the ground firm, and after a quick
march of 22 miles, we reached the small town
of Wan-yuen-fu at nightfall, where we had to
put up for the night at the most disgusting kon-
kuan imaginable. On the 12th of December we
managed to get the men up early, and started
at sunrise. The view was then a lovely one.
We were in the centre of a small plateau covered
with snow like a thick and spotless carpet. The
walls of the town, as we left them, were hidden
by snow, and the high peaks before us were
150 THE ABORIGINALS OF KANSU [OH.V.
snow - capped. The cold was nipping, below
zero at seven o'clock ; but luckily the wind had
not yet risen and a sharp walk rapidly warmed us,
The march of the day before had been easy ;
that day's was not. My men tried one last
effort to make us return to Sining-ni and take
the Ping-fan road. They knelt down in the
snow, and, with grotesque gestures of despair,
once more described to us the dangers ahead.
They had met a soldier, they said, who had
come over the same road in winter two years
before, and lost his mules and his baggage.
To put an end to these lamentations, I bade
them bring up the soldier. He was a tall and
insolent ruffian. As he began to repeat his string
of lies I struck him across the face with my
riding-whip and sent him rolling in the snow. I
promised similar treatment to any one who should
make any further reference to the perils of cross-
ing the Alexander III. Mountains, perils which
I considered infinitesimal myself.
We began to climb, and the slope was at
times steep enough to make it necessary for us
to urge our animals on. The people of the.
country are the ancient aboriginals of Kansu,
the most authentic survivors of the primitive
race, from which the Chinese have sprung. The
type is by no means savage or brutish; on the
contrary, it appears to bear a stamp of refinement
and good humour. They are easily distinguishable
from the ordinary Chinese by their finer features,
A HARD CLIMB 151
the size of their eyes, and their simple look.
The head-dress of the women is distinctly like
that of the ladies of Tibet in shape; but they
wear no ornaments or jewels.
These people are obviously very poor and very
hardy. Some among them were simply attired in
old sacks, and the young children played about
almost naked in piercing cold, which forced us to
draw our fur cloaks closely round us.
Having crossed two fairly easy ridges, we came
down again into a valley running from north to
south, above which rose the loftiest ridge that
we had to negotiate. The country round was
practically desert. Only one poor dilapidated
house could be made out, on our right. The
savage aspect was impressive, the more so that
the path which we were following was almost
wholly concealed, the mules and horses leaving
no tracks on the pebbly soil. The river, or rather
the torrent, was frozen, and large blocks of ice
here and there showed where the water had tried
to force its way. In the valley a large amount
of flint and granite of all colours was notice-
able. I counted seven different tints of stone,
sometimes in layers, and producing an unusual
and picturesque effect.
The climb became more and more difficult,
and, shortly before reaching the summit of the
pass, the frozen snow on the ground, made slippery
by the tread of our animals, made the march a
dangerous one. I determined accordingly to alight,
152 REALLY DANGEROUS DESCENT [OH. v.
not feeling safe on the old mule that I was riding.
I had hardly walked 50 yards when the animal
suddenly fell and slipped on its back some little
distance without hurting Itself much. It was
suffering from mountain sickness, although we
were not at a height of 12 5 000 feet, and we had
to carry it on the slippery slope.
At the top of the pass I gave the straining
caravan a rest, and consulted the barometer and
thermometer. We had risen nearly 8,000 feet
since the morning, and the glass stood at 4
below zero, although we were in brilliant sun-
shine. Unfortunately there was a strong wind,
and we could not think of resting for long.
Then we began a descent on the northern side
of the pass, which was really dangerous, and such
as I had not contemplated. The slope was
exceedingly steep, and the winding path which
followed it entirely covered with ice. Every one
wondered how the mules were going to get down
without losing their footing and taking " headers "
into the abyss.
The caravan started off, using every possible
precaution. For fear the men might be dragged
away by the animals, I ordered the latter to be
left free to make the descent in their own way.
Strange as this may seem, I had absolute con-
fidence in the admirable balancing instinct of the
mule, a confidence which has never been shaken.
So the animals went down impelled by the weight
of their loads, squatting on their hind legs, slipping
WE SUFFER FROM COLD 158
rapidly down the frozen slope. Sometimes they
cannoned into one another, and their loads became
entangled; but they always managed to retain
their balance at the last moment with marvellous
agility, even when they seemed lost.
As for ourselves, we followed in a more dignified
manner. Sometimes walking and sometimes
otherwise. We had removed our smooth leather
shoes, which would have added to the danger, and
were marching in woollen socks, with the result
that our feet soon became as cold as the ice we
were treading, and caused us much pain. To add
to the charm of the situation, it was growing dark,
and the bottom of the gorge became absolutely
indistinct. We could not see the mules, which
had distanced us considerably.
At length the slope became easier and the
path wider. The ice which covered it was less
thick, and we could increase our pace and search
for the animals which we soon discovered, huddled
on the frozen ground, exhausted by their efforts
during the descent. To the great astonishment
of the men, not one mule was hurt, and not one
load damaged. As it was out of the question to
pass the night in this spot, we went on in the
hope of reaching a small inn we had been told
of about 5 miles from the pass. We arrived there
at eleven o'clock, having crossed the icy water
of several large torrents, and after many tumbles
over the stones and rocks which rilled the road, and
could not be distinguished in the thick darkness.
154 THE ROAD BECOMES EASIEE [OH.V.
Then we had to wake the inn-keeper, who was
asleep, and make our way through the bales of
all kinds which blocked the entrance of the only
room. A fire was lighted with great difficulty,
which filled the room with smoke rather than
heat, and under these sorry circumstances we
passed the night.
We started again early the next morning in
spite of the grumbling of the mule-drivers, who
wanted to make us spend a day in this dirty
house, under the pretence of giving the animals
a rest. The real reason was that being paid by
the day they lost no opportunity of trying to
increase the sum that would be due to them at
the end of the journey. The first few miles led
us along a little path which was slippery with
glazed frost, and wound along by the side of the
river, sometimes clinging to the rocks, and some-
times by the water's edge. The valley gradually
widened, and pine trees appeared, which made
the desolate country look more cheerful. The
slope was fairly steep, and the torrent ran at
great speed in its bed, which accounted for its
not being frozen. This road must be absolutely
impassable when the snows melt, owing to the
height and force of the waters.
During the night the temperature had stood
at 10 below zero, but in this enclosed valley,
where we were sheltered from the wind, the
influence of a glorious sun soon made itself felt,
and towards midday the temperature was about
CROSSING A RIVER ON ICE 155
84. In the evening the gorge was perceptibly
wider, scattered cottages were to be seen, and we
met convoys of tiny asses carrying pine logs to
Tien-tan-tzeu. One end of the log was attached
to the pack-saddle, and the other trailed on the
ground. These little donkeys can in this manner
convey loads of several hundredweight from one
place to another.
Soon the torrent, the right bank of which we
had been following, joined a river, and we were
close to the lamasery of Tien-tan-tzeu, the white
walls of which we detected at a turn of the road
after crossing a bridge which was strikingly con-
structed of beams of wood laid one upon another,
each one-third larger than that immediately below
it. A little further we had to cross the river, and,
as at this point the current was less rapid, and the
bed of the river wider and more level, the frost
had had time to do its work, and the water was
covered with a thick coating of ice which acted
as a natural bridge. The solidity of this did not
seem to me beyond suspicion, as we occasionally
heard prolonged sounds of cracking, and on close
examination 1 discovered that as the level of the
water had perceptibly fallen the current was no
longer supporting the weight of the ice, but was
running at a distance of a foot or so below it.
However, we had no choice but to go on. I
ordered the mules to be sent over one by one in
spite of their plainly manifested terror. I was
hoping that we should achieve our end without
156 A NEWLY BUILT LAMASERY [OH.V.
running any serious risk, when I observed that
two of my caravan men, no doubt finding it
tedious to wait until the mules and drivers that
preceded them had singly reached the other bank
in safety, were trying to make a single journey
of the crossing, not only for themselves, but for
three heavily laden mules with them. In spite
of repeated orders they continued to advance, and
we saw with horror the ice swaying in a most
disquieting fashion beneath their weight. There
was a crack, and a fissure appeared, but by some
extraordinary chance the elasticity of the ice still
held out for a few minutes, and these reckless
fellows arrived safely, half dead with fright, and
promptly received the due punishment of their
disobedience.
When we reached the lamasery we were taken
to a house which was luckily newly built. It
was remarkably clean, and lacked the peculiar
smell which the Mongols and Tibetans have an
unfortunate habit of imparting to any house in
which they stay. Pinewood wainscoting adorned
the rooms and, which was a really wonderful thing,
the door shut quite fast. The chief lamas did not
put in an appearance. This fortunate fact enabled
us to dine early, and to enjoy a well-earned meal
without first having to run the gauntlet of their
curious questionings.
On leaving the lamasery next day we took the
road to the north-west, which followed for some
time the course of the river which we had crossed
I HAVE A NARROW ESCAPE 157
the day before on the ice, at a height of some
hundred feet above it.
As I was jogging along behind the caravan,
admiring the snow-covered country, which was
really surprisingly magnificent, an enormous eagle
suddenly dashed out of the rocks and swept on
extended wings close to my mule's head. The
animal taking fright leaped to the edge of the
abyss, and for a second I felt myself hopelessly
lost. Two of its hoofs lost their hold on the
path and kicked loose stones down on to the
ice below. But by a great effort of its steel-like
muscles it recovered its hold, and the incident
was miraculously over, leaving us safe and sound.
My nerves were so shaken by the horrible tension
of that second that I felt I could ride no more
on that stage, and preferred to walk to the end
of it.
On this day we saw every kind of game,
pheasants, wild peacocks of an uncommon slaty
blue colour, stags, and antelopes. The pheasants
especially were countless, and furnished us with
an excellent stock of provisions. All day long we
were climbing ridges, only coming down into
valleys to climb again.
The differences of altitude reached sometimes
1,200 or 1,600 feet, and wearied the caravan
animals. This was no doubt the reason why the
mule-drivers tried to deceive us, and to make
an attempt to take the Ping-fan road without rny
noticing it. But I discovered the plan, and their
158 A HOT SPRING [CH.V.
trickery only resulted in their being fined to the
extent of some taels. Towards evening the road
passed a coal mine which was being worked, near
the top of a ridge, in an imposing and wild situa-
tion. Some miners were living at an altitude
of 0,900 feet, working their mine when the
atmospheric conditions allowed them. A little
lower down discharges of gas made us cough.
This was escaping from some narrow clefts on
the side of the mountain, and going on we came
to a spring of warm water containing iron and
carbon, the steam of which rose in a column
condensed by the bitterly cold air. The water
came out of the earth at a temperature of 85.
Our lodging for the night at Trahou was less
poor and dilapidated than we had feared, a
peasant's inn, surrounded by some fields, at the
bottom of a valley running north and south, but
the next day was another weary and back-breaking
climb. The first pass was 8,300 feet above the level
of Chantou. Luckily none were covered with snow
like that which we had crossed on the 12th, and
they were easily negotiated. Not a living soul
came in sight. All was wild desert. In the
evening we reached Ra-liou-tua-tse quite worn
out. From this village to Liang-chou the road
became easy, continually descending, and the
ground, though frozen, was not too slippery. We
reached Liang-chou on the 20th of December with-
out any further adventures worth recording.
CHAPTER VI
TOWARDS REPALARAITSE
LIANG-CHOU is a comparatively well-known city.
Not only have some European explorers visited
it, such as Bonin and Sven Hedin, but two
missions are flourishing there in healthy rivalry.
One is a Belgian Catholic Mission, with a good
number of converts, the other is a station of the
China Inland Mission, richer in hope than in
achievement.
The city is a detestable one, not only because
of the evil smells which abound in it, but much
more owing to the character of the people in
Northern Kansu. In no country is human
intelligence so dense and slow as here. Such,
at least, was the opinion of Confucius. The
slightest undertaking, the most slender purchase,
takes an infinite time, and usually turns out
unsuccessful The Mandarins were polite to us,
but really hostile, as is always the case in
mission stations. The people have no respect
for Europeans, and these are frequently insulted
in broad daylight, since certain missionaries allow
themselves to be abused without replying.
159
160 I DISMISS SAN-TAO-HO MEN [OH. vi.
The city itself is large, even too large for the
population and for the number of houses made
of mud and pebbles which are in it. It is built
on the broad strip of land which stretches across
Northern Kansu, between the mountains and the
Gobi.
We happened fco put up at the temple of
Shi-lai-seu, or the temple dedicated to the man
coming from the East. For the time that we had
to spend in Liang-chou during our preparations
for an expedition into the unknown Gobi, we
preferred its rooms, recently whitewashed for the
mining agents of the King of the Belgians, to
an inn.
Our object was to identify certain lakes printed
in a dubious manner on the map, whose existence
was alleged by some, and denied by others ; but
on learning that we were going to penetrate into
a country practically unknown, my caravan drivers
from San-tao-ho, who had never shown any taste for
a life of adventure, cried aloud, and swore by all
their gods that they all had extremely aged parents
or children of a tender age, who required looking
after without delay. I dismissed them all, without
any regret, for greater liars and sluggards I had
never met ; and I set about finding new servants.
This was no easy task, for the people of
Liang-chou have the reputation of being shameless
robbers, and, if possible, I wanted only to employ
safe men. The best course was to approach the
Belgian missionaries, who since they knew many
DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING A NEW STAFF 161
families could recommend the most likely and
the least dishonest persons. With their aid I
got together a sufficient number of men; but
then a great difficulty arose. These gentlemen
were willing to go with us wherever we wished to
venture, provided that we did not leave the high
road ! The efforts and diplomacy which were
necessary to get them to start for the unknown
would fill a book. One, having promised, changed
his mind next day. Another was held back by his
wife, another by his children, a fourth by his mill.
The truth was that they had a great fear that
we should all perish together.
None the less we set out on the 4th of January
1905 with a staff shaking in its shoes, and on
which no reliance could be placed. Our caravan
included twenty -five camels, which had remained
in pretty bad condition, in spite of Lao Yang's
promises at Ping-fan, and one riding-horse. Four
men drove the camels, and at evening had to pitch
the Mongol tent given us by the King of Alashan.
A fellow of strange character and grotesque
appearance had undertaken the responsibilities of
the kitchen, and a tall, disconnected young man
acted as valet and butler.
Our provisions for a three months' journey
included all that we could obtain in this badly-
supplied city. We carried with us, in great grey
sacks upon our camels, TOO Ibs. of flour, 250 Ibs. of
millet, 200 Ibs. of rice, 100 Ibs. of meat, which we
L
m CROSSING THE POUA RIVER [CH.VI.
trusted the frost to preserve, and 1,000 Ibs. of
peas for the animals, to sustain them during the
several days in succession, when they would find
no green food.
A strip of cultivated land stretches along the
banks of the Poua River from Liang-ehou to Lake
Tching-trou-rou,' the first of the sheets of water
which we wished to identify ; but, instead of follow-
ing the winding water-courses, we decided to cut
across the desert and to meet the river again at
the small town of Chen-fan, where dwells the
Mandarin charged with the government of the
Emperor's subjects who have settled in this
remote portion of the Empire. For two days we
crossed fields of various crops, in the middle of
which from time to time rose farms with high
fortified walls. The country was unquestionably
fertile, well watered by the streams which come
down, from the mountains, and drained auto-
matically by the natural slope of the ground
towards the desert, so as to spread the water
where it is wanted for fertilisation.
We crossed the Poua on our third day's
march. The swiftness of its current, though it
has not much water in summer, had preserved it
from being entirely frozen, but blocks of ice which
were carried down it bumped against the legs of
our quiet camels.
The temperature at this season, although very
cold, was extremely pleasant. The sun rose and
sank every day in a cloudless sky, and if, during
A GOOD WAY OF CURING LAZINESS 163
the night, the temperature often fell 20 below
zero, by day it was sometimes so hot that we
had to unbutton our thick sheepskin cloaks.
Towards evening, as a rule, we had a light
breeze from the north-west.
But we soon passed the lines of cultivation,
and began to traverse the great plain, grassy and
deserted, interrupted by ridges of sand. After
7 miles, we came upon the small deserted temple of
La-pa-tchoui, built upon a little rise in the ground,
below which are two springs, which were then
transformed by the frost into two pools of ice.
The temple is surrounded by ruins, and the great
wall here takes a turn northward. We crossed
the wall twice on our march towards the north,
and on the other side of its remains we pursued
our way over a great rolling plain, well covered
with grass even at that season, in which troops
of antelopes were roaming.
Before we had left Liang-ehou more than five
days, the courage of our drivers began to fail.
On the morning of the 9th January two men
begged me to let them return to their dear
Liang-chou, alleging a sudden illness, of which they
showed no symptoms, for they were two hardy
fellows gifted with splendid appetites. Naturally,
I did not grant their request; but to avoid a
recurrence of these fancy ailments I made them
swallow large doses of ipecacuanha. This made
them think twice before trying a fresh subterfuge.
We lost this day altogether, for my horse,
WRETCHED CHEN-FAN [CH.VI.
the only one we had, having bolted, we were
employed until sunset in recapturing him.
As we went on, we found that the grassy
plateau was succeeded by a sandy plain covered
with small stones, on the left some low, bare
hills, and across the plain itself some furrows in
the sand. There was absolutely no green food
here, and as I did not wish to encroach upon
our stock of peas, I resorted for the nourishment
of the caravan to a convoy of peasants who were
going from Chen-fan to Kan-chou, carrying to
the latter town a large supply of straw and
forage. At a high price we obtained what we
wanted, as these poor beggars saw in our diffi-
culty a means of making a large profit.
Hext day, after crossing two large frozen rivers,
the Ta-Si-Ho and the Siao-Si-Ho, whose frozen
beds were hardly roads designed for camels, and a
smaller river, the To-Ho-Tse, we left the sand,
and after II miles 9 were glad to reach country
well cultivated and thickly inhabited. The lines
of the fields were broken only by occasional
banks of sand carried by violent spring winds.
A further march of 8 miles brought us
under the walls of the town of Chen-fan, half
buried in the sand, and sheltering a collection of
extremely wretched mud-huts. There is no kon-
kuan in this town, which is the terminus of
Chinese administration towards the desert, and
no Mandarin, except the sub - prefect in charge,
ever ventures into this neighbourhood. We had.
A MONGOL SURGEON 165
therefore, to pitch our Mongol tent in the court
of a dusty inn, whose rooms were some of
them roofless, and others without doors, in a
temperature of 25 below zero.
Just before we reached the town, Han, our
valet, having mounted against all orders on an
already loaded camel, and having gone to sleep
on it, pleasantly rocked by the pitching and
rolling which makes the boldest sea-sick, had
fallen from his mount on to the ice, and had
dislocated his knee. Accordingly, I called the
most fashionable humbug at Chen-fan to his
help, promising a good reward if the tibia and
femur of our servant, who wept like a child,
should be properly set. The doctor got to work
at once, and began by filling his mouth with
warm water, which he then discharged on his
patient's knee. After ten minutes of this treat-
ment, he went through a series of gestures,
worthy of the most accomplished charlatan, and
only then did he set the injured knee. The
performance took a long time, but the result was
satisfactory.
I had learnt from experience never to interfere
myself in serious cases. The European, who is
foolishly kind enough to try to minister to the
woes of others, gains as his only sign of gratitude
a charge of having tried to poison the patient, if
his remedies have not full effects, and has to bear
upon his shoulders the responsibility of all the
evils experienced by the sufferer.
166 SURPRISED BY FINDING- CULTURES [CH.VI.
North of Chen-fan, the Russian maps, which
are the best for all that concerns the Gobi, mark
an absolute desert. We were therefore prepared
for a march over sand and stones, guided only by
the compass and the sextant, and were much sur-
prised to travel for three days, for a distance of
over 50 miles, through cultivated fields, and to meet
continually with large farms, the whole country
being intersected by irrigation canals carrying the
fertilising water of the Pcua-Ho and its tributaries.
The road was good, and would have been
practicable for carts. The river ran on our left
with cultivation on one side of it, and the rocky
and sandy desert on the other.
The natural slope of the ground has only per-
mitted irrigation of the land on the right bank.
The country was flat, and sparsely-wooded, and
the sun poured down blinding beams. On the
14th of January we made no march. We were
at the village of Tching-trou-rou, on the actual
edge of the desert, and as the pack-saddles of the
camels were in very bad condition, had decided
to spend a day in mending them. The cul de sac
in which we were was surrounded by sand on all
sides. Chinese cultivation ended here, and we could
not be far away from the Tching-trou-rou Lake,
which takes its name from the village, and into
which the Poua-Ho flows. We had crossed the
river once more the evening before, and for the
future it lay on our right.
On the morrow, having crossed the sand ridges
INFLUENCE OF COLD ON CORDITE RIFLES 167
without much trouble, we reached a large plain
encircled by bare rocky mountains, which looked
mauve in the distance. There was no sign of
the presence of any lake, and we moved by intui-
tion towards a cleft which was indicated in the
mountains in front. There were many antelopes
in the district which were not very wild, and I had
several shots at them. This led us to observe
a most interesting phenomenon. The cartridges
of the Mannlicher rifle, loaded with cordite, carry-
ing ordinarily more than 2,000 yards, exploded with
an altogether different sound from their usual dry
crack, and the bullets fell spent, with a wide
trajectory, at 150 or 200 yards. We could only
attribute this to the intense cold to which the
cartridges were exposed. Had we been attacked
then, our defence would have been very feeble
we could not have relied upon the range of our
rifles, or the accuracy of our aim.
Towards evening our attention was attracted to
a white mass on the right, and I felt sure that we
were not far from the lake, the ice on which could
be perceived. We inclined eastward, and, soon
after, reached the banks of the lake. Two poor
cottages stood near by, marking the site of a well
at which we were to spend the night. The water
of the lake happened to be slightly salt, and unfit
to drink or to use in cooking.
On the border of the lake dead fish already
dried showed that the water-level had sunk since
the spring flood, and 100 yards from the edge
168 THE LAKE OF TCHING-TROU-ROTJ [OH.VI.
masses of thick ice broken and forced up proved
that the sinking had gone on since the first days
of frost. I could not determine the shape of the
lake, which was surrounded on the south-east and
north-east by huge ridges of sand, and on the west
and north by a plain and some bare hills. All
its lines were confused by an intense mirage, a
glittering of the white mass of the ice, and of the
reflection of the sand. The inhabitants of the huts
at Seu roung nou tien asserted that the circuit of
the lake was 200 Us ; but this estimate seemed to
me an exaggerated one.
The next day we set out across the sand to
the north-east of the lake; we had never seen
such high ridges, and at first I thought the
caravan would never get out of them. There
were real precipices between them, sometimes
more than 90 feet deep, where the wind collected,
whilst over our heads it picked up the dry sand
and spread it over the caravan in a thin rain.
The displacement of the sand here must be very
rapid, for having ordered a halt of some minutes,
in the course of this back-breaking journey over
the yielding ground, I noticed that, 100 yards
behind us, in the very track of our caravan,
the wind had heaped up a layer of sand more
than a foot thick.
After painful efforts maintained for several
hours we got out of this impasse, which on a
stormy day would certainly entomb any rash
adventurers.
WE GET A BETTER VIEW OF THE LAKE 169
A little later we reached the summit of a
crest of lava, which commanded the lake. These
beds of lava stretched from the north-west to
the south-east for a distance of at least several
miles. They are now as high as the summits
around them ; but it cannot have been so in
old times, for while the wind and the sand have
levelled the rocks on the top of the mountains
and reduced them to a uniform height, they
have left the lava ridges untouched.
Then we found to our great astonishment that
the lake Tching - trou - rou is composed of two
sheets of water separated by a narrow isthmus
which the sand can open or block in a short
time. The smaller sheet, entirely hidden by the
sand-hills, is shallow, and lies to the north of
the other.
Having crossed the lava ridges, we lost sight
of the lake and of the whole basin through
which we had been marching for several days.
We sighted a small valley full of a coarse grass,
which, although dried by the frost, made excellent
food for the animals, and we decided to halt
there. The water we were carrying with us in the
form of ice made it unnecessary to search for a
well, and camels can spend long days without
drinking, especially in winter.
We were about to cross the sheer desert,
whose long desolate furrows impress forcibly the
strongest mind and the most self-confident of
men. It is not a matter of nerves, but simply
170 ACROSS SHEER DESERT [CH.VI.
the distinct knowledge that, while crossing these
huge dead expanses, a caravan's existence is at
the mercy of any accident that cannot be fore-
seen, and of any mistake in the calculation of
longitude and latitude which may result in an
inability to find water and supplies.
Even the faintest trace of a path had altogether
disappeared. The neighbourhood was painfully
monotonous, the horizon was bounded on all
sides by a chain of low hills wrapped in a bluish
mist In which, as in mirage, they seemed to
move. The men presented an appearance even
more disconsolate than that of Nature, for they
seemed to have lost all hope, and performed
their duties with even less energy than usual.
We marched all day over the desert extending
on all sides, in the manner that I have described,
for several hundred miles. About 60 miles to
the west, a great chain of mountains, Yapala-
shan, stretched its blue-grey mass, whose lines
were confused and lost under the rays of the
burning sun. The march Itself was as simple
as possible. There were no obstacles to turn us
from our straight course, and when we stopped
for the night near the well of Mona Shanse,
which we had some difficulty in finding, since
the man we had engaged as a guide did not
know the way, and had never really visited the
district, we had covered 15 miles almost without
noticing them. As the readers will be able to
judge in the course of my narrative, the halt
STUPIDITY OF THE GUIDE 171
nearly proved fatal to one of us but I must not
anticipate events.
On the 19th of January we set out again
under intense cold aggravated by a cutting wind.
We had hardly covered a mile before the course
of our guide became even more erratic than on
the day before, and having questioned him closely
I made him admit that he did not know towards
which of the three heights which stood out to the
north we ought to be making. Accordingly I
resumed control of the caravan, and to the great
surprise of our people gave the order to incline
to the left, and to make for a depression which
was indicated in the Yapalashan. If the Russian
map was correct, there should be here a little
Mongol temple visited some years before by a
Russian explorer, where I hoped to find a better
qualified guide. I calculated that we were about
35 miles from it.
A stretch of yellow sand lay in front of us,
with ridges which did not look high, but foreboded
a total absence of water. So I ordered the head
camel driver, Lao Yang, to go back to the wells, and
to fill some of the casks, while we went on slowly.
He did not seem pleased at the order, for he
took some time to get started. We thought that
he would recover from his sulks, and would
faithfully perform my instructions, and his ill-
will gave us no further anxiety. We were the
more astonished when he joined us again after
another 18 miles at finding the casks empty
TO DIFFICULTIES WITH SERVANTS [cH.vr.
and hearing him explain that our habit of trust-
ing to chance displeased him, and that he had not
procured any water, so as to force us to retrace
our steps. We were therefore obliged to camp
on the sand, and to wait up to a late hour of the
night the return of two camel drivers, whom I
hastily despatched to the wells. Lao Yang was
a little too sore to go himself.
I admit that we had begun to have some doubts
as to the success of this expedition, supported as
we were by a head servant of the type of Lao
Yang, disobedient, arrogant, and untruthful, and
by others terrified at the stories of death from
thirst which he had repeated to them ever since
we started. These men could never understand
how I was able to lead them straight from
point to point merely by observing the stars.
They could only see in my orders the frightful
symptoms of an insanity of which they were to
be the victims.
On the following day we crossed small ridges
of sand all some 10 feet high, and running from
north to south. It was only towards evening
that we reached a slightly different site, where
some alpic bushes afforded food to the camels
which they needed badly.
From the tent door we could see clearly the
depression towards which I had led the caravan,
and which proved to be a broad pass cutting the
mountain chain in two.
We reached the temple of Kush late next day,
LIFE OF SOME MONGOL MONKS 173
in a snowstorm, which hid the leading animals of
the caravan from the men in the rear. This fall
of snow made the cold less bitter, and gave an
Arctic appearance to the whole district, which, was
covered by a spotless white mantle which crackled
under the heavy tread of the camels.
The temple, inhabited by a small number of
lamas, has no striking peculiarity. It is built
near a well to the side of the road taken by the
numerous caravans which carry the trade between
Kwei - hua - cheng and Kan - chou - fu, by way of
Paotu and Repalaraitse. This road passes some-
what to the south-east of the great temple of
Aque - miao. All along its course are small
pagodas, like those of Kush, in which a few
miserable monks vegetate without even the
resource, in this awful desert, of cattle-breeding,
like some of their more fortunate colleagues.
They spend their time in begging a little money
or food from the caravan drivers,, and live for
long years on this barren ground, only passing
from their smoky and dusty rooms to the cold and
dark hall of the temple, in which they mutter
indefinitely prayers which they do not understand.
These wretched people would very soon die
of hunger, but for the superstitious credulity of
the caravan drivers, who imagine that the lamas
can throw an evil spell over their beasts, or, which
is more likely, poison the well, and destroy their
pack animals.
The snow continued to fall for two days, and.
174 WE JOURNEY UNDER THE SNOW [CH.VI.
as marching tinder these conditions was really very
painful, we remained stationary. I was suffering
also from a slight attack of fever, for which com-
plete rest was the best cure. But our life under
our felt tent was very dull and monotonous. The
day gave us hardly light enough to read by, and
no noise broke the silence as of the grave. The
wind had dropped, and the carpet of snow deadened
the footfall of the caravan drivers.
When we started again on 25th January, we
followed the road which I mentioned before.
This, being thickly covered with snow, was hard
to find. A few days would see us at Repalaraitse,
the point at which the roads of the Gobi Desert
meet, at right angles.
Towards evening there was a fresh fall of snow ;
the ground was covered to the depth of a foot,
and after a short march, we pitched our tent.
All day we met no one, and the tracks of our
caravan on the snow were blotted out under the
fresh fall, like the wake of a ship. The death-
like stillness of the huge expanses seemed never
to be broken by the noise and bustle of life.
For three days we journeyed in the same
direction to the north-east, now mounting and
now descending the long and gentle slope, between
two ranges of bare hills, far distant and low. The
country was mournful and deserted looking when
the sky was cloudy; but when the sun shone
upon the huge white plain the sight was magnifi-
cent, though rather blinding to the eyes.
%/*% V /"*'** \ V
! .. I ,.> t ^fc \ kc.
IX THE GOBI DESERT, NEAR REPALARA1TSE
[Tofanjt 1/4,
ILLNESS OF MY WIFE 175
We were only a few miles from Repalaraitse,
and in view of the last Mil that conceals the
temple, when our march northward was arrested
by one of those accidents against which the will
of man can do nothing.
My wife, who so far had borne the fatigue of
this long journey excellently, was attacked by
typhoid fever. The readers will remember my
statement that the well of Mona Shanse was to
prove fatal to us.
The water of this well had been poisoned by
decayed bones and morsels of skin and flesh from
camels which had died of weariness or disease.
Unluckily we had only discovered this too late,
It was more than enough to develop the germs
of this dreadful disease. Accordingly we had to
stay at this desolate place covered with snow for
twenty-two days, without drinking water, except
such as we could obtain by melting the snow,
and without any means of renewing our provisions,
which were gradually diminishing, We wondered
anxiously what we should do when they were
entirely exhausted. I had brought food for three
months, but had not reckoned on the careless
gluttony of the men, who ate twice as much as
they needed, or on the wear and tear of the sacks
which were never mended, and which allowed their
precious contents to be scattered on the march.
During this lapse of time, which seemed as
though it would never end, the temperature was
very cold, frequently dropping to 37 below zero.
1T6 COMING BACK TO LIANG-CHOU [CH.VI.
There was no fresh snow, and the sky recovered
its splendid clearness, but great hurricane winds
blowing from the west penetrated all the clefts
of our tent, and made our situation almost in-
tolerable.
Some long caravans of thin camels travelling
from Paotu to Kan-chou-fu passed close to us.
They moved slowly one after another, two or
three hundred in number, many of them carrying
on their necks bells, whose mournful tinkling
echoed across the great flats, in a manner which
we shall long remember.
I often tried to buy such provisions as rice and
peas from these passing caravan drivers, but they
would not sell them at any price, being themselves
sadly impoverished, and having no more than they
needed for their own support.
At last the day came when we had to think
of returning to Liang-chou at once, although my
poor invalid wife had by no means recovered.
We had rations for only three days, and the
camels had for some days had nothing to eat
except the thin brushwood which appeared here
and there above the snow, and which we also used
for fuel.
One of the questions which exercised me most
was as to how these wretched animals would be
able to take us back to our starting-point,
exhausted as they were by want of food.
We hastily constructed a litter of poor
materials, which broke down more than once on
REPALARAITSE 177
the way, and set out on the 20th of February,
not knowing whether we should reach Liang-ehou
in time, since all depended on a specially rapid
march, which it seemed hard to expect from the
caravan animals.
However, the day before, I had visited
Repalaraitse, where a temple stands to the south
of a moderate-sized lake. This temple and its
lamas are richer than usual, for a number of roads
meet here. They are as follows: from Paotu to
Kan-ehou, from Paotu to Chen -fan, from Paotu
to Morning, from Fu-ma-fu to Morning, from
Fu-ma-fu to Uliassutai, from Fu-ma-fu to
Khamil. The number of camel caravans that pass
this place is considerable, and sometimes a score
of them encamp side by side on the banks of the
lake, since there Is a sufficiency of grass in the
neighbourhood. The Gobi Desert is, as a matter
of fact, more productive in these places, than is
generally supposed. Some stretches are certainly
an absolute desert, covered with dry and shifting
sand, or fine gravel, but here and there are meet-
ing-places In which one feels closer to China and
less lost.
I will say little of the anxiety of the return
journey. We accomplished marches so long and
tedious that they were really achievements. Many
of our camels were unable to keep up, and the
caravan was much reduced, both in men and
animals, when we reached Liang-chou.
Fortunately we met with no accidents, and the
178 MY WIFE REGAINS HEALTH [CH.VI.
men we had left behind us joined us again at
Liang-chou safe and well after a short rest.
Miss Mellor, a lady of the China Inland Mission,
nursed my wife with skill and devotion, for which
we shall ever be specially grateful. Little by little
she was restored to health, and was again eager to
continue the journey which had been so unhappily
interrupted.
CHAPTER VII
FllOM LIANG-CHOU TO AN-SI-CHOU. P1EPAIATION
FOE, TIBET
ON the 5th of May we started again for the town
of Yung Thrung, from which we proposed to
make an expedition into the desert to look for
another lake, marked on some maps, of which
the inhabitants of the country professed complete
ignorance. From this lake we intended to go to
Morning, and thence to An-si-chou, all the while
remaining inside the Gobi. In this latter town,
almost on the borders of the Northern Kansu,
we should complete our caravan and buy the
necessary provisions for our crossing of Tibet from
north to south. The route was entirely new,
and crossed only country unknown to Europeans.
We left Liang-chou in rain, a light spring rain
which would last all day, and we reached Yung
Thrung in two days. Our road crossed valleys
formed by water - courses in the mass of loess,
pebbles, and earth brought down from the great
southern mountains. Some important passes are
to be found in this chain, which all, more or
less, lead towards Sioing-fu. One of them is
inhabited by some people called Sifins, who have
179
180 PICTURESQUE NING-YUAN-PU [on-vn.
a bad reputation, and gave some trouble to the
explorer Bonin.
On the 8th of May we left Yung Thrang
early, hoping to reach ISfing-yiian-pu before night,
and plunged into a mountain defile, following the
banks of the river Ta Ho (great river), which
does not deserve this pompous name. All day
long we travelled northward, cutting across ridges
of hills running from east to west, all uninhabited,
and containing, I think, many minerals. Towards
the middle of the afternoon, at a place called
Ho-si-pu, we found a long broad plain fairly well
cultivated, and covered with farms. The Great
Wall again put in an appearance there, in the
shape of a moderate mound of earth, and all the
dwellings had lofty towers abundantly fortified
with stones and pebbles. Having marched another
7 miles we reach Ning-yuan-pu just as the sun was
setting.
Mng-yiian-pu is a picturesque little town on
the right bank of the Ta Ho, with no great
commerce or industry. It serves as a rallying
point for the farmers and peasants scattered over
this remote corner of China. A worm-eaten
wooden bridge, on which no heavy load dare
pass, leads up to it. Opposite the town, on a
cone-shaped hill, stands a large number of small
red and white pagodas dedicated to the genii of
the desert, the wind, and the rain. Beyond Ning-
yiian-pu lies the bare desert, sinking perceptibly
towards the north, in which the Ta Ho apparently
AGAIN FLOURISHING LIFE IN GOBI 181
disappears. The mountain ends at Ning-yiian-pu,
but one chain extends towards the north-west, of
which I shall speak again.
We wished to follow the course of the Ta Ho,
and enquired what "became of it. Accordingly,
leaving on our right a road which leads to Chen-
fan, we set out across a dry and barren country,
the soil of which, being made of pebbles, was
firm under foot. We had been informed at Mng-
yiian-pu that a series of villages, named Tien-su-
Kiang and Chang - ning - hu had been built on a
stretch of fertile alluvial ground in the heart of
the desert about 20 miles to the north. We
soon beheld them, twinkling in the distant
mirage, since nothing blocked our view and the
day was clear.
Nothing is more curious and interesting to
the traveller than to find flourishing life and
prosperous cultivation where he only expected
the barrenness of the Gobi. These villages are
far from poor, and would be rich, but for the
sand hurricanes, which, from tune to time
destroy some of their fields, and rob them of the
profits of their labours. The water of the Ta Ho
is skilfully used for the irrigation of the field, and
herds of cows and camels feed peacefully around.
In answer to questions about the Ta Ho,
the inhabitants of Tien - su - Kiang assured us
that the river did not run on towards the north,
but, on the contrary, took a turn to the east,
and not far from Chen - fan joined the streams
182 A SAND STORM [CH.VII.
which pour into the lake Tching-trou-rou. We
decided to verify this statement, and the next
day reconnoitre the country to the north.
The Ta Ho did in fact change its course, and
took a turn to the east, which would enable it to
reach Chen -fan; but its volume was very much
reduced, a large portion of its waters being drawn
off for cultivation, and a great quantity being lost
in the porous ground which here took the place of
the gravel in the desert. In places there were
great impassable stretches of mud, from which
flowed little streams which united later on to form
again the bed of the river. We saw no trace of a
lake, except a pond made by human hands, and
used for watering and bathing animals.
As we returned to Tien - su - Kiang (the most
remote village), a terrible sand hurricane broke out.
Immediately on all sides columns of whirling sand
rose in the air, dragging after them all the small
objects which they encountered. It was soon
impossible to see even 2 or 3 yards ahead, and, as
the wind still grew in violence our only course was
to stretch ourselves on the ground with cloaks over
our heads. I admired the patience of the Mongol
horses. Accustomed from their youth to these
natural hardships, they only turned their backs
to the wind, and from time to time shook their
ears when the pebbles struck them, though the
violence of the wind now and again drove them
some paces forward.
This hurricane lasted for about twenty minutes.
WE MARCH WESTWARDS 18S
Then the sky became clear, while large masses of
sand and dust could be seen travelling southwards.
According to the inhabitants it was one of the
feeblest hurricanes that one could experience. I
shudder at the thought of what the others must
be like. These hurricanes are called bouranes in
Chinese Turkestan, where they cause fearful
damage; so at least the explorers who have
experienced them assert.
Two days later we were back at Mng-yiian-pu,
and continued our march westward, leaving the
bed of the Ta Ho to the south. Our road was
crossed by many small torrents and river beds, all
making for the Ta Ho. In these days they are
only rarely filled with water during the rainy
season ; but the deep impression they have made in
the land and the ravines that they have dug out
prove beyond question that the rainfall, now very
feeble over all this district, was formerly heavy.
This observation applies not only to the route
which we were then taking, but generally to all
the north of Kansu and the south of the Gobi.
We continued marching westward for two
days, now rising slightly towards the north, and
again inclining perceptibly towards the south.
The country is by no means barren, and the
abundance and quality of the pasturage increased
as we advanced. The grass was high, there was
plenty of good water in the wells. There were
large herds of cattle, horses, and camels, handed
over to the inhabitants of this district, for the
184 FERTILE DISTRICT OF KAN-CHOU-FU [OH. vn.
summer, by the city traders of Kan-ehou and
the surrounding country.
The peasants, who live on these wide plains
crossed by high ridges, and marked on the map
as sandy desert, do not indulge in agriculture, but
are content with the modest profits which they
make by acting as cattle - drovers. There are
but few cottages, since ten men can overlook
a wide stretch of ground.
In the evening of the second day we reached
the little ancient garrison town, which bears the
name of Sia-kru, and which in olden times was
built up against the Great Wall. To the north of
this town is an immense stretch of grassy plain.
From Sia-kru we had suddenly decided to
make for Kan-chou-fu, for we had heard much
talk of the importance and prosperity of that
city. The road to it, which follows the old Great
Wall in a gentle downward slope, is one of the
largest in Kansu. It passes many large villages
and small fortified towns. The country is well
cultivated, and seems fertile.
Before reaching Kan-chou-fu, we crossed the
sandy bed of the river Bdsin Gol, which is very
broad, and found ourselves suddenly in a very
fertile district, abundantly watered by various
tributaries and affluents of the river, very
populous and full of life. As we advanced, the
high walls of the town rose before us with a
curtain of trees in front of them., and tall trees
overtopping them from inside.
DESCRIPTION OF KAN-CHOU-FU 185
The first sight of the town is very pleasing,
but, unfortunately, it does not stand a closer
examination. In fact, while this town has the
great advantage of being very shady, it pays for
it by being built on the site of an ancient marsh,
and, during the rainy season, it becomes a collec-
tion of unhealthy swamps. Even during the dry
season there are sheets of water, sometimes of
considerable size, inside the walls on all sides,
and the inhabitants may be seen angling in the
pools created by the rains at their very doors a
spectacle as amusing as it is uncommon,
No house in Kan-chou is conceited enough to
hold itself erect. The ground is too soft to bear
the weight, even of slender mud walls, for many
years, and the buildings, which are incessantly
being rebuilt, change their position at once, as if
afflicted by perpetual earthquake. This state of
affairs causes no anxiety to the inhabitants, who
live in peaceful happiness, sheltered by roofs which
may come down on their heads at any minute.
Four hundred years ago Kan-chou occupied a
much better position, but popular superstition,
so powerful in China, moved it in consequence
of some disaster, and erected it again in this
unsuitable spot.
We spent some days in Kan-chou, during
which I took the opportunity of increasing the
number of mules and horses that we should
employ for our crossing of Tibet. I recruited
them right and left as chance offered. The mules
186 AGAIN THROUGH GOBI [ra.vn.
of Northern Kansu, although moderate in size,
have extraordinary staying power, and can cover
long distances under a load of 200 Ibs. on scanty
nourishment, consisting almost entirely of dry
straw. The price of the best of these pack mules
seldom exceeds 40 taels. The horses are even
cheaper, and, excluding fast amblers, excellent
mounts can be obtained, at 20 or 80 taels.
Han, one of our men, was suddenly taken ill,
and profited by the seizure to indulge in his
favourite secret vice of opium. Unluckily for
him, as I made my round one night I discovered
this, and informed him that he must either go
back to Liang-chou at once or give up smoking.
He assured me that he was only smoking because
he was ill, and that opium acted upon him as a
sedative. He might as well have said an anaes-
thetic, for the man seemed absolutely senseless.
We left him behind us at Kan-chou for some
days after our departure, hoping that he would
return to Liang-chou. He was an idle and stupid
fellow, and feeble in health, and we thought that
perhaps the crossing of Tibet would be more than
he could manage.
To reach Morning we plunged into a corner
of the Gobi Desert, instead of following the high
road explored some years previously by the great
Hussian traveller Obrotchieff. Morning is situated
on the river Edsin Gol, and commands the stretch
of cultivated land which reaches to the centre of
the desert for some hundred Us on the two sides
HIGH SAND-HILLS 187
of that water-course, which ends in two important
lakes, the Sokho Nor and Athum Nor.
The route that the caravan pursued for several
days was very monotonous. We travelled between
the bed of the Edsin Gol and the desert. Occa-
sionally we passed small hills, the outlying points
of more important ridges starting from the Gobi,,
all running from east to west.
After a six days' march, we reached, on the
29th May, some sand-hills, so high that those
previously described to the north of the lake
Tching-trou-rou were not to be compared with
them. They extend for 7 miles in length, and
a mile or two in breadth from, north to south.
The highest are collected in the south, and reach
a height varying from 150 to 200 feet.
I shudder to think what a sandstorm., a
bourane, would be like, if it raged between these
ridges of sand so easily shifted and displaced even
by a light breeze. Luckily, during our crossing,
there was complete peace, and not a grain of
sand was whirling in the air.
It was even oppressively hot. Although we
had become accustomed to begin our marches
before daylight, between two and three o'clock in
the morning, we had not yet been able altogether
to avoid the terrible radiance of the sun on the
sand and the gravel, and our progress was painful.
When we halted, towards eleven o'clock in the
morning, both men and beasts had well earned
their rest.
188 THE CITY OF MOMING [CH.VII.
When these high ridges had been crossed with-
out serious difficulty we came out again upon the
river Edsin G-ol, flowing here over a gravel-bed
in the midst of a desert dotted with small oases.
On all sides, east., north, and west, the view was
bounded by a horizon of sand-hills.
Having followed the Edsin Gol for two days
across a monotonous country in which, however,
the poverty of the inhabitants seemed to increase,
we reached the town of Morning, also known as
Mo-mo and Ping-su-ing.
This wretched and tiny city did not answer to
the description we had received of it.
It is useless to ask for information in China, your
interlocutor will always reply in the affirmative,
through sheer politeness, and because he wishes
to please you and become popular. I had asked
different people, on a score of occasions, about the
resources of Morning, enquiring especially whether
I should be able to obtain a fresh stock of provisions
there. In spite of previous experience in similar
circumstances, I had relied from their replies upon
being able to buy at Morning many provisions,
and even animals, with which I was unwilling to
burden our caravan on leaving Liang-chou.
Unfortunately, there is only one shop in Morning,
and that shop has nothing for sale. With great
difficulty we obtained a little rice, and some peas
with which I had to nourish the mules for some
weeks, to get them into good condition before
venturing into the deserts of Tibet. As to buying
WE PUT UP AT THE TEMPLE 189
j it was hopeless. All the mules which
people tried to sell at ridiculous prices were
nearly twenty years old, and hopped on three
legs. The camels were only skin and bones, and
their wistful eyes told a long story of privations
and ill-treatment.
I had no other choice, and had to huy five of
these poor creatures. I hoped that a substantial
diet of peas and good grass would quickly restore
them to condition, and I was not entirely dis-
appointed in my expectations.
There is no konkuan at Morning, and as the
inns were repulsively dirty we calmly took up
our quarters in the chief temple, to the great
astonishment and amusement of the inhabitants
of the town. On reaching it we found opium
smokers settled in the temple itself, which removed
any hesitation or doubt as to the profanation of the
sacred place. The chief hall was lofty and airy,
and much to be preferred to any luxury in view
of the torrid heat which oppressed the town.
In the course of the two days that we spent
here Han arrived from Kan-ehou by the high
road along the left hand of the Edsin Gol.
He brought with him a boy of nineteen called
Siao-d'gan, consumptive in appearance, feeble, and
entirely devoid of those qualities of physical sound-
ness which all the men, except Han, possessed. We
wanted to dismiss this rickety gentleman at once,
but he begged so hard, and affirmed so stoutly that
he was used to hard work, that we took him with
190 BAD CROSSING OF THE EDSIN GOL [OH.VH.
us. It was an unfortunate weakness on our part,
for we had hardly entered Tibet when he began
to be a burden to everybody, and he died of chest
and heart troubles before the end of the journey.
Morning would be nothing but a village were
it not for the peculiarity of its situation, as I
explained before. The inhabitants assured us that
for the past three years not a drop of rain had
fallen in the district, and that the lack of provisions
and the sorry condition of the beasts were due to
this fact. But for the Edsin Gol, the country
would be an appalling desert.
Three high roads meet here,, one comes from
Repalaraitse, another from Kharnil, the third goes
to Su-chou-fu, The road from Khamil passes to
the east of a low range of mountains which is
visible to the north-west of the town.
The evening before the day of our departure
heavy rain fell for the first time for years,, and
caused a great sensation. Some well-disposed
spirits attributed this sudden fructifying down-
pour to the fortunate influence of our presence,
which was very good of them.
On the 2nd of June we nearly lost the whole
caravan in less than a quarter of an hour, in
crossing the Edsin Gol. The bed of this river
consists of shifting sand, constantly moving,
whose exact situation is accordingly very difficult
:o determine. The peasants and caravan drivers
tvho have to cross it fix wooden stakes here and
:here to mark the passage. Unluckily for us, the
HARD WORK IN THE RIVER 191
current had carried away half of them, and the
ford was only marked out for the first 100
yards. The whole breadth is about 250, and
when we reached the middle of the stream, which
was swift, if not deep, we suddenly discovered
that our pack mules instead of advancing were
gradually disappearing under water. Our horses
began to do the same, and we only had time to
slip from our saddles into the water, while the
terrified drivers ran from one animal to another,
as far as the shifty sand would permit, vainly
striving to set them on their legs again. Only
the camels reached the further bank without
much difficulty, since their large flat feet did
not penetrate into the sand or the liquid mud.
The mules, horses, and asses, continued to sink.
Luckily the river was not more than 2 feet
deep, and when the poor beasts had sunk up to
their stomachs the enlarged surface of their bodies
and loads helped to stay their descent into the
mud and sand. We were all up to the waist in
water, obliged to take every precaution against
being sucked down ourselves, while we had to
disengage the animals which would all have
perished without our help. First the loads were
carried to the bank, each 100 Ibs., requiring the
efforts of six men, then the beasts were lifted out
with levers of wood, and all were saved except two.
This accident gave us six hours' hard work, and
we encamped where we were, only a mile and a
half from the town, since we could not pursue
192 BETWEEN HOMING AND AN-SI-CHOU [CH.VH.
our march. We also had to dry all our wet
things in the sun. We lost several curiosities in
this manner, such as paintings and embroideries.
Our food had not suffered at all, having been
on the backs of the camels.
Our route from Morning to An-si-ehou requires
little description. The country which we crossed
although forming part of the Gobi Desert from its
shape, position, and climate, was not absolutely
barren, owing to the presence of villages wherever
there was a small stream, or a well to provide
water, and foster the growth of a little grass.
The track was not often trodden, to judge from
its appearance, and when we had passed the small
town of Re-ten-tze, the only travellers we met were
an honest peasant, who was pursuing, at such
speed as his donkey could compass, his daughter,
who had eloped towards Hoa-rai-tse with a long-
haired young gallant.
I would observe that the lakes marked on one
of the maps of Asia published by the London
Royal Geographical Society do not exist. A huge
sandy basin is there instead, and no water is to be
obtained in this neighbourhood, except from wells.
On the 19th of June we came in sight of
An-si-chou, which, so far from being an important
town, is a poor place half buried in the sand which
the desert winds have heaped against its walls,
and resembling Chen -fan in its position and its
poverty. Once again we had been misinformed,
and were to encounter the greatest difficulty in
REASON FOR NOT ENTERING AN-SI-CHOU 193
equipping ourselves suitably for what was unques-
tionably the hardest and most dangerous portion
of our journey.
For various reasons we did not halt in the town
itself, but having noticed good pasturages round
the village of Pow Kankou, we pitched our tents
on a threshing floor of earth stamped flat, sheltered
by tall trees, which made an excellent camping
ground. We were specially anxious to avoid the
necessity of revealing our future plans in any way,
and up to that time we had been able to keep
our secret fairly well. We were afraid that the
prefect of An-si-chou might suspect our intention
of entering and crossing Tibet, and might oppose
it, and still more afraid that he would attempt to
assist us, and would encumber our movements
with an escort of rascals. Accordingly, we thought
it wise to have no dealings with this gentleman,
and to achieve this, were obliged not to stay in his
town. In An-si-chou we could not have refused to
receive him; whereas at Pow Kankou etiquette
would forbid him to visit us in our humble tent,
and we could deal summarily with any envoys
from him.
When travelling in China one must take a
high line to avoid trouble ; while in Tibet one
must be unostentatious, and, above all, try not
to attract attention.
On reaching the neighbourhood of An-si-chou
I had given myself out as a humble merchant in
search of furs and skins, who desired to enter upon
N
194 DIFFICULTIES OF SECURING SUPPLIES [CH.VH.
the high tableland of Tibet to obtain them. I
do not flatter myself that this story was believed
by all whom we met, but I am sure that it never
did us any harm* which is more than many
explorers under their various disguises have been
able to assert.
We set ourselves at once to hunt for the
necessary provisions and animals. I say to hunt
for ; for a reasonable amount of stock could not
be found in one place. One man could sell us
20 Ibs. of rice, another 15. Under these circum-
stances it was hard to hunt up the thousands of
pounds of rice, flour, millet, and peas which we
needed for our maintenance. Transport animals
were still more difficult to obtain, and for some
days I really thought that we should find it impos-
sible that year to procure pack animals, and to
enter Tibet during the good season.
I had been impressed by the fact, stated in
the reports of all travellers, that no sufficient
nourishment could be found on the plateaux of
Tibet for beasts, which died one after another, and
thus imperilled the lives of the travellers who had
ventured into these deserts. Accordingly, we had
thought out a plan by which we hoped to reach
our destination safely, even if we should find it
impossible to get fresh victuals or to obtain fresh
animals throughout our whole journey.
This plan, which was very simple, consisted in
sacrificing the majority, about three-quarters, of
the pack animals to the safety of the stronger ones,
WE MUST BUY MULES 195
and not to attempt to bring any to our destination
except those which were absolutely necessary. I
reckoned that by loading thirty-five animals with
peas for the nourishment of twelve others, when
the grass failed or was poor in quality, and by
abandoning these thirty-five when the provisions
which they carried were consumed, I should about
double our chances of success. I do not pretend
to assert that this proceeding was wholly devoid
of cruelty in itself, but I argued that it was far
more inhuman and blameworthy to sacrifice the
lives of my men to the safety of lower animals.
I had fully determined to take camels in pre-
ference to other means of transport, since they
carried proportionately larger loads and ate less.
But I had to give up this idea, for it was absolutely
impossible to buy any of these animals. The few
merchants at An-si-chou who possessed any had
sent them out to pasture, and declined to send for
them without receiving the full price before I
could even see them.
Accordingly, we had to buy mules, and even
asses, since there were not enough mules for our
requirements. So we sent our people round all
the villages in the neighbourhood, and in six days
they managed to buy thirty-three pack animals.
These, with the thirteen mules, four horses, and
four camels already obtained on the way, raised
the sum total of our baggage animals to fifty-
four. Most of them were in good condition, and
seemed able to bear the fatigues and privations
196 AN ANIMATED CAMP [CH.VII.
of a journey across Tibet. We had certainly paid
more than their value. Either the men had
pocketed a round sum or the sellers had really
forced up the prices. If, by chance, any other
explorers undertake a similar journey, I strongly
recommend them to buy all the animals they may
need at Sming-fu or at Liang-chou preferably at
Sining-fu. It will not cost them more, and they
will obtain animals used to mountains, precipices,
snow, and even to glaciers a combination of
invaluable qualities.
The provisions also took six or seven days to
collect, and were piled up in great heaps round
our two tents, causing the greatest surprise to
the peaceful inhabitants of Pow Kankou. We
had overcome one of our last difficulties by
obtaining camel's -hair bags which were quite
new, and in which our provisions ran no risks
of being scattered along the road, as had un-
luckily happened in January in the Gobi Desert.
The men spent their time in making loads of
equal weight, so as not to gall the backs of the
animals, and in stuffing the pack-saddles which
in China are always inadequately stuffed when
bought. Our camp was a scene of great activity,
especially when the animals returned from pasture
in the evening, skipping and frisking in all direc-
tions, with no suspicion as to the sad fate which
awaited them.
When the loads were ready, I had them
weighed, and thus obtained an exact notion of
WE BREAK THE CAMP 197
the extent of our provisions. We had 6,000 Ibs.
of peas for the animals, 800 Ibs. of rice, 700 Ibs.
of flour, 550 Ibs. of millet, plenty of salt and
sugar, and a little vinegar and Chinese wine. It
was nothing much to boast about, nor could we
expect much variety in our menu, but it was
enough to keep us going, and I relied upon some
lucky shoots to give us from time to time a
good dish of meat.
It was only on the evening before our departure
that the Mandarin in charge of An-si-chou decided
to show any sign of life. He sent to me several
of his subordinates in succession. I bowed them
all out very politely, and assured them that the
pleasure of shooting was quite enough to embolden
us to face the privations and perils, of which they
insisted on giving us a fearful description. As
we were leaving Pow Kankou as early as possible
the next day, I invited them cordially to visit
me again in the afternoon if they wished for
more details. Whether they returned or not is
hardly a matter of history.
The 25th of June was a great day for us. We
broke up our camp to move to the assault of
the unknown plateau and the huge mountain
chains which make Central Tibet practically im-
passable. I must admit that our first day's
march was not encouraging. The animals,, fresh
after their stay of nearly ten days amid abundant
pasturage, showed one after another an un-
promising desire to throw off their loads and
198 FIRST DIFFICULTIES [OH.TO.
to return to the attractive neighbourhood of the
deep grass. Some of them had the delicate con-
siderateness to choose the moment of crossing a
broad river for the execution of this intention,
and thus threw the whole caravan into confusion.
While our men worked up to the waist in
water, at saving the sacks, my wife and I had
the utmost difficulty in preventing the escape of
the mules which had crossed first. The peaceful
and unconcerned camels alone retained their
dignity on this memorable day.
When we halted at nightfall we had covered
but a very little distance, though we were almost
tired out. Our ten caravan drivers pulled long
faces at the prospect of other marches of this
character, for the few miles that we had accom-
plished had in no way reduced the spirits of the
beasts.
In fact the next day we advanced about 10
miles at the cost of much exhaustion, and, which
was specially annoying, upon an excellent road,
on which we ought to have been able to do
double the distance without feeling it. To
crown our troubles, we had no sooner halted
and unloaded than half the animals thought fit
to make a bolt towards the mountains. I spent
half the night myself on foot among the outlying
spurs, looking for my favourite horse, and only
brought him back into camp after much trouble.
Nan Kankou, the point that we had reached
that evening, is the last inhabited place on the
LONG MARCH 199
great Gobi plateau, or, to put it differently, of
the strip of land which here constitutes the
furthest corner of Chinese Kansu. Directly
south rise the first mountains, which, though
small in height and cut off from one another by
valleys running from east to west, unquestion-
ably belong to the Tibetan system. Their
appearance is wild and savage.
On the morning of 27th June, after a tiring
night, due to the necessity of pursuing the
escaped animals, which had fallen upon all, we
had the pleasure of observing the rising of a
hurricane of wind, sand, and dust. I will not
dilate upon our troubles in marching under these
conditions, but a few more days of this kind would
have rendered further progress impossible. In the
middle of the day we negotiated an easy pass,
and after crossing the low range of mountains,
found ourselves on the banks of a little river
amid pasturage of astonishing excellence and
extent. However, we did not halt, and pur-
suing our road towards a dip in the mountains
some 20 miles away, we crossed a dry swamp,
which, in the rainy season, must be quite impass-
able. After the swamp came a sal, a gentle
slope, interrupted by ridges of sand, on which a
little grass had taken root, and pitched our camp
in a place in which no water or grass could
be obtained. Our troubles had only begun; but
at least our baggage animals had become more
manageable.
200 A CHARMING OASIS [CH.VH.
In the morning the sky was clear, and the
wind had dropped. The gorge to which I
was leading the caravan was plainly visible, and
we reached it after marching some 17 miles
over firm ground rising about one and a half
yards in a hundred, in a gentle and regular
slope.
On reaching the mouth of this gorge we saw
a charming and unexpected sight. A torrent of
foaming water fell into a canon some hundred
feet deep, down a bed which it had dug for Itself
in the loess. Here and there the sharply-cut
banks drew closer together. It could not be
seen from the desert, in which it terminated,
and even from a little distance It was imper-
ceptible, burled as it was In its steep channel.
As we went on, we found that the gorge
widened considerably, that the sides of the canon
sank to the level of the water, and that an oasis
of grass and trees had developed in a well- watered
corner, sheltered from the wind. We pitched
our tent under some over-arching trees, beside
the torrent, and let the animals loose to crop
the grass.
An amusing incident occurred towards evening,
Some honest peasants from An-si-chou, knowing
the rich pasturage of this oasis, had taken up
their abode for the summer In a sheltered spot a
little to the south of that which we had selected,
and were peacefully watching their herds of mules.,
asses, and sheep. When we arrived they took
MISADVENTURE OF HERDSMEN 201
us for brigands, of whom there are plenty In the
district, and having 1 no idea of our numbers or
of our real business, they bravely took up arms
to defend their herds, which they supposed to
be threatened. Thus it came to pass that as
our men were beginning their preparations for
a meal, we were aware of five men, armed
with long Mongol rifles, who ordered us to
decamp immediately. They had hardly Issued
this preposterous command when our people,
relying on the superiority of our repeating
rifles, threw themselves on the unfortunate herds-
men, disarmed them in a moment., and began
to Inflict a sound beating upon them. When
1 thought they had suffered enough, I inter-
vened, and explained to them briefly wherein
their mistake consisted, and how thoughtless
actions bring unpleasantness to those guilty of
them. Then I confiscated the weapons of these
dangerous neighbours, promising to restore them
when we started again next morning. A few
minutes later they were on the best of terms
with my men, and even sold us one of their
finest sheep.
Our road next day, after following for some
time the course of the torrent, traversed a wide
desert plateau crossed by canons dry at this season,
which increased in number as we moved south.
In the distance rose barren mountains, and the
vegetation on the plateau Itself was reduced to
a minimum, consisting only of some bushes- which
203 BEGINNING OF THE CLIMB [CH.VH.
the camels alone could eat. We had advanced
In front of the caravan and disappeared from them
for some time while crossing the dry ravines, and
when at length we found a suitable camping
ground on the banks of the river near which we
had camped on the preceding evening, we found
that we were alone. The caravan drivers, prob-
ably fast asleep on the backs of their animals, had
lost our trail and wandered off. It was late in
the evening when they rejoined us, exhausted by
a trying march across this uneven ground cut
by deep ravines.
During the last two days we had risen some
2,600 feet, and An-si-chou being about 3,800 feet
high, we were now 6,400 feet above sea -level.
It was the beginning of the great climb, and we
only hoped we might never have to cross more
difficult country. As long as we followed the
course of the torrent marching was easy, and we
avoided having to climb the surrounding ridges.
The water was very low, and when we were
compelled by a rock to cross the stream, the
animals did not sink in further than the knees.
Tamed by the work of the last few marches
the pack-animals let themselves be led peace-
fully, and made no further attempts to get rid
of their loads.
On 80th June we did not make a long march
only 8 miles. During the first days of our
journey I thought it well to halt whenever we
reached good pasturage, in view of the fact
WE PASS A FIRST STEP OF MOUNTAINS 20S
that we might afterwards have to do without It
very often. We followed the gorge described*
and approached a curious rampart of pointed
mountains., at the foot of which the torrent
suddenly turned to the right between two masses
of rocks. A great number of torrent beds proved
that the road we were taking must be almost
entirely flooded and impassable in the rainy season,
and at the melting of the snows. We found it
quite easy and very picturesque. The water had
cut its way across gravely sand, and loess, forming
here and there embankments of strange shape,
fantastic arches, and grottoes of all kinds. Some
camels must have passed over the road a few days
before, for their footprints were still fresh.
On the next day we soon reached the end of
the defile, and a broad, wide plain on a gentle
slope spread before us, instead of the mountains
which we had been threading for some days. We
had crossed a second and more important chain
which acts as a step towards the high ground of
Tibet. At once I directed our course towards a
dip in the mountain before us, and all day long
we advanced in that direction over easy ground.
In the evening we reached a slender stream which
had been out of sight till then, just as we were
beginning to despair of finding drinking water.
It was perceptibly colder, which was not surpris-
ing, seeing that we had risen more than S S 000 feet
on that day. We had covered at least 28 miles,
and the animals showed signs of fatigue. The
204 CAMP AT HA HA [CH.VH.
grass, too, was very poor, and would not be
sufficient to support them for two days.
During the night a deluge of rain came down,
and 'we had to cover our provision sacks hastily
with felt and oil cloths. In spite of our pre-
cautions the downpour was so violent that more
than a quarter of the sacks were soaked, and we
had to dry their contents In the sun next morning
before breaking up the camp.
We discovered some tents, Inhabited by peace-
ful Mongols, in the small valleys across the
principal chain. They were feeding their flocks
of sheep, and could be seen riding about on all
sides on their small ponies. They all wore fur
cloaks, and so did we, for the wind blew with
great violence, and the thermometer was near
freezing point. It was useless to try and climb
the rocky chain which rose before us, and I
ordered a deviation to the right. After some 12
miles we reached a broad valley shaped like a
rounded bay, in the middle of which we found
fairly good grass. Accordingly we encamped,
and received a visit from two Mongols, apparently
small Mandarins, who informed us that our camp-
ing ground and a river which rose not far from
our tents were called Ha She Ha. This place Is
apparently often visited, to judge from the remains
of fires, and It must have some history, for, on a
rock a little to the left before reaching it, are
the ruins of a tower. This tower commands a
magnificent view of the whole plain, and of the
WE FIND HEADS OF OF/$ AMMON 205
mountains which we crossed ; and as the day was
clear I took advantage of it to make an exact
plan of the neighbourhood with the help of an
eclimeter compass.
July 3rd was a very tiring day; we were
continually crossing ravines from 30 to 120 feet
deep, lying close together, and all running from
south to north. Nothing was more fatiguing for
the animals than this perpetual ascent and descent,
which added considerably to the distance. The
descent was sometimes so steep that the loads
slipped over the heads of the beasts, and we lost
much precious time in reloading them.
None the less, we rose 1,000 feet, and had
still to cross two or three deeper ravines before
reaching the end of the pass for which we were
making.
Having once crossed this pass, and risen 600
feet more, we discovered a broad valley turning
perceptibly to the north. As we saw no otner
road before us, and had no intention of climbing
the steep rocky sides of the mountains, we went
down the valley for some 15 miles. The bottom
of the valley practically consisted of the dry bed
of a great torrent, in the furrows of which many
heads of ovis ammon were to be found. This fact
alone would have proved how many of these
animals inhabited the mountains to the south,
even if we had seen none ourselves. There were
also many skeletons of kyangs, or wild asses.
We came suddenly upon a Mongol camp
206 MONGOLS OF TA T'CHUEN [CH.TO.
pitched at a place called Ta Tetiuen, near copious
springs and pasturages, which would have been
very fine if the sheep had not cropped it as close
as a carpet. We were hospitably received by ten
Mongols wearing Tibetan dress, who sold us two
sheep. They seemed much astonished at our
presence, and could not understand why we had
made so great a detour from our way to .Zaidam,
simply for the pleasure of fixing the site of certain
mountains and valleys.
We spent the next two days climbing a succes-
sion of ridges and coming down into the deep
valleys between them. It was very tiring work,
and we made slow progress. Luckily there was
plenty of grass. At the end of the second day
we turned northward again, and having climbed
a small height on the left bank of the river which
we had been following all day along the well-
marked tracks made by men and animals, we
came upon the tents of a Mongol colony of some
hundred souls, skilfully hidden in a small valley,
which was furnished with a spring of pure water
and rich in pasture. Flags flew on all sides, more
especially near the dwelling of a petty Prince
who came to meet us ? and received us as well
as he could in spite of his astonishment.
VIII
THE ZAIDAM MONGOLS
THIS Prince was the first chief of the great tribe
of Zaidam Mongols that we had met, and the
manner in which he treated us was enough to
lead us to form a pleasant anticipation as to
our future dealings with this tribe. He not
only came himself to bring presents, chiefly of
food, but when he heard that my wife was with
me, he sent his consort and his daughters with
gifts of welcome to her too. These ladies wore
their hair streaming down the back, with imitation
shells fixed to a piece of cloth which hung down
behind.
The Prince made it his business to bring up
and fatten camels which he sold at Sa-chou and
An-si-chou, through a Chinese merchant who
resided with him. He also sold boots, flour, peas,
sugar, and tea at exorbitant prices to his own
subjects, A pair of badly-tanned boots costs five
sheep, and a pound of sugar two, The Prince
seemed to have a special gift for trade, and
possessed great wealth for a Mongol He did
208 HOA AS A [OH. vni.
not try to cheat us In our dealings with him,
and he gave us a splendid camel in exchange for
two of ours. These latter after twelve days'
journey over the mountains were hardly able to
move, and could not carry any load.
He gave us an old lama as a guide. This
man was to lead us by the best road, first to the
gold mines of local celebrity, and afterwards to
the Prince of Zaidam, our friend's suzerain.
On the following day, under the guidance of
the old lama, we said good-bye to this hospitable
Prince. We did a good day's march to the south-
west. Gaiety was provided by the record of falls
from a horse obtained during the day by our
cook Hoa. He, being a very bad rider, the caravan
drivers had amused themselves by persuading him
to get on a black pony which was very strong,
but full of vice.
Hoa had consequently hooked on to his saddle
all the utensils that he generally carried about
with him, a teapot, tin cups, a water-bottle, and
flour cakes, half baked, with which he now and
again regaled himself. He had scarcely mounted
when all this bric-a-brac began to clatter, the pony
was startled by the noise, and departed at full
gallop towards the plain to northward, having
previously deposited his unfortunate rider in a
convenient hole.
The Mongols brought the animal back late in
the evening, all the utensils having disappeared,
either lost or stolen, I thought it as well to eon-
SPLENDID SCENERY 209
fine Hoa's equestrian ambitions for the rest of
the journey to the back of a stolid mule.
We marched in a south-westerly direction,
across ravines caused by the torrents which came
down from the great mountain chains, Nearly
all were dry. All along we enjoyed a splendid
view of the huge plain in which Sa-chou lay,
commanding it as we did from a great height.
From our camp we could trace the course of the
Ara-cha-gol, winding away like a gigantic yellow
serpent till it was lost amid the northern plains.
We were directing our march towards its banks.
At sunset the view was really striking and im-
pressive.
Later, at nightfall, I made two unpleasant
discoveries. First, that our tent had been pitched
on a bed of wild garlic, which gave off a most
poisonous smell, and next, that all the men of
my caravan were complaining of some trouble,
one had bad eyes, inflammation of the eyelids, I
think another had cut his foot, a third had pain
in his stomach, while Hoa was very sorry for
himself, and was cursing his comrades, to whose
machinations he attributed all his misfortunes. A
small bird with an orange-coloured tail came and
sang near the camp in the evening, and by degrees
peace prevailed, and sleep overcame the caravan,,
including, of course, the watchman.
We reached the banks of the Ara-cha-gol or
Tan-Ho on 9th July, after a good day's march.
The ground had gradually become more level as
o
210 DESERTED CITY [oH.vm.
the ravines subsided, so that we moved at a quick
pace. I had directed our course since the morning
so that we might reach a place specially marked
on the Royal Geographical Society's map as being
of some importance. It Is called Gachun, and
was In fact formerly the residence of a Mongol
chief of the -Zaidam tribe, but this half nomad
has long since moved the seat of his small court
to Tourainsien, not very far away, where purer
water is to be had. Gachun is only represented
to - day by some broken - down walls put up
originally as shelters for cattle at night.
There are still on the banks of the noisy
muddy river the relics of a fortified town, which
must have been abandoned many years ago, to
judge from the suggestion of walls and bastions
which are the only trace of its former existence.
This stronghold was called Tan - eheng, and is
marked only on old Chinese maps.
We were surrounded by sheer desert. But
for the sound of the noisy waters there would
have been perfect silence. The Ara-cha-gol was
pouring its yellow waters at a rate of 10 miles
an hour over a rocky bed whose level was so
irregular that rapids formed continually. The
river was not very deep, not exceeding an aver-
age of 8J feejt, while its greatest breadth, when
the rocks closed in upon it, was not more than
15 yards. But slight as this obstacle seemed it was
yet too much for us to negotiate* The swiftness
of the current, and, above all, the unevenness of
DIFFICULTIES IN CROSSING THE TAN-HO 211
the river bed, would have proved fatal to all our
animals.
Accordingly, having spent a quiet night., we
continued our march up the bank of the river.
It proved a hard day. We had to make our
way, following our old Mongol guide across
dangerous defiles and steep passes., the mountains
dropping sheer into the river bed. I wondered
continually how the camels managed it at all,
with their crushing loads on their backs, and their
heavy clumsy feet often slipping on the stone
heaps. We came down at last on the bank of
the river once more, and as I did not want to
go still further out of our proper course I decided
to cross the stream at any risk, since the river
at this point turned definitely to the south-east.
I tried to get ropes fixed from one bank to the
other, and with this intention I ordered Hia, our
most active and capable man, to go into the
river and attempt to reach the opposite bank.
As a measure of precaution I tied a long and
supple rope to him under the arms, and held one
end of it myself, so that if he happened to be
carried off his feet I could haul him quickly to
the bank. It was just as well that I did this,
for just as he reached the middle of the current,
which was less swift as it widened out, he suddenly
disappeared into a hole. We hastily dragged
him towards us ? and as the poor fellow, losing
his head at his unexpected ducking, struggled
and wriggled incessantly under water instead of
212 UNEXPECTED MEETING [OH.VZII.
assisting us ? I had grave doubts as to a successful
rescue.
This adventure having demonstrated the
impossibility of fording- the river at this spot
we continued our march up the bank, and it
was late in the evening when at last we found
a place where there were four calm reaches.
Here we crossed, and encamped on the left bank,
on a patch of good grass.
As our caravan was composing itself to
slumber, it was suddenly aroused by the barking
of our little watch-dog Shishi, and we saw the
dark and lofty shapes of some camels emerging
from the gloom. Their drivers were as much
astounded to find us encamped on the banks of
the Tan-Ho as we were to see them arrive from
the south. We were soon on friendly terms, and
discovered that the caravan consisted of Sa-chou
Chinamen, who were on their return from gold
mines a hundred Us to the south, to which they
had been carrying provisions.
I had not been aware of any gold mines
further south, but was not surprised to hear of
them, for the whole mountain chain that we
were crossing, which reaches eventually to
Ssu-chuen, is perhaps the richest mineral centre
in existence.
Having satisfied my curiosity about the
starting-point and nationality of these wayside
acquaintances, I went back to my tent, while
my men, greatly reassured by the sight of their
TO THE GOLD MINES 1S
fellow-countrymen, pressed them to share a
supper consisting of flour cooked over a bivouac
fire with the light of a tallow candle.
On llth and 1 2th July we made a difficult
journey over completely desert country along one
of the small tributaries of the Ara-eha-gol. 1 We
had to make our own road across the fragments
of rock which occasionally so narrowed the valley
as to compel us to tread in the icy water of the
river or to cross it every five minutes. A march
under such conditions was a sore trial both to
man and beast. The animals varied very much
in pace. The mules took only four hours to cover
some 9 miles, while the asses took eight and
the camels eleven. The latter were heavily
handicapped by their long legs and their feet,
except when it was a matter of jumping from
rock to rock, or coming down almost perpendicular
slopes. The landscape meanwhile was picturesque
enough, but we were so tired out in the evening
that all the beauties of Nature appealed to us in
vain.
On reaching the spot at which our guide had
assured us that there were gold mines we were at
first disconcerted and disappointed. There were
no buildings of any kind, and no traveller seemed
at the time engaged in a search for the precious
metal. However, having crossed the river for
the last time, and settled the caravan, we set
1 The Mongols call this tributary the Kakrousoun ; the Chinese
name of it is the Tincheko.
214 DIFFICULTIES OF MINING [OH.VIH.
about finding the mines. They do in fact exist,
in the form of circular holes, many of them not
more than 10 feet deep and 8 or 4 in diameter.
These holes have been dug in the deposits left
by the river Kakrousoun, whose volume was
formerly much greater, and which in those days
detached part of their treasures from the semi-
circle of mountains which girdle its source.
Some Chinese diggers come annually even now
to wash out the alluvial deposits during the three
or four months in which the country is habitable,
greatly to the profit of the Mandarins to whom
they are bound faithfully to hand over the results
of their labours. The shape of the nuggets
proves that they come from large deposits at no
great distance. Some are large enough to suggest
that they must have come from veins of great
richness, No doubt a well-conducted working of
the district would give excellent pecuniary returns.
Unluckily, such an exploitation is very difficult
to accomplish, if not impossible, under present
conditions. The climate would be the bold
miner's first great enemy. Considering that a
part of the river was frozen over on 1 2th July, it
is not hard to calculate the severity of the cold
in a winter. There is no pasturage in the
neighbourhood ; very occasionally some scanty
grass appears in the grey-green patch. The
wild yaks that visit this abandoned spot had
long since eaten up the very little that had tried
to grow there.
LIFE OF THE MINEBS 215
The Chinese Mandarins would also unquestion-
ably view with disfavour a foreign exploitation, and
if it proved successful would squeeze it to the
extinction of all profit.
While examining- the mines we came across
three miners in a miserable hut hidden in a
depression in the ground slightly sheltered from
the icy wind. Our arrival at first affected them
with an amazement almost amounting to terror,
but a few kind words soon set them at their
ease. Eventually they even showed us the gold
they had found, with the very rudimentary
instruments which they employ in washing out.
They use for this purpose the icy water of
the river, and no man can bear for very long
the chill of its low temperature. They had only
been at the mines for six weeks, and meant to
return to Sa-chou-fu about the 15th of August.
They had received one visit from a mule caravan
which came to provision them, and to carry
away their harvest of gold. They seemed quite
indifferent to their very lonely and debasing
manner of life, and thought it altogether natural
to supply their Mandarins with gold nuggets in
return for wages amounting to 8 taels per month.
We could not have stayed longer, for our
beasts could not have obtained adequate nourish-
ment anywhere, and it was most necessary to keep
them in good condition.
I was therefore very reluctantly compelled to
give orders to depart without having been able
216 OUR [cH.vin.
to make a thorough examination of the gold-
bearing rocks.
On the morning of 13th of July the lama,
who was to have guided us till we reached the
encampment of the Prince Zaidam, suddenly dis-
appeared. He had gone off to look for Ms horse,
but he was not to be found at the time fixed for
starting, and I left without him, being confident
that I could advance quickly and safely enough
with the aid of my sextant. The ground soon
became, if possible, still more hilly and steep, and
we tackled passes more than 1,600 feet higher than
our camp that morning. Some sheets of unmelted
snow and ice clung here and there to the bare sides
of the mountains, and we were deprived of the
magnificent view we should have enjoyed in bright
sunlight by thick clouds which blocked the top of
the pass. The summits on which we were mov-
ing commanded an enormous plain like a desert
stretching out in the shape of an oblong basin,
in strange contrast to the mountainous country
which surrounds and protects it.
Leaving on our left a pass which seemed to
lead too definitely to the south-east we began to
descend a very steep slope, which was rendered
more difficult by the loose stones upon it which
were dislodged by the feet of the mules. After a
few adventures and harmless collapses we reached
a more gentle slope, where a slender stream
starting from the mountains flowed towards the
plain. The vast plain which now opened before
SAVAGE MOSQUITOES 217
us, and whose extent we were able to judge of,
thanks to a lifting of the clouds, seemed hopelessly
sterile. I therefore thought it as well to fill from
the pure water of the little spring the water skins
which provided for us and our men.
The ground became more and more sterile
and dry as we went down. We were proceeding
between mounds of reddish earth scooped out by
erosion into fantastic shapes, and the grass became
very scanty. Little by little the mountains round
us lowered their crests* and at the end of our
stage we could see behind us the lofty clefts of
the chains we had just crossed, while we stood
now on the natural border of the great plain.
We pitched our camp on a hillock of sand
devoid of grass or water. The little stream had
long since disappeared under the sand. We had
to hobble our animals, to prevent their straying
after pasturage and water, and to serve out to
them a large quantity of peas. Some of them,
moreover, were already beginning to show traces of
fatigue, and their heavy loads had to be lightened.
At this camp we also made the acquaintance
of the most impetuous and savage mosquitoes
imaginable. Luckily they are not poisonous.
Their existence requires some explanation, at so
lofty an elevation, considering that the country is
very dry, and that the winter cold must surely kill
all the larvae. Breschneider's German map, the
only valuable one of Central Tibet, asserted the
existence of some marshes in this vast plain. We
218 A BIG MARSH [CH. vm.
did, in fact, in the morning see some dark green
spots floating in a vivid mirage at a great distance.
I at once ordered the camp to be broken up and
we moved as fast as possible towards these floating
spots, hoping to find water. The way was easy,
over a long slope of sand and small pebbles, with
hardly perceptible undulations. The mosquitoes
punished us cruelly, especially when we drew near
to the marshes. The swarms hummed loudly, and
rose in thick clouds around us. The marsh was
partly overgrown with grass, and was caused by
the stagnation of a small stream in its centre
which flowed from the east. The noisome insects
swarmed out of the grass and fastened on to the
legs of our animals, which were soon black and
bleeding. The poor beasts, distracted between
their longing to benefit by the excellent pasture
which lay spread before them, and the acute pain
caused them by the mosquitoes, made a gallant
effort to snatch a meal, but were soon scattered in
all directions, unable to endure the bites of their
voracious foes. We had therefore to leave our
tent half pitched, and to pursue the mules, which
were galloping on all sides, maddened with pain
and forgetting all their fatigue in their efforts to
dislodge their enemies by rolling on the ground
and tearing to and fro.
We suffered a good deal ourselves, for the
meshes of our mosquito-net were large enough to
admit a good many of the insects. Their ardour
flagged for a while about midnight only. We
EXTRICATION FROM THE MARSH 19
then managed to get a little sleep, and the
animals contrived to finish their meal.
All the travellers who have passed through
Lolinor and the district twice traversed by Russian
expeditions, in a slightly different direction to
that taken by us, mention the great trouble they
underwent from mosquitoes, and no such story
is exaggerated in this respect.
On the bank of the marsh lay the remains of
a Mongol. All his flesh had been eaten away,
but the bones inside his clothes had kept some
semblance of his original human shape. How had
this poor fellow come to die amid such unkind
surroundings ? He was no doubt a diseased
wretch, who had no beast on which to make his
way back to his tent.
The next morning I decided on the unlucky
experiment of crossing the marsh to gain time.
At starting, the stretch of sand seemed solid
enough to bear the weight of the caravan. But
we soon reached a spot at which the dry and
seemingly safe surface suddenly cracked and half
swallowed our animals with their loads. It was
as much as we could do to extricate ourselves from
this false step, and we lost several hours through
trying to gain one. We contrived, none the less,
to cross the river at midday, and on reaching
good ground again covered 20 miles before night-
fall. We halted by the side of a small trickle
of water.
On this march we met kyangs, or wild asses,
SSO SUPPOSED BANDITS [OH.VIH.
for the first time. They came about us in large
troops to look at us and to frisk around. They
would come up fearlessly within 50 yards of the
caravan, and then suddenly bound away, kicking
up their heels and biting one another. Sometimes
they formed squares, or deployed in double lines,
executing with elegant charm manoeuvres and com-
bined movements that might have been prescribed.
Some of the troops contained two or three hundred
animals, others barely twenty. Several young
ones were frolicking beside their mothers. At this
season they had found enough grass for some
months past, and were plump and muscular.
A somewhat absurd incident now occurred,
which gave us superabundant proof of the per-
petual fear of Mongol or Tibetan bandits which
dominated our caravan drivers. As the night
drew on the men who were watching the animals
at pasture a little way from the tents saw in a
mirage at some distance some galloping shapes,
and, with the aid of their imagination, believed
they could distinguish guns, lances, and banners.
In a panic they flew back to the camp at racing
speed, and rushed into our tent. " Taj en, Taj en,"
they said to me, "we are attacked. AH is over
with us ! " One of them even began to recite the
prayers for the dead. Unmoved at this edifying
spectacle, I told him to get up at once and fetch
my telescope. As soon as I had focussed it I
soon saw that the supposed bandits consisted of
a large troop of kyangs pursued by some Mongol
WE ENCOUNTER PRINCE OF ZAIDAM 81
hunters. On great occasions the Mongols are
rather keen on the flesh of the kyang, and the
unusual manner in which they were hunting the
beasts, instead of waiting patiently on the look-out
for them, showed that some unforeseen necessity
had arisen, and I concluded that we should
probably soon meet the Prince of Zaidam, who
must at that season be making his customary
tour among his people, collecting taxes, appointing
officers, and administering justice. 1
In fact, next day, after traversing a hilly region
which was evidently well peopled, to judge from
the flocks of sheep, the camels, and the horses
which were feeding on all sides, on the grey-green
soil abundantly watered by the little river, we
were much astonished at coming in sight of a
great variety of horsemen. Mandarins and lamas
mingled the bright blue and yellow colours of their
trappings in the plains, galloping after straying
horses, while a busy group was erecting, on the
banks of a small tributary stream, the white cloth
tents with dark blue stripes which marked the
presence of some chief, who could be no other than
the Prince of Zaidara.
If we were surprised, they were still more
sOj on seeing a company of strangers suddenly
appearing. But they showed no indiscreet haste,
and gave us time to arrange our camp. From
motives of prudence, we chose a raised spot on
the top of a conical mound from which we could
command the position, and easily resist any attack.
222 VISIT OF PRINCE [CH.VIII.
The Tibetan Mongols are very different to the
mild and peaceful Inhabitants of the plains of
Mongolia., and very much disposed to robbery,
and even murder.
After about an hour some Mandarins of the
lowest rank made their appearance, and insolently
demanded in the name of their Prince who we
were, whither we were going, and how we had
made our way into that district. I made answer
that I was not accustomed to give replies to
under-bred persons, and that if their Prince wished
to make our acquaintance he might come and
see us. As they insisted and demanded our
passports to take away and show to their master,
I declared that I would on no account surrender
them, and that if he was so anxious to read
them I would show them to him when he came.
Thereupon the ambassadors retired, and towards
evening we saw a small mounted troop leave the
tents and ride towards us. I immediately ordered
a red felt carpet to be placed on the ground in
front of my tent, and I invited this august
visitor to take his seat upon it. He was a man
of unpleasing appearance, dirty, and untrust-
worthy. He was not dressed in silk, but wore
over Ms garment a strip of leopard skin, the
mark of his high position. His two sons were
with him, one a grand lama, and the other the
heir - apparent. I showed him my passports,
which he could not read, and handed to Ms
lama son, who read them aloud to the great
HE ADVISES US TO GO BACK 223
edification of his father and all the suite. Find-
ing nothing in these to object to they asked us
many questions about our plans for the future,
and as to where we might be going. The Prince
had only one piece of advice to give us not to
go further south. "When," he said, "you have
left the borders of Zaidam, where alone my power
can protect you, I shudder to think of what will
happen to you. The Naitchi Tibetans are cruel
robbers, regular brigands. Don't go that way.
What will the Tsungli Yamen at PeHn say if I
let you continue your journey, and meet with mis-
fortune ? I shall be held responsible and punished."
This was the pith of the speech His Majesty
deigned to favour us with, but when he saw
that it produced no effect, he simply laughed
and shrugged his shoulders, as if he washed his
hands of the matter. He then began a close
examination of our weapons, and was very greatly
astonished at the distance of their range. If I had
listened to his entreaties I should have absolutely
wasted fifty cartridges, for, not content with firing
a shot himself, he wanted all the Mandarins and
soldiers of his escort to share this unique pleasure.
He made me a generous offer of 51 taels for
a Mannlicher rifle, and was much offended at
my refusal.
At last, realising that he could get nothing
out of us, and that we wanted nothing from
him, he decided to return to his tents, and went
off at a canter, He had hardly left us when
224 OUR GUIDE REAPPEARS [<w.vm.
a tremendous downpour broke out which lasted
for twenty-four hours, and gave us plenty of food
for reflection. The rainy season had begun. It
Iasts s as a rule, from the beginning of July to
the beginning of October, and literally floods the
Tibetan plateau. Where we were the incon-
venience of It was less serious., since as the country
is largely intersected with rivers and ravines, the
water easily flows off. One cannot keep a dry
stitch on one, but a caravan can advance without
much extra difficulty.
At the Prince's request we stayed for one
whole day near his tents. 1 had hoped to get
a guide from him, but he declined, and Ms only
reason for pressing us to remain was that he
might renew his temptations with regard to the
sale of arms. However, our stay was productive
of one good result, for our guide, who had so
disingenuously deserted us at the gold mines,
reappeared ; I easily persuaded him to accom-
pany us as far as the edge of the .Zaidam basin,
but could not induce Mm to venture with us
across the Salt Desert. " I am too old," he
explained, "for such expeditions, and since you
found your way so well by observing the stars,
you will easily cross it without a guide."
On the 18th of July we resumed our march
southward, making for some snow peaks which
rose like a spiked gate at a height of 2,500 feet
above us, As we approached them up a slight
slope we saw about us the tracks of wild yaks,
HUNTING WILD YAKS 225
seemingly fresh, and, yielding to a love of sport,
I let the caravan go on with precise orders as
to its direction, and went In search of big game,
taking with me Tschrang, the best shot among
the men.
We climbed for hours up very steep summits,
and, scaling the range I described above.* we
reached the upper snows without sighting any-
thing. I was quite done up on my return to
camp by this back-breaking stalk at a height of
over 14,500 feet; and yet we were destined to
rise more than 20,000 feet without feeling any
evil effect from it, so great Is the resisting
power to be derived from habit.
For three days we traversed a country without
any striking features, consisting of small chains
of mountains, one after another, separating valleys
which were often marshy and afforded in their
depths good pasture, infested, unfortunately, by
mosquitoes. The whole district was Inhabited.
Isolated tents here and there on the mountain
sides, and collection of dwellings, wherever the
comparative excellence of the verdure allowed
of several families living together, proved this.
The people were not engaging, and were very
different from the Mongols In the Gobi, the latter
being always ready to greet one. The Inhabitants
of these regions came out of their tents influenced
solely by curiosity, and when we pitched our
camp used to come and finger our sacks and
boxes and try their weight with unparalleled
m6 CHINESE TRADERS ' [cH.vm.
effrontery. But for a vigilant watch many things
would have disappeared. I had to get up two
or three times every night to see that the watch-
men were doing their duty, and though I often
found them asleep, their own exceeding fear of
the occupants of the neighbouring tents helped
to keep them awake.
Although the rainy season had already set
in we still had five days neither hot nor cold,
and as we had gone down 8,000 feet from the
level of the Prince of ^aidam's encampment,
our journey was easy, and rendered still more
agreeable by the practical certainty of finding
a good camping ground each evening.
From time to time we ran across caravans of
Chinese merchants. These adventurous traders
came from Sining-fu to buy sheepskins at a
low price, and to sell bad leather shoes, sugar,
and dried raisins at ten times their value. These
commodities are not sold under the most appetis-
ing conditions either. They are coated with
dust and mixed with small pebbles to add to
their weight, but once thoroughly cleaned they
are excellent and last for ever. The last group
of Chinese merchants that we met had with
them a caravan of asses carrying more than a
thousand sheepskins. These men were very
young, and their manners were polite.
On the 21st of July, after crossing some wide
grassy plains, the home of myriads of mosquitoes,
we encamped near a Mongol village of twenty-five
THE PRINCE'S DOMAIN m
tents. This was the largest encampment we had
met with, due to the special excellence and abun-
dance of the herbage round about. The flocks
born and reared in this district pay little heed to
the mosquitoes, and, as the Mongols themselves
are hardly worried by bites that would madden a
European, all is for the best in this retired corner
of the world. Its name is Ikra ^aidam, and it
is the jewel of the principality.
It is one day's march only from this village
to the Prince's palace. Having changed the south-
easterly direction that we had been taking for two
days to one more southerly, we crossed a ridge of
bare hills running from south-east to north-west,
and came out upon a great circular plain. This
is enclosed round three-quarters of its circum-
ference, has fat pasture land in the centre, and a
blue lake glittering to the south. It is the Prince's
special domain.
As soon as we reached the northern edge of the
pasture we halted. The spot was a most suitable
one for our camp. Water flowed close at hand,
and we could see the royal tents not far away.
During the night, however, we met with an
adventure which was not pleasant for tired people.
Apparently the Prince takes in as paying guests
horses and mules that are exhausted or wounded,
at the charge of the Chinese merchants of Kansu.
These animals recruit themselves for months in the
luxurious pastures, and are there in great numbers,
herds of several hundreds wandering about. In
228 VALUE OF NEEDLES IN ZAIDAM [OH. vm.
the course of the night one of the herds made
advances to our caravan animals, and, having
doubtless pronounced in glowing terms an eulogium
on liberty ? induced them to join in a wild
stampede. Luckily our pack beasts were tired
out by their recent marches, and could only play
a very modified part in the stampede, owing to
which good fortune we managed to get them back
into camp after pursuing them for some hours.
Here also it was that we gave up for good
and all paying the native in money. As towards
evening we could not obtain a little milk or butter
for less than one or two taels, a preposterous
charge proportionately, and a "squeeze" that the
most unscrupulous tradesmen in London or Paris
could not rival, we decided to barter instead. So
it came about that we got what we could not
purchase for several shillings in exchange for two
knitting needles. Intending travellers, please note.
After a calm and, as it seemed to us, very hot
night, the thermometer standing at 18 cent,
minimum, we set out again at an early hour.
First we crossed the great grassy plain, waving
under the wind, and came to the banks of the
lake. This was beautifully blue and perfectly
clear. Besides the herds of animals that I have
spoken of, camels were to be seen on all sides,
plump with the good cheer they had been feasting
on for months. Hia, with characteristic Chinese
patience, amused himself by counting them.
According to him there were three thousand
SALT LAKE 229
of them. Such wealth in cattle, added to Ms
twenty tents and his two shops, makes the Prince
of Zaidam the leading Mongol millionaire.
But an explorer does not attain all his desires
on the shores of this exquisite blue lake. For
although several little springs of drinkable water
afford refreshment to man and beast on the
northern side of the plain, it is not so to the
south. Here the absolute lack of sweet water
makes life impossible and camping difficult. It
was only by digging a sort of well 5 feet deep
that we could obtain some muddy water which
we had to manage with. 1 was the more annoyed
because our animals were about to undergo a severe
test in crossing Zaidam, and I was anxious to give
them abundant food and drink before entering
upon it.
On the next day, after passing the low but
bare ridge known as the Trsongin Ulan, which
closes the basin of the lake to the south, we found
ourselves confronted by the most desolate country
conceivable. There are some views in nature that
are more dreadful, there are some more terrifying,
but none so disheartening. On the " sai," all down
its infinitesimal slope, all traces of vegetation had
entirely disappeared. There were not even those
shrubs, half grass and half tree, which satisfy
camels, nothing, absolutely nothing. In a
shimmer of grey-blue, now looking like mirage,
now like mere distance, the huge salt basin does
not even suggest itself. It looks as if the slope
MONGOLS [OH. vni.
you are treading must extend for even The
desolation was as complete as In the most desert
parts of Mongolia, but in addition there was the
feeling that behind the fantastic glimmer of the
mirage lurked hitherto untried perils.
We encamped by the side of a thin trickle of
water that came from the Trsongln ? but continued
only for a few hundred feet in length.
IX
IN CENTRAL TIBET
THE crossing of the dry salt lake which forms
the centre of the Zaidam depression, was most
difficult, and I understand that it is not readily
undertaken even with fresh animals. We started
on the morning of 25th July, but under rather
bad conditions, for, as I have said, our animals
had not found good pasturage during the two
preceding days, and the water that we had met
with had been of worse than inferior quality.
The men were expecting to encounter the most
appalling disasters on the way, and they handled
their driving whips without conviction. Evidently
the great open space lying before us terrified them,
and I was not entirely free from anxiety myself,
for, according to the information I had gathered
from the natives I had questioned at our recent
camps, there lay on the other side of the great
salt crust stretches of softer mud, into which a
carelessly conducted caravan might easily sink,
My wife and I placed ourselves, therefore, at
the head of the column, when, having accomplished
the descent of the lake slope, which brought us
2S2 ACROSS SALT AND THE MUD [OH. a.
to a level 600 feet lower than that which we
had left, we reached the sand dunes Immediately
encircling the bed of the lake.
After crossing these dunes we came upon a
slough of mud and salt water, which, however, it
was easy to cross by moving from one hardened
spot to another. On all sides holes yawned in the
mud. It was impossible to determine their depth.,
but a sounding of 20 feet failed, in many cases,
to reach the bottom. Some of the most treacherous
of these swamps are covered by a thin surface
of dry mud, which gives way at once under the
lightest weight. It is none the less easy to
discover them, owing to the fact that they are
always slightly lower than the really hard ground.
They are usually 1 or 2 feet across at the top,
and never more than 3.
Having crossed the swamps we reached a
stretch of dry mud with an even surface, on
which the animals could proceed with perfect ease.
After some time we came upon the tracks of a
large flock of sheep, which had evidently crossed
the lake but a short time before us, for the
carcasses of the victims, left behind by the flock,
were not yet decomposed. We were surprised
to think that sheep should have accomplished this
difficult crossing, which their slow habits must
render still more dangerous, without any grass to
sustain life, but the fact only proves once more
what many explorers have maintained, namely, that
of all the beasts capable of enduring the terrible
IT BECOMES DIFFICULT ^38
hardships of life in Tibet the sheep offers the
greatest resistance and endurance.
The discovery of these tracks proved very
useful to us, for we decided to follow them, thereby
removing all doubts as to our course, and avoiding
all danger, as the animals, under the guidance of
the Mongols as well as of their own instinct, had
carefully avoided those places where the soft mud
would have impeded their course.
We were congratulating ourselves on the ease
of the journey hitherto so much dreaded, when we
suddenly noticed a change in the surface of the dry
mud, which was now covered with flakes of hard
crisp salt, lying edgewise and like the blades of a
knife in many places, so that our progress suddenly
became extremely laborious. The camels' feet
were soon bleeding, and the mules and donkeys
followed their example, for the depth of their
hoofs could not protect them when they slipped
on the smooth surface of the salt. In a very
short time the camels could hardly drag them-
selves along. The poor creatures were a pitiable
sight. They peered with terror into this new
ground, sniffed at it, and refused to proceed
further across country which hurt them so
cruelly.
Nevertheless, we were obliged to go on and
reach the other side, so I gave the strictest orders
that they were to be urged forward.
At nightfall the caravan was divided into two
parts, and of course the animals had only a meagre
SS4 BOBOSON NOR [OH.H.
-supply of peas to eat. We had a little water, but
only for the men. A cold, moonless night fell
upon the Improvised camp, where man and
beast strove to find rest among the broken blades
of salt.
At four o'clock next morning all were astir,
for none had closed their eyes a moment, and
we began to sweep the horizon in hope of dis-
covering the rest of the caravan. I was appre-
hensive about it, for I reflected that if they had
continued their journey during the night, in the
hope of rejoining us, they must certainly have lost
their way, as they had no landmark of any sort.
Towards six o'clock, by the help of my field
glasses I espied Hia and the camels following
upon our tracks, and so soon as they had rejoined
us and had, like the others, tried to appease their
hunger with a little roasted millet, we continued
our journey.
After a little while we noticed, on our right,
a basin of pure salt which shone with dazzling
whiteness. The Mongols have named it Doboson
nor, and it may be called the keystone of the
great dome of the 5aidam Lake. Its shape
is irregular, and variable too, to judge by its
borders. Its length and breadth would amount
to 500 or 600 yards at most. Almost immediately
after leaving Doboson nor we came upon the
dry mud again, but this time without the blades
of salt. But the mud was soon exchanged for
a horrible mixture of earth, salt, and water,
WE CAMP IN TADJINAR SS5
Involving risk and danger to our progress, for it
was Impossible to avoid frequent falls into the
quagmires among which we moved. Evidently
this second part of the Zaidani Lake receives large
quantities of water in the rainy season and when
the snows melt. This opinion was still further
confirmed when we reached river-beds hollowed
out in the mud, and all sloping towards Doboson
nor. They were dry at this season, for the spongy
soil absorbed what small amount of water they
might have held.
At length, after struggling through the mud
for some hours, we caught sight of a row of tall
reeds in front of us. We knew that water could
not be far away and that we should now be able
to let our beasts rest. However, we had still to
cover several miles southwards before we came
upon the water in little rivers, where we were able
to pitch our tents on a favourable camping ground,
to the great joy of the whole caravan. The name
of the spot was Tassara, the rivers belong to a
certain river and lake system which the Mongols
call Tadjlnar, whose waters flow towards the north,
especially towards Doboson nor which the water
only reaches at certain seasons of the year.
Thus we had crossed Zaidam in two days, and,
on the whole, without very great difficulty. We
had only had to leave two animals behind, and
the others would recover after a thorough rest.
According to my calculations we had covered a
distance of some 50 miles between Trsongin and
236 SECURITY OF COUNTRY [OH. a.
Tassara, including certain zigzags in the course
without either water or grass. Considering that
the animals had hardly had anything to eat since
they left the king of .Zaidam's camp 5 I think their
endurance was indeed admirable.
After a day's rest we were able to resume
our journey southwards on a flat clay soil which
could easily bear the weight of the whole caravan.
Here and there we caught sight of troops of
ponies feeding in perfect freedom far from the
tents. This would tend to prove that the country
is not so infested with robbers as it is reputed to
be. Our shelter that evening was a tent inhabited
only by two old women, but we could hardly
snatch a moment's rest, on account of the millions
of mosquitoes which attacked us all night in
famished hordes. Even the animals could hardly
bear their bites, and they had to be closely guarded
to prevent their breaking away in all directions,
maddened by the inflammation of the sting.
On July 29th we were on the march again,
in the same direction as before, now skirting the
banks of the river Tadjinar, now working away
from it on the left. There was quite a consider-
able quantity of water in this river, considerable
for that part of the country 9 about 2 feet in
depth, by 20 or 25 in width. The effect of this
precious stream is very evident in the vast green
plains, capable of feeding many flocks and herds,
which rejoice the eye and form a curious contrast
TADJINAR INHABITANTS 237
to the desolate white and yellow of the salt desert
only a few dozen miles to the north.
The number of tents was growing consider-
ably, but the poverty seemed to increase with the
population. We had not yet seen such abject
poverty laid bare in the broad light of day., even
among the Mongols of the North,, who are ranked
among the most wretchedly destitute races.
The Tadjinar people are as little hospitable as
they are rich, and we could not persuade them to
sell us a single morsel of meat, though we begged
earnestly and eloquently for it. We were in sore
need of it, not having tasted meat for three days,
and such was our disappointment, that for the
first time in the course of our journey, I decided to
treat the caravan to a bullock without the pre-
liminary of obtaining the owner's permission to
dispose of his goods. Accordingly, a bullet from
a carbine gave us an excellent dinner and a
provision against famine, without exciting the
opposition of the Mongols, which I had half
expected. The proprietor uttered a cry, pretended
to shed a few crocodile tears, and then retired
with a smile upon his lips and an ingot of silver
in his hand.
It is worthy of notice that the inhabitants of
the Tadjinar district are not good customers for
Russian manufactures. With the idea of reduc-
ing our expenditure I made an attempt to sell
some materials brought into Mongolia by Buriat
merchants, but my advances were energetically
288 NAITCHI MOUNTAINS [cH.rx
repulsed, and I was Informed that Russian cotton
materials are inferior in quality to Chinese pro-
ducts, which, indeed, is true.
This is in truth a curious country. The southern
part of Zaidam Is an almost exact reproduction
of the north, as regards aridity and desolation.
The fertile strip of the Tadjinar district alone
breaks the desolate monotony of the desert. The
mountains which we were now to attempt were
rather higher than those from which we had come,
but the difference in appearance went no further.
The mountains which stretched indefinitely before
us from east to west are called by some Tolai,
by others Torai. As a matter of fact, they bear
the generic name of the Naitchi Mountains.
This is the name of the country which stretches
southwards from these lofty peaks. The Naitchi-
gol flowing into the Tadjinar is an important
factor in the river system of this oasis and issues
from a mountain range opposite to which we had
come through gorges described by the Mongols
as extremely difficult to cross. Prejevalski and
Rockhill alone had attempted to follow their
course for a certain distance, and they had both
turned to the right and reached the populous
valley where there are two encampments, Naitchi
and Missuto, at a height of about 14,000 feet.
Our plan was to push on due south, following a
tributary of the Naitchi, hitherto quite unexplored.
We had hardly entered the Naitchi Valley
when our troubles began. Steep cliffs of loess
DISAFFECTION AMONG THE DRIVERS 239
rose on our right and left, the soil we trod was
pure loess. There was no grass, not even roots
for the animals, nor water, save in the river at
the bottom of the ravine, and this river, which
had cut its way deeply through a crumbling soil,
was not always easy of access. To crown all we
were beset by positive clouds of mosquitoes, and
in spite of all precautions, such as blocking the
tent door with a mosquito net, it was impossible
to enjoy a moment's rest. While taking the
usual evening observations my hands were simply
devoured in the space of five minutes. Mosquitoes
at this height 1 The reader cannot be more surprised
than we were, nor had we ever seen any creatures
more desperate in their sanguinary work than the
mosquitoes of Naitchi
The following day I noticed, for the first time,
signs of disaffection among the caravan drivers.
They had until then maintained perfect submission,
or at least the appearance thereof, but, excited by
stories of brigands, robbers, and cut throats, with
which the Mongols had stored their minds, they
suddenly changed their tone and assumed airs of
mutiny. I first noticed it while on my usual
rounds on the evening of 1st August.
I was able to hear the men's conversation by
standing close to their tent, though outside the
shaft of light from their fire. They were more or
less agreed upon the following points : Firstly, that
I must be out of my mind to come to such atrocious
countries when I might be living comfortably at
340 I GIVE THEM A GOOD LESSON [CH. .
Pekin ; secondly s that the instruments I used for
reconnoitring were nothing worth ; and ? finally,
that their best plan would be to vanish during
the night and let us go on alone if we were
absolutely set upon an expedition which must
come to a bad end. I decided that the moment
for showing myself had come, and suddenly made
my appearance, which disconcerted them not a
little. I informed them that I had overheard their
designs and should therefore take all necessary
precautions ; to begin with, I should have all the
provisions brought to our tent.
I pointed out to them how mad it would be to
attempt to retrace the journey we had made from
Liang-chou without a European at their head.
They would inevitably fall a prey to the rapacious
Mongols, and would at length be frozen to death
in the attempt to cross a snowy pass. On the
contrary, if they would faithfully accompany us,
they would earn such remuneration as would
raise them to the rank of important people in
their respective villages.
With the object of distracting their attention,
and to teach them a salutary lesson, I made them
work all night at mending the pack-saddles, and
I myself was obliged to spend much time in
superintendence, which I should have infinitely
preferred to enjoy comfortably stretched upon my
camp bed.
The next morning, even had we wished to do
so, we could not have followed the Naitchi Valley
WE GO DUE SOUTH 241
for long. We should have been obliged to cross
from the right to the left bank, and that at a point
where the tributary we intended to follow joined the
JSTaitehi, the speed and volume of water being such
that we could not have accomplished a crossing.
We pushed on due south and entered a
gorge, the appearance of which gave us but
little encouragement. High cliffs, worn by the
water's action into steep peaks and sharp angles,
frequently forced us to descend to the level of
the river, only to toil up again over steep, rocky,
and dangerous slopes. This was most exhaust-
ing, and we were making very little headway, so,
after ascertaining that the depth of the torrent
was not more than 3 feet, I sent the whole caravan
into the water, and men and beasts went up the
rapid stream.
All went well for some few miles, and if our
progress was slow it was at any rate sure, but
unfortunately we came to a point where the walls
of loess were so close together that one could
scarcely see the sky between their rocky sum-
mits, and the torrent rapidly increased in depth
and swiftness. Nevertheless, I led steadily on,
struggling against the water with more or less
success, until my mule missed its footing and
dragged me back to join the rest of the caravan.
Thus we were forced back to our climbing, the
perpendicular aspect of the walls of rock being,
as is frequently the case, much exaggerated by the
steep height of the mountains above the level
Q
42 A PERPENDICULAR ROCKY WALL [OH..
of the loess. It Is surpassingly wonderful how
the creatures managed it at all, even the mules,
but especially the camels with their ridiculously
long legs. It is no less wonderful that after a
day of such terrific effort we should find a little
grassy spot whereon to rest.
Our night's rest was in no way interrupted,
and for the first and last time I dispensed with
the watch, feeling quite sure that our best safe-
guard lay in the difficulty of access to our
encampment.
On resuming our march on the morning of
2nd August our hopes rose somewhat at the
prospect of the way before us. The surface of
the loess, which the water had not touched, seemed
to present a firmer and safer footing. But within
a mile we were again disappointed, for we were
suddenly confronted by a perpendicular wall, pro-
jecting from a mountain and falling sheer into
the water 150 feet below us. I was a little dis-
concerted at this sight, especially as there seemed
to be no other way. The rain which had fallen
during the night had swelled the torrent, an
effectual barrier even before the rain, so we were
forced to face the crossing of this arte or give
up the journey in this direction altogether.
We consequently undertook to make a sort of
cliff path by means of our pickaxes, choosing a
spot where there was already a kind of ledge in
the rock. This work, which lasted several hours,
was followed by another, no less toilsome, namely,
HIA'S BAD FALL 248
the passing and carrying of all the baggage. Then
came the critical moment when the animals had
to be led over the path. They were pushed, held
up, and hauled over with ropes, and we managed
it pretty well on the whole, save for one camel
which slipped o\ r er the edge and was left hang-
ing over the abyss unable to find any foothold
for its hind legs. After many and painful
attempts we were able to haul it up again, but
the poor creature's skin was badly torn, and we
could make no use of it for some time.
We encamped, exhausted, immediately after
this dangerous crossing, and that night Hia, one
of the best drivers, fell over a precipice while
attempting to recapture a camel which had strayed
in the darkness.
The poor fellow was carried back to the tents,
and I was glad to find that no bones were broken.
Nevertheless, he lay in a state of coma for some time 9
for his head had struck against a stone in his fall.
On 3rd August we came out upon a wide
valley lying parallel with Naitchi-gol Valley, which
runs from east to west. We came into it about
half-way down, and it stretched away in both
directions, a vast and desolate waste of country.
It lay about 600 feet higher than the Naitchi
Valley and was more desolate, though a trained
eye could distinguish patches of different colours
in the very far distance, which were in all
probability tracts of grass.
In spite of firm soil and a good foothold we
244 WATER OF VALLEY [CH.K.
crawled along very slowly that day, both men
and animals being- completely exhausted.
However, as we slowly journeyed on eastwards,
I was able to make a general plan of the valley,
especially of the streams. They all, without
exception, rise on the southern ridges and flow
due north until their course is abruptly turned
by the ridges on the northern side of the valley.
There they combine and form a river, dashing
down the defile through which we had come
with so much difficulty.
Many of these streams flowed through deep
layers of loess in which no vegetation was possible.
In the very few spots where a little grass had
struggled into life a few kyangs were peacefully
grazing. Though it seemed a cruel and all too
easy sport to kill these graceful creatures, 1
decided to victimise one of them y with the object
of giving some meat to the men and of economis-
ing our store of rice and flour.
At a distance of about 27 miles from the spot
at which we had entered the valley we came to a
ridge, which divides the streams into two different
water systems.
The rivers still flow from south to north, but,
instead of turning off eastwards at right angles,
they flow towards the west, and on the evening
of 4th August we encamped opposite to a gorge
very like that Which had brought us into the
vaEey, though seemingly easier of access, and
evidently leading into the NaitcM Valley.
A OF WILD YAKS 245
The next day was somewhat sensational, for
we encountered a herd of wild yaks for the first
time.
The first detachment came out right in front
of us as we were peacefully making our way
southwards up a little stream, and we had barely
time to hide the caravan behind some rising
ground. We were not anxious for this meeting.,
for yaks have a reputation for attacking camels
and baggage mules.
These superb creatures were really a grand
sight, as they passed quietly before us 5 in number
about two hundred, calm and majestic, sweeping
the sand with their long black hair, with some-
thing both of strength and pride in their bearing.
They took about half an hour to file past us, and
when they had almost disappeared behind the
southern chain I could not resist the temptation
of a shot, and fired on the last of the herd. I
hit him full in the chest, but not in a vital spot ;
he did not fall, but, catching sight of us, came
galloping towards us, lashing his bushy black tail.
A gully in the loess checked his course for a
moment, and I lodged another bullet between
his eyes, which killed him instantaneously.
He was an immense creature. The thickness
of the neck was perhaps the most remarkable
point about him, the tough hide bore the marks
of many blows from the horns of the other males
in the herd.
We cut off some of the meat and resumed
246 DANGEROUS POSITION [CH.K.
our march. But we had not yet finished with
the yaks* for a few miles further on ? in an
absolutely exposed part of the country, we
suddenly saw three enormous bulls charging
towards us with all the speed of their powerful,
heavy gallop, I had often read in books of travel
that a yak, if not mortally wounded, will some-
times charge its enemy furiously and with lowered
head. But in this ease the terrible creatures were
attacking us even before we had seen them, and
our position was critical indeed. As I have said,
there was no sheltering ridge to be seen, and we
shuddered to think of the awful havoc the yaks
would work among the heavily laden mules and
the camels. Our only chance was to stop the
brutes as soon as they should come within easy
range. So I dismounted* and, as our one chance
of safety, brought up my Mannlicher. When
the shot was fired, to my great relief I saw the
leader fall on his knees and roll heavily over at
300 yards from us. I was about to fire on the
two survivors when I saw them stop, sniff round
the body of their dead comrade, and, turning back
in the direction from which they had come, flee
with all speed from the spot.
We soon found that the animal just killed
was still huger than the yak shot in the morning.
The bullet had caught him just between the
eyes. We only cut off his tail as a trophy, and
left him to the vultures of the desert.
By pushing steadily on we had reached what
m
tf : ;*
'
SOHiDS OF TIBET AND THE TEXT 3IADE OP THE IIAIE OF THE YAK,
[Tfl/IIft JI.2JS,
GRASS! GRASS, AND REST! 247
I may call a second story in this remarkable
valley. We had climbed about 1,500 feet in one
day, almost without noticing the rise, so easy was
the gradient. We did not wish to continue the
journey eastwards , for it would have led us too
far away from our course, besides covering the
track of other explorers ; so we decided to bend to
the south by a snow-covered pass, crossing the
source of a glacier.
Though not in itself very alarming, this pass
proved too much for two of the caravan men, who
were unable to keep up with us, though they were
both riding mules. We were thus obliged to
encamp in a place without a blade of grass or a
drop of water, for fear of losing these two men
altogether. This was the more likely, as a strong
wind was blowing, which would soon have covered
the faint track which the caravan might have
made in its passage over a hard soil.
Grass ! grass, and rest ! It was a crying need.
Grass for the exhausted mules, and rest for the
hard-worked men. But the question was where
to find grass. All around us was a brown and
sterile soil ; as far as the eye could reach the
great undulating waste was barren and inhospit-
able. We were beginning to despair when, on
the morning of 7th August, as I was anxiously
scanning the horizon through my field-glasses, I
saw several herds of antelopes all making for a
little dip on the southern mountain line a few
miles away. This gave me the clue for which we
MS WE FIND EXCELLENT PASTURES [CH.IX.
yearned; the fact of so many animals all making
for the same place pointed to there being water
and pasturage to be found there.
We set out forthwith, but found we had to
face a rocky climb of 900 feet before we could
gain the pass, though it seemed but a mere dip
in the chain when viewed from below. But we
were repaid for our trouble by the superb view
we now had of the mountains we had crossed
the day before, on the southern side of the huge
valley. The snowy peaks stood out dazzlingly
bright in the sunshine., and several of them now
gave an impression of much greater height than
we had at first attributed to them. There was
something grand and stupendous in the very
desolation of the scene. We gazed upon it for
a long time, in rapt admiration, yet there were
still greater splendours awaiting us in the south.
We had been right in our judgment ; for the
descent from the pass brought us into a gently
sloping valley, the sides of which were covered
with grass. Judging from the enormous number
of bones which lay strewn about, bones of yak,
antelope, and ovis ammon, it was the rendezvous
of all the dwellers in that desolate land, who
evidently came there to find pasture when there
was none elsewhere, often dying there from the
hardships they had undergone. Considering what
the winter must be at a level of 15,000 feet it is
astonishing that any life survives.
It was an oasis indeed for people who had
MULES ESCAPE 349
seen no grass, nor even a semblance of green,,
for days. The pack mules did not even wait to
be relieved of their "burdens before they started
grazing.
It was high time that they should find some
nourishing food. We could not give them enough
peas to make up for the want of grass, and five
of these strong creatures were already stretched
stark and stiff upon the road behind us.
We now gave ourselves up to the sheer delight
of a thorough rest. I gave orders that the tents
should be put up for a two days' halt among the
pastures. Yaks and antelopes galloped past on
every side, and kyangs, full of curiosity, came to
graze with our mules.
It was this very curiosity, I may say familiarity,
on the part of these kyangs, or wild asses, which
brought about the disappearance and subsequent
loss of two of our best mules. I had given strict
orders that the mules should be fettered to prevent
any chance of escape, but the men, who were con-
vinced that the creatures were too weary to dream
of escaping, neglected my orders, and allowed them
to graze at large.
It was doubtless during the night that a com-
pany of kyangs came among our animals, and I
suppose it was the sight of these fiery creatures
in the joy of their liberty which decided two of
our mules to join them in their life of risk and
adventure.
I was obliged to send some of the caravan
250 SOME MEN LOST [OH. .
drivers in pursuit of the wanderers, and thus the
punishment of working during a whole day of rest
came upon the very men who had been guilty of
such unpardonable negligence and disobedience.
But this was not the end of the adventure. I had
hoped to see the men back by midday, 01% at the
latest, by sundown, but I was to be disappointed,
As they had not returned by ten o'clock at night
I decided to go out in search of them. My mule
saddled, I wrapped a thick cloak round me and
set out, with our faithful dog Shishi, whose
keen scent had more than once been requisitioned
for the caravan. But I had hardly started when
a fearful storm broke over us, a storm of such
hail and snow that every vestige of a trace was
obliterated, and search would have been futile. So
I returned to the tents as best I could to await
the following morning.
Next day, to our great relief, we could dis-
tinguish two dark figures coming towards us across
the white fields of freshly-fallen snow. They were
the two lost men, who had seen the camp from
afar, and were trying to rejoin us. The mules were
lost for good and all. We were able to trace their
shoe prints for about ten miles, intermixed with
the tracks of the kyangs, but then they were lost
upon a hard surface which had retained no impres-
sion. It was useless to make any further attempts.
The only wise course was to push on.
From our comfortable camp we left the valley
by an easy descent and reached the wide plain
DIFFICULTIES OF THE SOFT MUD 251
which lay to the south. From there we could see
that the valley we had just left was only one
among many others of the same shape. But while
the others were barren ours was watered by a little
stream which never ran dry.
As we advanced we began to realise the nature
of the plain and its dangers. On all sides of us
were bogs, pools of water, and stretches of grass.
For two or three hundred yards one could walk
safely on firm soil, then suddenly one's feet would
sink into soft, deep mud, out of which it was most
difficult to struggle.
There were rivers flowing here and there,
which would lose themselves in the sand and
suddenly reappear a little way off. This indi-
cated the presence of many streams, some with
a visible course, and others subterranean.
There was no lack of game, from the little
straight-horned antelope to the largest yak. But
there was no trace of human habitation, no vestige
even of human existence. This was a region
quite off the beaten caravan track, and the
abundance of game proved that the foot of man
never trod this inhospitable soil.
We spent several days crossing this great
plain, travelling first south-south-west, then west
by south. An abundance of water, of grass, and
of game rejoiced our hearts, and we should have
been quite happy had it not been for the quag-
mires from which we could not altogether escape.
Some of them were so extraordinarily concealed
25S UNEVENTFUL DAYS [CH.IX.
that the most experienced eye could not detect
them. They occasioned many a fall and inde-
scribable confusion, especially when we had to
cross two rivers, presumably tributaries of the
Yang~tse-kiang, judging by the direction in which
they were flowing. Weliby, the English explorer,
often camped upon the banks of the second of
these rivers, when he was crossing North Tibet,
between Kashmir and China.
The lake scenery here was often very charming.
Grassy dunes framed the sheets of water, and
numbers of wild duck rested on the still surface.
Of these we made a regular massacre,, for a wild
duck cooked in its own gravy, served with rice
and fried potatoes, is the Tibetan equivalent for a
dainty supper at Paillard's ! Unfortunately, these
sumptuous feasts are of rare occurrence,, and the
menu consists, as a rule, of boiled rice, potatoes,
millet, and occasionally a slice of grilled yak.
When it was very cold we used to take a glass
of Chinese wine to warm us, and, personally, we
have never experienced the ill - effects which
certain explorers attribute to brandy taken at
high altitudes.
I recollect how one day, when I was on in
front of the caravan, I suddenly came upon a
grassy place, behind a sheltering bank of sand
dunes, where two great yaks were peacefully
feeding. The nearer of the two was but 30 yards
away, and I quickly shouldered my rifle without
even dismounting. The bullet hit the spine of
THE SOURCE OF THE YAXG-ISE-KIAXG,
AGAIN QUICKSAND AND MUD 253
the first animal, and the second fled away.
Approaching then with my revolver I fired at the
beast's head, at which it merely shook its mane.
It was wounded in six places before It expired :
surely a proof of extraordinary vitality.
This journey of a few days' duration across an
almost level country was one of the pleasantest
parts of the expedition. But, unfortunately, it
did not last long, and we were to face fresh diffi-
culties only a few days later.
On 12th August we left a defile in which we
had found plenty of grass, growing indeed 2 feet
high in some parts, though of an extremely coarse
fibre. We emerged., by a pass 900 feet above the
plain we had just left, upon a plateau where a
curious effect was produced by the heaps of sand
which stood out in sharp contrast against the
darker soil beneath.
We crossed this new plateau in three days,
covering a distance of about 50 miles in a south-
south-westerly direction. We were occasionally
on good soil, but much oftener on quicksand or
horrible bogs. The last day was the worst, and
we were obliged to desert a camel which had sunk
in so deeply that we could not save It, especially
as it manifested a complete and obstinate inertia
In the whole matter. We crossed many streams,
all flowing towards the south-east, and the reader
has by this time realised what is involved in the
crossing of a Tibetan river with a mud bed. All
the baggage has to be carried across, the men
254 ON TEACKS OF A CARAVAN [OT.IX.
helping the animals. It Is killing work, and in
this case it was aggravated by torrents of rain
which had poured upon the caravan unceasingly
for days, varied only by occasional showers of hail.
One difference between this plateau and that
which we had crossed three days before was the
practically total want of game. This phenomenon,
at first Inexplicable considering the abundance of
grass and water, ceased to puzzle us when on the
13th of August, In the evening, we found that we
were reaching the obviously beaten track of the
pilgrim caravans that pass to and fro between
Lhasa and Sining-fii. Our suspicions were con-
firmed by remains of bivouacs, bits of cloth, an
occasional old boot, and carcasses of horses and
donkeys. One caravan must have passed quite
lately, for the traces of Its fires were still fresh.
The mountains which close in this plateau are
pronouncedly red in colour and very much cut
up by many valleys, each of them the source of
a small river. They are called Dungbura, and
run from east to west, or rather to south-west.
We struck them at about 34 35'. They are
well known, and have a high repute among Chinese
and Mongol pilgrims for the excellence of their
vegetation. FrejevalsM crossed them in 1873, but
much to the west of our route.
Here again we had to give the exhausted caravan
a day's rest. The men were beginning to show
unmistakable signs of fatigue. When a China-
man throws himself on the ground and refuses to
ON THE DUNGBURA MOUNTAINS 255
eat at the end of a march It means that he Is
fairly well tired out. We were sorry for the poor
fellows, but could do nothing to assist them.
Our only hope lay in pressing forward rapidly.
We could only trust that the Tibetans of Lhasa
and Shigatse would not block the way. If they
did, very few of us would reach Kashmir, which
would be our only alternative course.
Besides? my wife's plucky example might well
encourage them. She often shared my watch at
night, and although by day she helped right and
left she was still full of energy.
On one day of rest on the northern slopes of
the Dungbura Mountains the sun was kind, and
we were able to dry the clothes and blankets
which had been completely and continuously
soaked during the previous week. We started
again on 15th August at 6 A.M. The beasts set
off at a good pace after their rest, but, unfortu-
nately, did not keep it up long. We had to cross
a lofty ridge whose summit consisted apparently
of mud, then to go round through defiles, climb
steep points, struggle across swamps, and scale
more muddy uplands, to reach at length another
wide plain closed to the south by mountain chains
similar to the one we had just negotiated.
The whole country seemed of the same pattern.
A series of wide plains separated by mountains
running in the same direction, each plain, as we
moved southward, slightly more elevated than its
predecessor. It was very monotonous.
WE [CB. oc.
We continued to follow the caravan road. We
Intended to leave It later* "but, so far, we had seen
no pilgrim caravan on the march* and we did not
want to miss the sight.
All along the road inscriptions in honour of
Buddha were cut upon poor stones or upon pro-
jecting rocks. The fanatical superstition that has
caused stupid Mongols and Tibetans to set up
these monuments Is not unique. Is It not to be
witnessed every day In some parts of Europe?
There it has less excuse* since those who practise
it live in the full sunshine of modern culture and
civilisation.
16th August was a great day for our little
expedition,, for we saw some human beings for
the first time since we had left Zaidam and Its
Mongols.
We had scarcely begun our march, at about
8 A.M., when we suddenly perceived some riders
cantering along over the sand of the great plain*
carrying long sticks decked with flags of various
colours.
They rode up to meet us, and alighted.
CHAPTER X
ALONG- THE YANG-TSE-KIANG-
WE thought at first that they meant to stop us,
or at least to ply us with questions ; but this was
not their object. Having scarcely looked at us,
they proceeded to set up their flags in different
spots, and to unsaddle their horses.
They were evidently only the scouts of a larger
body ; their advance guard soon appeared. It
consisted of about fifty men, practically all armed,
and riding small Tibetan ponies like those in the
neighbourhood of Sining-fu. Some hundred yards
behind them came a second corps, containing
persons of evidently greater importance., for they
were not armed,, and the majority sat haughtily
on caparisoned mules. Great herds of tame
yaks followed, loaded with provisions, and driven
by ragged men. A small troop of armed men
closed this imposing procession.
We counted two hundred and twenty men
altogether, rich merchants, lamas in red and
yellow robes, soldiers, and yak drivers. About
sixty were armed with rifles of Chinese manu-
facturej and some ten carried carbines slung across
257 R
258 ALONG YANG-TSE-KIANG [CH.X.
them, which seemed to me to be either Mausers
or Winchesters of an old-fashioned type. In the
eyes of their fortunate possessors such weapons
are of inestimable value. They often fail to pro-
cure the special cartridges necessary for these arms ;
but the very possession of a foreign - made rifle
gives its owner an assured position of respect-
ability and Impunity. One fellow in particular
caught my eye. He wore, under the usual red
Chinese button, a regulation forage cap which
must have belonged to some English soldier who
fell in the Tibetan Expedition. The sight of this
trophy set us thinking. We had heard hardly
anything of this little war., and I wondered for
a moment what reception was awaiting us in the
south, and whether our arrival might not excite
a desire for vengeance to which we should fall
easy victims.
All the members of this caravan, however,
seemed well disposed towards us. As we passed
them many of them greeted us with the words
" rao ma," which mean * 6 good horse " a formula
which is the customary compliment Interchanged
by those who meet by chance in the desert.
The passing of this large caravan lasted nearly
an hour a stream of life amid the surrounding
sterility. We were far from the scouts and their
flags when we saluted the rear guard, and when
all had disappeared behind a hillock, the desert
looked lonelier than ever, and the sense of isola-
tion weighed the more upon us from having
A COMPANY OF PILGBIMS 259
been momentarily dissipated by the passing of
this great company of pilgrims.
For they are true pilgrims, these men who go
to Lhasa in faith and piety, through all the many
dangers that beset them in such regions. They
face the cold., the brigands, and the heights that
prove fatal to many. Mingled among the devout
are some practical people and merchants, whose
desire to receive the Dalai Lama's blessing is
accompanied by the desire of filling their pockets.
This year,, however, they had to do without the
holy man's benediction, for he had fled at full
speed northward from the khaki-clad soldiers of
England, to seek shelter among his Russian
friends, who were also being hardly dealt with
by the Fates. For some time it was not known
for certain to which point on the Russian frontier
the head of the Tibetan hierarchy had guided
his mule. A Zaidam Mongol told us as we
came through that country that the Dalai Lama
had crossed the Naltchl a little to the west of
the point at which we succeeded in crossing it,
and that he was proceeding by forced marches to
Uliassutai, with only three attendants, levying
food and transport from the scanty population
on Ms way. These poor folk thought themselves
well repaid for the loss of their beasts by being
permitted to gaze for a few moments on the
features of one who is God to them. From
Uliassutai he was going on to Urga.
As we rode slowly on along the track marked
260 ALONG YANG-TSE-KIANG- [CH.X.
by the pilgrims, I could not help reflecting on the
manner In which history repeats itself. Etiquette
changes and morals vary, but religions flourish
everywhere. They all attain the same result. A
small class of the self-styled elect is maintained by
the credulity of the general public. As elect, they
claim the right to distribute at will the precious
blessing of heaven. All pilgrimages, whether to
Lhasa, Mecca, the great Chinese temples, the
African mosques, or the churches of Rome,
spring from the same fundamental principles,
and produce the same golden, results.
After this eventful day we found the next
specially monotonous, the more so by reason of
rain, which fell unceasingly throughout it. This
was the beginning of the real rainy season, very
like that of India during the monsoon, the only
difference being that the monsoon bursts about
three weeks later In Tibet, and that more rain
falls.
We encamped that evening on the banks of
the Ulan-muren, a large tributary of the Yang-
tse-kiang. Judging from its width, I thought
the crossing bade fair to be very difficult, and,
as I sat up for an hour's vigil, I did not look
forward to It. The river ran silent and mighty,
swollen by the rain, and occasionally sweeping
down a portion of the banks with its resist-
less waters. I shall never really understand how
we crossed it. Never during our whole journey
was our little caravan so nearly lost. And yet
A DIFFICULT CROSSING 261
on 19th August we were all safe and sound on
the other bank, having only lost a few of our
beasts.
We began the crossing on the 18th, early
In the morning. I rode the strongest mule we
had, and ventured into the water to try to find
the shallowest ford. The river was divided at
this point into eight streams, separated from one
another by what appeared to be small Islands of
pebbles and loess, and I hoped to rest my beast
on each island. But I had hardly reached the
middle of the first stream, when my mule lost its
footing, and began to swim valiantly. We went
down stream about two hundred yards before its
hoofs touched ground again, and I did my best
to guide it to what I believed to be a safe landing.
To my despair and terror, it had scarcely set foot
on the first island when it sank up to Its middle.
It was a quicksand ! I realised at once that if
I stayed In the saddle I was lost, and helped by
the Instinct of self-preservation, I threw myself off
and rolled on to the sand-bank. 1 felt It give way
under mw ; but by lying on my back and opening
my fur cloak I extended myself sufficiently to
prevent being sucked into this fearful abyss.
Instead of trying to escape at once, I took
some minutes to consider the situation, for the
slightest wrong movement would have been fatal.
I saw my mule, poor beast, disappear inch by
inch, and In less than three minutes the sand had
closed again over the tips of its long ears. This
263 ALONG THE YANG-TSE-KIAN6 [CH.X.
sight aided my decision, and I made up my
mind to roll sideways towards the river* which
was only 3 or 4 yards distant. Little by little
I executed this manoeuvre, and reached the
water. Once there my task was simple; I
threw off my fur cloak and swam. The water
was so cold that I could hardly breathe or
strike out, but at length I reached the shore,
and soon afterwards the camp, from which my
wife had been following the various steps of my
adventurous career with great anxiety. It was
madness, therefore, to attempt a crossing here,
but It was not easy to find a better spot. For
some furlongs both up and down the river
seemed the same- streams of water intercepted by
sand-banks.
Suddenly a ray of hope dawned on us. In
the distance a troop of wild yaks were preparing
to cross the river, and where these huge and heavy
animals could pass we could, no doubt, follow.
When I had seen them manage It safely I ordered
the camp to be struck at once, and the whole
caravan made for the point which seemed to
promise an easy crossing. The yaks' instinct had
led them, right, for where they crossed the waters
of the Ulan-muren were narrower, and enclosed
between banks of earth and gravel, not of shifting
sand. Unfortunately, the current was swifter and
the water deeper. Only the camels could keep
their heads above the level, and so all the baggage
had to be sent over on them, while the horses and
WE LOSE MULES AND PROVISIONS 263
mules swain over as best they could. We set to
work hardj and, the rain having ceased., the start of
our operations was easier than I had dared to hope.
We were congratulating ourselves on our
success when a fearful storm burst suddenly with
oceans of rain. I have never seen heavier rain, and
we soon noticed that the water-level was rising, and
the current becoming perceptibly swifter. The
camels could hardly keep their balance, and the
mules were carried down some 5 furlongs before
reaching the opposite bank. However, as there
was very little baggage left to transport, we decided
to get it all across before night. It was an
unlucky decision, for, owing to a sudden swirl in
the current, the last camel, which was carrying
400 Ibs. of rice, lost its footing, and was swept
away with its valuable load. This was a great
loss ; we might have lived for several days on 400
Ibs. of rice, and our other provisions were nearly
finished, thanks to the voracious appetites of the
men. Moreover, that was not our only loss during
this lugubrious crossing of the Ulan - muren.
Three mules which had been carelessly left behind
brousing peacefully, when they saw the caravan
on the other bank, tried to cross by themselves.
AH were carried away beyond reach of help by
the waters, which had now grown angry, and were
much swollen.
For four days we continued our march across
country composed of small hollows and bluffs of
friable rock.
264 ALONG THE YANG-TSE-KIANG [OH.X.
We reached the Yang-tse-kiang the day after
crossing the Ulan-muren. This huge river was,
when we struck It, restricted to a narrow bed,
and the water was evidently deep. It flowed
over gravel, and the high-water mark, many yards
above Its level then, showed what its depth would
be after the melting of the snows.
Pastorage was richer and more frequent here.
Large herds of wild yaks evidently came to feed on
It, and I was lucky enough to kill one of them,
which afforded juicy beefsteaks for all. We had
had no meat for five days, and Europeans cannot
live contentedly on rice and millet, however such
food may suit the Chinese.
Occasionally we had to cross little tributaries
of the Yang-tse, but they offered no difficulty,
the only inconvenience attaching to them being
the Ice baths they made us take. During these
few days of quiet travelling, we observed that
many of my men found It hard to drag them-
selves along. Lao Chang, a Liang-chou man,
seemed the most afflicted. He appeared to be
overcome with a somnolence, which he could not
shake off. At night he threw himself on the
ground, and never stirred till next morning. He
could not be relied on to watch the beasts, but
as he still had an excellent appetite, we did not
know what to make of him.
The moral condition of the men was also far
from satisfactory. The grumbling and discontent
of early days had been replaced by a kind of
THE DANGLA RANGE,
ARRIVE AT THE DANGLA MOUNTAINS %65
hopelessness much more disquieting and difficult to
deal with. Their easily depressed imaginations had
been powerfully affected by the sight of the snow
mountains in endless range behind the long plains,
and by living in a country where no human "being
had apparently ever penetrated. Encountering 1 a
large caravan armed with rifles and yet apparently
afraid of brigands, had done nothing to raise their
spirits, and we began to have great difficulty in
ruling our little army.
On 23rd August we could see in front of us
the white peaks of the Dangla Mountains. To the
south they seemed to set up a barrier difficult
to traverse, which yet had to be overcome if we
wished to follow the Yang-tse to its source.
The aspect of the country had changed. We
had to keep close to the river to avoid the rocky
spurs which ran out from overhanging bluffs, and
our march became more difficult. The river had
evidently forced its way through narrow gorges,
and we doubted much whether we should be able
to go far under these conditions. Towards evening
a, huge perpendicular cliff came straight down to
the water in front of us, and we had to make a
circuit which took us three hours, and led to an
interesting rencontre. As we went down again
towards the Yang-tse, along a narrow and pre-
cipitous little valley, behind a mass of fallen
rock, we came upon an encampment of Tibetan
hunters of the wild yak.
We were much surprised to see them, clothed
260 ALONG THE YANG-TSE-KIANG- [CH.X.
in their sheepskins ; but our surprise was nothing
to theirs. They gazed at us for some minutes s
and then one by one began to escape towards
the neighbouring heights. They were evidently
very much afraid of us, and our magazine rifles,
which they thought boded certain death, did not
help to restore their confidence. However., we
managed to catch one of them, and by fair words
and the gift of a few pieces of sugar, of which
Tibetans are very fond, we convinced him that
our intentions were peaceable. Then he collected
the scattered members of his family, and did the
honours of his dwelling. I hardly know how to
describe it. It was not a hut or a cabin, but a
heap of rags in the shape of a tent, open to
wind, rain, and inspection from without. We
never saw a more miserable concern.
In a space of about 10 square feet, a family
of eight enjoyed the sweets of existence together.
Their dress suited their environment. Shreds of
sheepskin partially covered them, and the cold
wind blew on their bare skins without appearing
to inconvenience them. The women looked still
more wretched than the men ; they were as nearly
bestial as human beings can be.
Their method of life hardly tends to civilise
them. They spend their time hunting wild yaks
with guns of a primitive type, like the old match-
locks preserved in museums, and, when they have
succeeded in bringing down their quarry, they
quarter it and cut the flesh into strips to make
MARCH ALONG THE YANG-TSE-KIANG 267
the dried meat which they sell in the winter at
Lhasa or SMgatse. With the few taels they get
in this way they buy a little more powder,, and
go off on a fresh expedition into the most desolate
regions of Tibet.
These half savage hunters, and the brigands who
are always lying in wait for the caravans, are the
only people who live for a few consecutive months
in the zone of the high central plateau. They
are seldom met with, for they conceal themselves
carefully.
Having spent a quiet night close to the
yak hunters, we went along the Yang-tse with
more hope and perseverance than success. In
fact, we had hardly covered 2 miles before the
road became absolutely impassable for the mules
and camels. The rocks descended precipitously
into the strong stream, and our only chance of
progress lay in climbing the promontories, 500 or
600 feet in height, which blocked the way. In
spite of the fatigue caused by this, we had decided
to go on till we were stopped by some really
insuperable natural obstacle. We came upon one
before very long. One promontory which we
tried to surmount ended in a rocky arete about
100 feet high, which nothing but an ovis ammon
could have negotiated. We were therefore com-
pelled to turn off into a valley which left the river
at an angle of 50 to the west, and seemed to
debouch into a wide plain in the direction of the
Dangla Mountains.
268 ALONG- YANG-TSE-KIANG [CH.X.
This valley and its continuation nearly proved
to be the termination of our journey,, and the
grave of the caravan. During the three days that
we spent in it, we suffered more and worked
harder than in all the rest of our crossing of
Tibet. Here we fell in with the worst enemy
the irrisistible, clinging 1 ., ubiquitous, invidious
enemy mud !
My readers probably can form no idea of what
mud in Tibet means, accustomed as they are to
the annoyance caused by a few inches of it, for
which they objurgate some negligent municipality.
In Tibet, after a thaw, in some valleys and hollows
which have no outlet, the mud extends for several
miles at a stretch, and is occasionally so deep that
it cannot be fathomed. Animals disappear in it
as if in a quicksand, though more slowly, and
when one realises that throughout a whole day's
march one does not come across one square foot
of ground which will bear one's weight, one can
understand that a day's journey under such condi-
tions is fearfully trying, and that the nights are
even worse.
For three days we had to struggle incessantly
to keep our balance, but the difficulties of our
own progress were less than those experienced in
getting the beasts forward, in raising them when
they fell, which they did at every other step, in
reloading 1 them, coaxing them on, and rescuing
the more valuable portions of their loads when the
beasts at last fell exhausted to rise no more. Our
IN MUB 269
attempts to find firmer ground nearer the
mountains were all In vain. 'The soil there
seemed more saturated than ever s and we soon
gave up trying.
What we had to do was to reach the Dangla
Mountains as soon as possible. Their rocky and
frozen sides afforded a haven of refuge. Of the
fifty mules that we had with us when we began
crossing this sea of mud, only six remained when
we reached a wide and long valley with a gentle
slope, which led on to one of the snowy passes
lying to the south-east of the great semi-circle,
formed by the Dangla Mountains to the north.
For two days hail had been falling incessantly ;
but a few minutes after our weary feet rested once
more on solid ground the sky cleared suddenly,
and there was even a gleam of sunshine.
We were more like a shipwrecked crew than
an exploring caravan. Nearly all our provisions
had vanished, and the caravan had about four
days' nourishment, consisting of flour, rice, and
millet. We had not a scrap of meat, and the
few peas intended for the surviving mules had
perished with the animal that carried them.
Many of our cases containing Mongol and
Tibetan curiosities were buried deep in the mud,
and at first this loss distressed us more than that
of the provisions. We soon altered our opinion ;
but at the time we hoped to be able to shoot
enough game to satisfy our needs. One by one
we had been compelled to leave our poor
370 ALONG YANG-TSE-KIANG [CH.X.
mules to the dismal fate of burial In the mud.
One by one they had formed for a time a black
patch on the red mire,, for an hour or more,
staring straight in front, their large eyes full of
terror, and one by one they had disappeared.
The sight was most distressing, and we were not
cheered by the thought of what our own fate
must be, if all our beasts of burden were destined
to perish in this manner.
On 27th August we began the ascent of the
Dangla Mountains from the east, and not by
the western passes. We wished to make sure of
striking the Yang-tse again after crossing these
great intertwining glaciers. We met with no great
trouble at first, and the valley along which we
went, though sloping steeply upward, seemed a
real velvet carpet after the awful road of the last
three days. The rocky ground showed no tracks,
and it was a pleasure to step out without sinking
in the mud.
For seven hours we marched between the
mountain chains, the peaks of which grew ever
nearer and whiter, and, after a last hard climb of
some half an hour's duration, the loose stones
slipping under our feet, we reached the glacier at
the top of the pass. Just at first I thought we
could not cross it, for we could not expect our
beasts to scale a precipitous glacier ; but I luckily
found, on careful examination, a small patch to
the side, between an old moraine and the mass
of ice. We directed the caravan along this, and
WE CAMP ABOVE 20,000 FEET 271
we reached the top of the glacier ; the view was
magnificent.
To the north we could detect, in the far
distance, the lines of the plain and of the mud
which had cost us so much. To the east and
west were the innumerable snow peaks, and, lastly,
to the south the glacier which we had climbed, ran
down from valley to valley in waves of ice to
several hundred yards below the level on which we
stood. A blazing sun, such as we were not to see
again for weeks, shone on the crest of the glacier,
and the wild and fantastic coup d'ceil partly repaid
us for the troubles we had undergone.
Going down that dangerously steep bed of a
torrent formed under the glacier by the melting
snow we reached its southern base, and encamped
there, near a scanty growth of grass, which could
not satisfy the needs of our sorely reduced number
of beasts. I calculated with my instruments the
height of the pass and of our camp. The height
of the top of the glacier was 20,600 feet, and
that of the camp 19,800.
In spite of the altitude, and of our famine-
stricken state, we were not uncomfortable, and
should have enjoyed a well-earned rest had not
several men at nightfall reported the absence of
Lao Chang. I had last seen him toiling up the
last stage of the glacier, and, as he was clearly
exhausted, had unloaded a mule and sent it to
bring him safe to camp. Since then no one had
seen him. He could not have lost his way, for
our tracks on the snow were plain enough, and his
<m ALONG THE YANG-TSE-KIANG [CH. X .
disappearance was inexplicable. It was the more
surprising since, in spite of Ms constant fatigue,
he had an excellent appetite, and no one had
ever known him be a minute late for a meal I
hoped that he would turn up in the morning with
his mule s having simply slept out all night ; but
by eight o'clock he had given no sign of life, and
I sent a search party consisting of two men, with
two mules, and some food to the spot where I
had last seen him. I deplored the necessity of
wasting a day at such a height and In such an
inhospitable spot. There were no traces of game,
and we had only two days' provisions. To complete
the situation, the rain had begun again, and was
only interrupted by hail. We waited all day for
the return of the men. They came In the evening.,
but without Lao Chang.
It was a tedious and difficult matter to extract
their story from them. They kept Interjecting
lugubrious expressions peculiar to the Chinese.
We concluded at last that Lao Chang had com-
mitted suicide by throwing himself down a sheer
precipice of some 50 feet. The mule had been
found nearly dead of cold and hunger* and shiver-
ing from the rain and hail, and some traces left
by the unfortunate man's fur boots had led the
Investigators to the brink of the precipice.
This tragic death shocked us greatly. Not
only was It sad to lose a member of the caravan
while still so far from our goal, but the moral
effect on the survivors was Incalculable. The
AGAIN YANG-TSE-KIANG TO
men, already sufficiently out of hand, would
become more so, and we dreaded an epidemic of
suicide. The situation was certainly a wretched
one for them. They had lost al hope of ever
seeing their country again, and when I promised
them a return voyage In a steamer from India
to China they shook their heads sadly, and said
to one another that they would never see India.
I spent over an hour that night in their tent
trying to encourage them ; but I felt when I left
them that I had wasted my time.
The next day, after going down a valley
running from south-east to north-west, in the
evening we reached the banks of the Yang-tse.
But it was a very different river here. Instead of
the imposing channel of water we had not been
able to follow, we found a river split up some-
times into two, sometimes into three, streams,
in the middle of a vast plain stretching from east
to west, and easy to traverse. The Dangla
Mountains obviously send down large tributaries
into that portion of the river which we had
missed.
Exactly east of the site of our tent a great
break in the mountain circle showed where the
Yang-tse cleaves its way. There was pasturage
here and there on its .banks, and our beasts derived
some nourishment from it. In spite of the steady
rain, we felt sufficiently cheerful to light a fire,
and/ by burning two of our boxes, we procured a
fine blaze s before which we tried to dry our soaked
s
274 ALONG YANG-TSE-KIANG [CH.X.
rags. I say rags, for our Chinese sheepskin
clothes had lost both shape and colour.
Some yaks were feeding about a mile away,
and though very tired, I went out after them, for
we had literally nothing to eat. Unfortunately,
there was no chance of stalking them on the huge
open plain, and they cantered off before I could
get within range, thus depriving us of our hopes
of a much-needed dinner.
During the next two days, we covered about
30 miles to the south - west. The view was
bounded on all sides by glaciers, and after the
firm ground of the plain in which we had rejoined
the great river displayed fresh stretches of mud.
But these we were able to escape by marching in
the river bed itself, some 2 or 3 yards from
the bank. The water was shallow, and in spite
of the rain, the small tributaries flowing con-
tinually into it contributed very little to the
volume of the stream.
Towards evening, on the second day, we reached
a strange and unique country. Hills of red mud
rose on all sides, some very large and lofty, others
no bigger than seaside dunes in Europe. I made
an attempt to scale one, and sank in up to the
knees. We went on, therefore, in the river bed.
And as evening closed in, and dark clouds were
gathering ominously overhead, we hastily ordered
our tents to be pitched on a small platform
of rock which lay very handy 100 yards from
the river.
A DREADFUL STORM S75
The storm did not burst immediately. The
night fell thick and heavy ; not a breath of wind
relieved the electric tension, and at midnight a
loud clap of thunder resounded very near us. It
was the herald of the most violent storm we have
ever seen. The claps of thunder followed one
another like the reports of guns In action. The
lightning was so bright and vivid that It might
have been midday. The sky and earth seemed
about to unite at this height of 19,000 feet, and,
as If in protest against our audacity In profaning
these virgin altitudes, the brass spikes on our tents
threw off tongues of fire several Inches in length,
with a terrifying crackling.
The soaked canvas acted as a conductor
between the spikes and the ground, and made our
position Inside the tent untenable. So we had to
move out under the rain and snow which fell for
the greater part of this alarming night. The
animals, half buried In snow, made no movement.
Huddled together some paces from the tents, they
watched the falling flakes covering the few tufts
of grass on which they might have fed. As for
ourselves, we had only half a pound of flour, which
we soaked In water, and made into a kind of cake.
We had not even any salt, the cook having- stolen
the last of It while we slept.
On the next morning, 1st September, we left
the glacier, from which the Yang-tse rises on our
right, two hours after breaking up camp 9 and
crossed a water-parting on the crest of a side arete
376 [*LX.
of the JDangla Mountains. The source of the
Yang-tse is nearly in the middle of this arete,
the saddle-shaped pass which was surmounted by
us, stretched from the glaciers that feed the great
river to another group of less importance.
We had therefore accomplished one of our
main objects in visiting Tibet, We now had to
reach India, and the opposition of the Tibetans
would perhaps intensify the natural difficulties of
the task.
Above all, we had at any cost to find food.
Our last handful of flour was finished.
XI
THE ROAD TO INDIA
ON the other side of the pass we found to our
surprise a long gentle slope, crossed here and
there by rivulets. The bare ground near the top
changed as we went down to a luxuriant grass
prairie. We reached it at six in the evening,
after a march which our exhaustion had rendered
slow and uncertain. We hoped to find wild yaks
feeding in this abundant pasture; but we hoped
in vain. There was no trace of game, and we
had to march all through 2nd September without
any sustenance, still moving to the south-west.
The cast of the journey, and our hopes of kill-
ing a yak, enabled us to cover over 20 miles on
this day. But we met with no luck, and again
lay down "famished.
As this could not go on, and I had noticed
what I took to be sure proof that a herd of yaks
was not far away, I decided to encamp where we
were for another day, and to go out in search of
them.
I went down one of the many valleys where
the tracks were numerous, and within 200 yards
277
878 THE ROAD TO INDIA [OH. a.
saw a herd of thirty peacefully browsing. I was
well within range, and brought down a big beast,
while the rest fled. I carried my news back to
camp* and put fresh life into everybody. The
men, who were dozing for want of better occupa-
tion, sprang up, and four of them went off at
once with their knives to cut the yak up into
beefsteaks. Others broke up our last boxes,
and made firewood of everything not absolutely
necessary to our progress.
At last we were able to rest and eat a little,
for we could allow one day for it. Many of the
men were in a sad condition of exhaustion and
despondency. Want of food and sleep during
the last few days had made things worse. But
one day's rest was not much. It would have
taken a week or two to rest the men thoroughly,
and we could not spare the time.
We knew we must be approaching the first
Tibetan settlement north of the lakes, and I was
afraid that the authorities at Lhasa, who were at
present unaware of our journey, would hear of it
and stop it, if I did not press on south at once,
as they had stopped all previous explorers in Tibet
and Central Asia.
For two days we travelled south, following a
river which we hoped would flow into one of the
great central lakes. Its winding coast made us
cover twice the distance that we should have had
to traverse had we gone straight.
Traces of life appeared more and more often.
WE FIND A TIBETAN CAMP 279
We came across freshly marked tracks, and the
debris left by caravans.
Once we even found on the site of a camp
a kind of oven, hastily constructed with square
blocks of clay, in which a fire had been recently
burning, for the wind had not yet entirely scattered
the ashes. Our ears were soon greeted by loud
barking, and several large Tibetan mastiffs rushed
towards the caravan, from behind a hillock on
which some tame yaks and ponies were feeding.
The noise made by the dogs attracted the attention
of their owners. They emerged one by one from
a black tent made of yak's hide, and slowly
approached us. One of them, a lama, spoke a
few words to us in Chinese, and seemed satisfied
with our reply. We told him we were merchants
on our way to India. Unfortunately we had lost
nearly all our goods in the mud, and were now
reduced to great poverty. He then offered us
milk and butter, and, as we had long been deprived
of these luxuries, we did not scrutinise them too
closely for the presence of foreign ingredients.
These people were as peaceful and amicable
as possible, and it looked well for the future. The
Lhasa authorities had evidently issued no orders
about us, and our friends saw nothing out of the
way in our arrival, though they were surprised
that we had not followed the usual caravan route.
We explained this as well as we could by profess-
ing to have lost our way.
But, towards evening, three men, among them
S80 THE ROAD TO INDIA [ca.xi.
the lama in his yellow robe, saddled their ponies
and. rode off at a moderate pace southward.
They evidently proposed to discharge their duty
as sentinels by warning the soldiers of our arrival.
These latter were posted near the lake Amdo-
tsonak, which, according to our new neighbours,
was very close.
Nothing happened that night, but I kept
watch. I feared that some of our animals might
be stolen under cover of the darkness. Poor
and exhausted as they were, we could not have
progressed without them.
Early next morning we left the little Tibetan
camp and continued without any opposition to
follow the winding course of the river. It was
a hard day, for a drenching rain fell, and we had
to cross the stream often. The water varied In
depth from 3 to 4 feet, and our condition towards
evening can be Imagined. The rain and the stream
had soaked us through, and the temperature was
very little above freezing point.
We had not the slightest idea where we were,
for we could see nothing through the rain ; but we
noticed that the valley had become a little wider.
We were awakened in the morning by the
clatter of horses, apparently ridden hard, and, rush-
ing out, we saw ten Tibetan soldiers, who had dis-
mounted from their wild shaggy steeds, and were
advancing upon the tent carrying their long rifles
on their shoulders or under their arms. Of course
none of our people were on the look-out, and my
INTERVIEW WITH TIBETAN SOLDIERS 281
first act was to kick some of them awake. But
for our own anxiety., we should have laughed at
the expression on their faces when they saw the
armed Tibetans.
We thought at first that our march would
be arrested, and considering our exhausted con-
dition, I contemplated with horror a journey to
Kashmir from this place. But the soldiers on
reaching the tent saluted us amicably. One of
them spoke Chinese, and an animated conversation
ensued, for a Tibetan In addressing a stranger
thinks it necessary to use many explanatory
gestures. At first we were bombarded with
questions as to who we were, whence we had
come., and whither we were going. I replied in
a fashion that satisfied everybody, and then put
some questions myself. I found that our visitors
were under the orders of a petty chief, whose
business it was to watch the pass through which
we had come into the great lake district. As
we were merchants he had no desire to stop us,
and after an hour's conversation he wished us a
pleasant journey. Before leaving he sold us a
Ib. of flour for a tael an exorbitant price in
Tibet. But then everybody must live somehow !
We started again with a light heart. Lhasa did
not oppose us, and probably knew nothing about
us. We congratulated ourselves once more on
having obtained at Pekin passports for Chinese
Turkestan, and on not having breathed a word
about our intention of entering the forbidden
2852 THE ROAD TO INDIA [CH. xi.
precincts of Tibet, The soldiers and their chief
had clearly no suspicion^ and would not send a
special message about us to Lhasa. By moving
quickly we should probably cross the dangerous
part before any orders could be issued to stop
us. Our expectations were justified by the event.
The district of Amdo~tsonak s which we had now
entered, was very different from the country of
rocks and valleys through which we had just
passed. A green plain stretched away out of
sights covered with flocks and tents, and horse-
men were to be seen everywhere. From the tents
rose little columns of smoke. The general impres-
sion of life and comparative wealth were a great
relief after the absolutely deserted region we had
traversed, meeting only one pilgrim caravan and
the yak hunters.
During the day we counted sixty black tents
scattered about, sometimes together,, but usually
at long intervals. Tibetan civilisation on the
upper plateau evidently tends to the formation
of little groups, consisting each of one family,
rather than to larger gatherings.
The Chinese call these Tibetans "the Black
Tents," because of the unvarying colour of their
dwellings. They have the reputation of being
extremely savage, and of pitilessly attacking
travellers; we were lucky enough to have no
trouble with them. On the contrary, we were
always well received, and saluted when we passed
a tent without entering it. Only once did we
ALONG THE AMDO-TSONAK 283
excite the anger of an old lama, by taking the
caravan over the ground where his flock was
folded for the night. This is a serious affront to
their superstition, and we were very careful not to
repeat the mistake. Occasionally riders galloped
up to us from neighbouring tents, and followed
us for some miles, with no show of hostility, only
with the natural curiosity excited in these big
children "by the passing of a caravan.
During two days' march we were still in sight
of Amdo - tsonak, though leaving it on our left,
and towards evening on the second day we came
into a mountainous region, due to a meeting of
several small chains., and quite diflerent from the
long regular chains that we met with later.
A strange phenomenon was observed here by
many of my men. Their feet and legs grew hard
and swollen, and, so far as a Chinese skin per-
mitted, also red. This peculiar trouble lasted about
two days, without otherwise affecting the persons
seized with it. At first I thought it due to the
elevation, but discarded this idea when I remem-
bered that we had been much higher without any-
body suffering in this way. It was probably blood
poisoning, due to the sting of some insect, but
the inhabitants, when consulted, did not seem to
have seen similar cases. What struck me most
was that the swellings gave no pain, and did not
interfere with marching.
On 8th September we reached lake Bum-tso.
Its neighbourhood is fairly populous, not so
284 TO INDIA [CH.H.
much so as that of Amdo-tsonak, Here we held
amicable converse with several Tibetans who
showed no surprise at the sight of a sextant
and an artificial horizon.
One of them, indeed , said that he had witnessed
the taking of a latitude by a European who had
been stopped by the Tibetan authorities a little
to the south of where we were. From this man's
account the traveller must have been Dr Sven
Hedin. From this affable Tibetan we bought 2 Ibs.
of butter and two sheep for" " some 13 yards of
Chinese linen, of which we still possessed a little.
It was common blue "pou," but in Tibet the
cheapest stuffs are valuable, owing to the paucity
of communication,.
All this part of Tibet Is well populated and
very fertile, at least as regards pasturage. It Is
not cultivated, the only occupation of the
inhabitants being the raising of cattle. The
temperature was cold at night, but pleasant
enough by day when there was no rain, and this
was due to the fact that we had come down about
2,500 feet. We were now in the temperate zone
of the Tibetan plateau.
On 9th September we bade a heated farewell
to the Tibetans, whose eagerness to help us in
packing and in loading our mules had given
them the opportunity of pilfering various small
articles. We hoisted Siao Chang on to our last
camel. His condition of exhaustion was growing
hourly worse, in spite of all care and medicine.
THE TO-KO-TSO LAKE 285
Going straight south we surmounted a couple
of crests, and crossed the valley IB which Sven
Hedin was stopped and detained more or less
as a prisoner for some days. There must be a
small permanent police post here, for two soldiers
came up to us, bearing the Tibetan head-dress ;
so like the pointed cap of the mediaeval alchemist.
They put some questions, but let us proceed
readily when they saw that we were not, like the
great explorer, going towards Lhasa. This was
very good luck, and we had no doubt now that we
should soon be looking down upon the plains of
India. But we had many miles to cover yet,
and the neighbourhood of the Tengri - nor had
an evil repute. The Prince of Orleans and
Littledale were stopped there.
Having emerged from a labyrinth of small hills
which gave us much trouble, and made us con-
tinually retrace our steps with no small irritation,,
we saw the blue surface of the little lake To-ko-tso
gleaming In front of us. It Is a pretty sheet of
water, like a Swiss lake. There Is a rocky island
In It on which hundreds of white gulls alight.
In spite of the suggestions of the maps, I do
not believe that there is any connection between
the To-ko-tso and the Bum-tso, the latter lying
to the south, and about 90 feet lower.
The Bum-tso Is a much larger lake than the
To-ko-tso, but Is evidently disappearing, as Is
proved by the old water marks, which are very
clear upon Its banks. The two lakes must have
286 THE ROAD TO INDIA [CH.XI.
been connected once, where they are now separated,
by a low ridge. The water of both is salt ; but a
boiling spring of fresh water gushes from a rock
which stands in the Bum-tso, near its north-
western shore. The Bum-tso Is surrounded by high
mountains. There Is little pasturage near it, and
this, with the scarcity of fresh water, accounts for
the fact that Tibetans are rarely met with near It.
We encamped, however, close to a small fort in
which two Tibetans dwell by themselves. They
asked us in Chinese, without leaving their post,
whether we were followers of the Grand Lama of
SIning, who had passed along the caravan road
a few days before. When we said yes* they
wished us good luck, and retired to their den.
A sad Incident now cast a gloom over our
successful march. Siao Chang was found dead
and already stiff, at eleven o'clock at night, by
one of the men who, on getting up to leave the
tent, stumbled over Ms body. He called me, and
1 came and certified that the poor fellow had died
from some form of heart disease.
The caravan drivers gradually collected in a
sympathetic group, but no one would touch the
body, and I had to wrap it in a sort of winding
sheet, and use great severity of speech to Induce
his companions to lift the dead man and carry
Mm a furlong away, to a specially wild and rocky
spot. Here I hoped the Tibetans would not notice
the recently turned ground, and that the grave
would not be rifledwith a view to the theft of
THE LAKE OF M-KO-TSO,
DEATH OF SIAO CHANG 287
rings or clothing, a feat they are very ready to
perform If they get the chance. To dig the grave
took us several hours. It was very difficult work.,
for the ground was frozen, and we did not wish
to attract too much attention. Towards three
o'clock in the morning, however, all was done,
and Slao Chang was laid to rest very far from
his native country, Liang- chou.
During the few months that he had been with
us, Slao Chang had borne a very bad character.
He lied and stole with wonderful perseverance, in
spite of the punishment which invariably followed
upon his offences. I had often wished to dismiss
him while still near Liang-ehou, but the others had
pleaded so hard for him that I relented. I was
further induced to keep him by his production of
a letter of recommendation from a missionary. I
could hardly believe that it had been given simply
to get rid of him. Yet such was the case.
His was the second death, and It demoralised
the rest, if possible, further, for I had to threaten
them with my revolver on the next day to get
them to start.
All day long the men did not interchange a
word. They did their work with an eye fixed on
me, in order to seize any chance of slipping behind
a rock to go to sleep or die of hunger, which
seemed to them a better fate than to follow me.
For two days after passing the Bum-tso, we
moved south-south-west, in a direction which, if
my calculations were correct, would bring us to
288 ROAD TO INDIA .[OH. a.
the middle of the northern shore of the great, lake.
We moved at an easy pace, a little over 2 miles
an hour. The sad state of our mules made several
halts necessary. The country was more and more
intercepted by small marshes, near which were
great stretches of grass on which large flocks fed.
Although we often passed only a few yards from
an inhabited tent, nobody evinced the least surprise,
or asked us any questions.
On 1 8th September, at nightfall., we saw the
Tengri-nor stretching in all its magnificence before
us. It was a noble sight, A great mountain
chain, 100 miles long,, and always ice - bound,
rose behind its waste of deep blue waters. The
highest peaks were reflected in the calm transparent
lake, the topmost being not less than 25,000 feet
high. These mighty heights form a more imposing
framework than any Swiss lake can boast. Perhaps
in another fifty years tourists will fly from the heat
of India to refresh themselves by the Tengri-nor.
The world changes so quickly nowadays that such
a development would scarcely astonish one. But
the altitude of 16,000 feet, which many people
cannot stand, will always spoil it as a health resort.
The country on the north of the Tengri-nor
is full of life. There are large collections of tents
gathered round small temples, in which lamas burn
incense night and day. It was strange to smell
the scent after our long days in an atmosphere
free from any odour of human concoction.
The plant from which they extract the incense
TENG-EI-NOR 289'
grows abundantly on the banks of the Iake s and
the sale of It is one of the only industries. It sheds
a peculiar perfiime, and rises to the height of a
small bush.
For two days we had to let the caravan rest.
Men and animals were equally exhausted, and
though my wife set them a gallant example
of courage and endurance, I did not desire to
overtax her strength. Moreover, these days were
peaceful and quiet. Some Tibetans came to see
us, and sold us some sheep. They gave us all the
Information we wanted about the country, and no
Lhasa soldier showed his peaked cap.
One of the mistakes on the maps which mark
the Terigri-nor is to print a group of islands to
the north- west. As we went along we could make
certain that these islands do not exist. But there
is a thin tongue of earth connecting a group of
rocks with the land, rising so little above the
surface that it is invisible at a short distance.
It was not easy to go round the lake from the
middle of the northern shore to the south-western
end. The ground was firm enough, and the
pasturage excellent, but we had to cross several
rivers which flow into the lake, their beds were
- often muddy, and in places there were quicksands.
One in particular ran over white limestone sand,
from which we had great trouble in extricating
our beasts, which were now too weak to compass
such difficulties without assistance.
September 17th was a day full of incident.
290 THE ROAD TO INDIA [CH.XI.
We had left the Tengri-nor in the morning, and
began a march almost due south across a series
of hills and valleys in regular lines, but so close
together that one could not see more than a few
furlongs either way. This favoured the laziness
of the men, who tried more than once to slip out
of sight. One of them, Hin, showed real ability
in eluding my watchful eye.
Towards noon, having ordered a few minutes'
halt, I saw Hin stretch himself out and go to
sleep. When the caravan started again he took
a few steps, and then began to limp. He came
and asked me for a few moments in which to fix a
boot which was hurting his foot. I gave him leave
and waited patiently 9 amused at his calling the rag
that swathed his foot a boot. But as time went
on my patience went with it, and 1 ordered an
advance, leaving Hin behind. He was to follow
at once. We saw him no more. Shishiy our
faithful watch - dog, was with him, and when
towards evening she was still absent, I am afraid
I regretted the loss of the dog more than that of
the man. She had often warned us of danger
while the men slept, and we could not do with-
out her in this populous part.
Shortly after Hin's disappearance another man ?
Tchrung, stayed behind, ostensibly to look after
a favourite mule which had fallen exhausted.
While I went back as quickly as possible to bid
Tchrung follow at once, a cousin of his, with
another driver named Tatchrung, a fairly bad
OUR MEN LOSE HEART 391
character, left from the front of the caravan in
spite of my wife's orders, and undertook to search
for the missing man. Of course they lost their
way, since all the hills were just alike, so that
when I came up again, tired out, I found only
three men. The situation was not pleasant,, see-
Ing that the mule, by which Tchrung had stopped,
carried the cartridges and what was left of our
silver taels. Having found Tchrung, and forced
him to resume his march, I had been obliged to
[eave him behind again, for my presence was
required at the front. His promises to come
quickly sounded so genuine that I had left with
him the precious cartridges, and the still more
precious taels.
If the Tibetans had attacked us that night we
should have vanished from this world without being
ible to offer the least resistance, and the thought
>f it was enough to keep us awake ail night.
As soon as the sun had risen I went out to
ook for the missing man. I hoped that having
ipent an icy night in the open without food, and
exposed to the attacks of wolves and bears, they
lad learnt their lesson, and when I saw their
lowncast faces and outspread hands begging
>ardon, I felt certain that, at any rate for some
[ays, they would have no more ideas of suicide
r voluntary starvation.
But there was still no sign of Hin. We waited
11 day on the 18th for him, but the poor fool never
rrived s and we were obliged to leave him to his
292 THE ROAD TO INDIA [<JH.XI.
fate. If we had decided to go back and find him
the caravan would have mutinied.
The next day we had to cross frozen passes in
a heavy fall of snow, so that the arrival of Shishi
In the middle of the afternoon was the more
miraculous. We suddenly heard a joyous bark,
and directly afterwards, our good little dog was with
us s unable to express her pleasure sufficiently. It
was a wonderful feat to have followed us through
the snow and over the streams, but she had already
often shown exceptional sagacity. Round her
neck was a bit of thin rope that she had bitten
through., and this confirmed our worst fears about
Hin. He had died of cold in the night ; Shishi
had then freed herself and come up with us.
Exhaustion had now claimed three victims, and
it was time to reach our goal. But we were still
ten days' march from the Brahmaputra, the great
artery of Southern Tibet. Judging from the
general appearance of the country, and the in-
formation of the inhabitants, we could not take
a straight line for the river especially in our
exhausted state. A mountainous tract, very
intricate and difficult,, offered an inseparable
obstacle, we therefore decided to follow the first
stream which seemed to flow towards the Brahma-
putra.
So we went for several days down a continually
widening river called the Shang Chu, along whose
banks little by little civilisation began to appear.
The tents were larger, the people seemed more
& ^ - r^ -j
TIBETAN PEOPLED XEA11 XA31L1NG,
[fo face i), 292,
COME TO A CIVILISED COUNTRY 293
wealthy, the women's dress was more ornamental,
and several wore jewels. But their greater
prosperity did not make them more friendly. One
day, wishing to buy a horse, we approached a tent.
All its inhabitants fled to the mountains in terror.
We went into it and found an old blind woman
alone in a corner. We took all we wanted, and left
a silver shoe on the threshold. Another day we
were stopped by a little group of mounted men 5 a
sergeant and three soldiers, who assured us that
we could not go on down the river, for the way
was blocked by a precipitous rock. He very
kindly offered to bring us some tame yaks next
day, with which to cross the river, which was now
fairly deep. We took his advice, and had to admit
later that he was right.
Here and there to our surprise and delight
were shrubs, sometimes several feet high. Herds
of tame yaks abounded, white, black, and grey,
going down our way, loaded with butter and
dried meat. Only very few people spoke to us,,
and the further we advanced the more it seemed
to us that we were regarded with suspicion, if
not with hostility. We were approaching the
district which had felt the effects of the English
expedition to Lhasa, and our presence as Europeans
was noted and resented much more keenly than
in the central lake country.
However, nothing important occurred till we
reached the fort of Namling, rising in all its might
and sanctity on the summit of a hill in the shape
S94 ROAD TO INDIA [CH.XI.
of a truncated cone. Under the shelter of its grey
stone walls, a monastery containing three hundred
Tibetan monks dominated the town proper, which
had a population of one thousand. To get to It
we had to use a bridge made of large Iron rings
stretched between two small towers, and bound
together underneath with strips of yak's hide, on
which wooden planks were loosely fitted. To
cross this required great care and some courage In
the Inexperienced, for in the middle of this antique
suspension bridge the chains began to swing to
and fro and up and down, producing a feeling
of insecurity which was increased, by the sight of
the river rushing below.
As soon as we had set up our tents the lamas
ordered all the people to shut their doors In our
faces, and to refuse to sell us anything whatever.
As we were very hungry I thought it best to
supply ourselves and to Ignore the veto of the
lamas. Accordingly I fired on a flock of sheep,
and killed three. A little later, as we were
beginning to feast on mutton and buttered cake,
a deputation of lamas appeared, offering us eggs
and chickens ; my shots had proved most effective.
Mamllng lies In a bend of the river, and for
long distances up and down one can see old
Tibetan forts, very like the castles on the Rhine.
Perched on almost inaccessible cliffs, they speak
well for the skill of their builders, and for the
fighting spirit of former days.
Namling is one of the strongest forts north of
Pf3 ;,'.. "-
$m
CROSSING THE BRAHMAPUTRA,
I OKI IM) Till BRI1W.I 01 M1ILW W AT THC WEST I)F LHASA,
CROSSING BRAHMAPUTRA 295
the Brahmaputra. The English expedition did not
come that way.
The friendly 9 if compulsory, visit of the lamas
resulted in the gathering of the whole population
at our tents, and we were soon surrounded by
hundreds. The women were naturally the boldest
and most inquisitive. They wore very clean
clothes and pretty jewellery. Having left the
tent for a moment to give some orders I found
three of them on my return investigating the
contents of our bag, which had by this time been
reduced to a minimum.
To crown all a troop of jugglers arrived., and
went through their programme. We fell asleep
with the sound of their sonorous and monotonous
drums still in our ears.
From Namling to the Brahmaputra the journey
was easy, for we had bought some tame yaks, and
our poor remaining three mules could rest at
last.
We crossed the river in square boats, made of
yak hide stretched over a framework of wood. It
was the most dangerous craft conceivable, and
I do not understand yet how we induced our
last and only camel to enter and stay in it. We
proposed to offer this animal to the Calcutta
Zoological Gardens as a product of the north.
The yaks also were difficult to manage. The
boatmen had tied them all to the stern of one of
the boats, and as soon as they started swimming
each chose a different direction, so that the
^96 ROAD TO INDIA [OH.XI.
embarkation amid these distractions very nearly
came to grief.
In the evening we encamped near Shigatse,
and, four days later, we saluted the English flaw
flying at Gyantse.
I will not say much about this portion of
Tibet. The fertile fields, stone houses, manners
and customs of It have been well described in
excellent books. Since the Tibetan expedition the
country south of the Brahmaputra is well known,
except along that portion of Its course which is
intercepted by rapids, and another portion to the
north-west of the point where It crosses the Indian
frontier.
The general aspect of the country is quite
different from that of the northern part. Relative
cultivation and wealth have worked great changes.
Tibet, the true Tibet, the Tibet of the adventurous
explorer, lies to the north, as completely ice-bound
and desolate as Southern Tibet is smiling and
attractive.
At Gyantse Captain O'Connor, the political
agent who remained there after the expedition,
entertained us most kindly for several days, and,
when we had received permission from the Govern-
ment of India to proceed south, we came Into
Sikklm, and became the guests of Mr Claude
White, the political agent there. Here we enjoyed
the greatest hospitality amid the lovely scenery
and flowers of Sikklm, and we spent some days
at Gantok in infinite peace, with the pleasant
THE TEMPLE AM) FORT OP fiYAXTSE,
THE ROAD TO INDIA 297
feeling of having succeeded at all points in our
long and dangerous journey; of having for the
first time crossed Tibet from north to south, and
of having entered India from China, while all
others who had attempted this had met with
pitiable failure.
THE END
INDEX
ALABHAN, 24, 25, 27, 69, 108;
Desert, 90; extensive view of,
95 ; mountains, 51, 56, 96, 107,
120; buried cities of, 52;
North, 85
Alexander III. Mountains, 148,
150 j a hard climb, 151 ; a,
dangerous descent, 152
Amdo-tsonak, district of, 282, 283
An-si-chou, 179, 192, 193, 207;
difficulties of securing supplies
at, 194, 195 ; animated camp of,
196, 197; a brush with herds-
men at, 201
Antelope, a sacred, 79
Aque, Pass of, 79
Ague - miao, 78, 79; terraced
temples of, 80, 81
Arabas-ulan, mountains of, 89
Ara-cha-gol .River, or Tan-Ho, q.v.
Athum Nor Lake, 387
BADMADGAPEOFF, a Eussian
(Buriat) shopkeeper, 103
.Belgian Catholic Mission, 159, 160
Bonin, Charles, French explorer,
31, 33, 180
Boxers, the, 6, 7
Brahmaputra Eiver, crossing the,
295
Breschneider, 217
Bum-tso Lake, 283, 285, 286
CAMELS, 17
Canals, dug by Jesuits, 59
Cassanova, Eussian explorer, 103
Central Tibet, 231
Cha-ber-noor, 14
Chai-ku-pu, 5
Chang-ning-hu village, 181
Chara-narin-ulan, grottoes of, 83
Che-kon-han-chu, 11
Chen-fan, 162, 164, 177, 181
China Inland Mission, 136, 142
159, 178
Chinese, hatred of Tibetans for
the, 137
Cliongar, Prince of, 32; Palace
of, 33
Chongara T'chao, temple of, 40, 41
Christian servants, 87
Chung-wei, 108-111, 117; situa-
tion of, 113
Confucius, 159
DABTGLA Mountains, 264, 269,
270, 273
Doboson Lake, 234, 235
Dungbura Mountains, 254, 255
EDCHEN KOKO, 34-38
Edsin Gol River, 184, 186-190
Eul En Ho, 30
FABMS, fortified, 25, 127
Filchner, Lieutenant, German
explorer, 136
Fu-ma-fu, 97 ; interview with
King of, 98, 99 ; description of,
100, 101
GABET, Father, 142
Gachun, 210
Gantok, 296
Gerard, Mr, 138
Giant, a Chinese, 3
Great Wall, the, 1, 5, 9, 52, 111
Gyantse, 296
HA SHE HA, 204
Hedin, Dr Sven, 142, 284
Hia-hin-tse, 59; murder of
missionaries at, 61, 62
Hoang-Ho, Yellow Eiver, j.v.
299
seo
Ho-Kan, 27, 29
Ho-si-pufl80
Hue, Father, 142
Hun-ho Elver, 4
IKEA ZAIDASI, 227
JESUITS, and the canals, 59
KAKaousotnsr, tributary of the
Tan-Ho, 213, 14
Kalchas, Pass of the, 80
Kalgan, 126
Kan-chou, 164, 184 ; descriptdon
of, 185
Kansu, Province of, 5, 23, 51 ;
mines in, 129 ; mules of
Northern, 159, 186
Khamil, 190
Kokonor, Prince of, 104
Kou-ou-tou, 95
Kreupa, 91, 92
Kumburn, 139, 142, 144; temples
of, 145 ; collection of Buddhist
books in, 145 ; famous tree of,
147
Kwei-hua-cheng, 17 ; soldiers of,
19 ; reception at the General's
house at, 21
Kyang, or wild ass, 205, 219-231,
249
LAET-YE-MIAO, temple of, 9
Lao Chang, 264, 271, 272
Lao Yang, a camel driver, 139-141,
161, 171, 172
La-pa-tchoui Temple, 163
Liang-ebon, 112, 118, 119, 133,
177, 179 ; mines near city of,
129, 137 ; strangers loathed at,
139 ; difficulties of transport, 140 ;
reputation of people of, 160
Life, in Chinese towns, 115
Littledale, 285 ; to, 149
Lolinor, 319
MANDARINS, resources of Chinese,
125
Maa-ti-rai, 93
Mellor, Miss, 178
Mings, tombs of the, I
Miners, life of, 215
Mongols, divided into two great
political parties, 25 ; their
stupidity, 34, 45 ; Targat tribe
of the, 38 ; their superstitions,
45 ; how they hunt game, 91 ;
eating capacities of, 57
Mosquitoes. 217-219, 236, 239, 249
Mud, 268
Mules, as pack-animals, 195-199 ;
lost in crossing the Ulan-muren,
NAITCHI Eiver, 239, 241 , 24.4
Naitchi-gol Valley, 243
Namling, fort of," 293 ; monastery
of Tibetan monks at, 294
jSTanseshan-miao, temple of, 107
Nmg-hsia, 30, 58, 102; town of,
54 ; commerce of, 55
Mng-yiian-pu, 180, 181, 183
OBO OF SAKE, the bordermarfe
between. Mongolia and China,
111
Obrotchieff, Russian traveller, 186
O'Connor, Captain, political agent
at Gyantse, 296
Oiero Ottock, wells of, 110
Opium, culture of, 5
Ordos Desert, 23 ; climate of, and
waters in the, 25
Oring, Lake, 27
Orleans, Prince of, 285
Or-shi-san-ho, 8
Or-tan-ho, 6
Ottock, 49 ; soldiers of, 50
Oms ammon, 205
PACHENTSTJ, inn of, 107
Panthers, 49 ; their prey, 131
Pao-tu, 55, 177
Payen Sortru Mountains, 109
Payen Uson, well of, 109
Pekin, 1
Pilgrims, 121, 259
Ping-fan, 139
Ping-liang-fu silver mines, 116
Ping-lo, 50
Poua-Ho, 162, 166
Pou-hoto, ruins of, 75, 76
Pow Kankou village, 193, 197
QUICKSANDS, 261-263
KA-HOTJ-WA-TSE, 158
Reichtoften, Baron von, 139
INDEX
Sp!
Kepalaraitse, 174, 177, 190
Re-ten-tzo, 192
Beulbad'4-ncr, salt lake of, 49
Eidley, Rev. Mr, 142
SA-CHOU, 207, 209 ; reputed gold
mines at, 213
Sa-cliou-fu, 215
Sacretien, coal near, 128
Sand-hiSls, high, 187
Sand storms, 182
San-tiio-ho, Christian missions or,
57, 63 ; caravan - drivers dis-
missed at, 160
Surol, the Mongol, 143
Servants, Christian, 87
Sen roung nou tien, 1G8
Sliakolo/15
Sliang Cliu River, 292
Shansi, Province of, 23
Shigatse, 396
SM-lai-seu Temple, 1 60
SM-li-Iio Valley, 11
Shishi, an tiler's watchdog, 212, 290,
292
Shih-tsui-tse, village of, 62, 64
Shi-ying-tse, 8
Sia-kru, 184
Siao Chang, dwith of, 286, 287
Siao-d'gau, 189
Siao-Si-Ho, 164
Sifins, 179
Sining-fu, 135, 139; aspect of,
141, 142
Siwantnatse Village, 120
.Sokho-Nor Lake, 117
So-ping-fu, 14
Spimgaert, Mr, 135
Su-chou-fu, 190
Siien-hua-fu, 4
Sutran, Mandarin of, 123
TADJINAR, 235-237
Taflfel, Br, German explorer, 136
Ta-Ho, 180-183
Tan-cheng, 210
Tara lama monastery, 45
Targat tribe of Mongols, 38
Tartar Marshal (of the Ordos), 26
Ta-Si-Ho, 164
Ta-tung-fu, 8
Tehentai, or Commander-in-Chief,
102
Tchinef-trou-rou lake, 168, 169,
18^187
Tching- truu-rou, village of, 166
Tclinmg, 291
Tibet, Central, 231
Tihet, mud in, 2G8
Tibetan Mongols, 222
Tibetan soldiers, an interview
with, 281
Tinehiiko, a tributary of Tan-Ho,
213
Trahou, 158
Trsongiii Ulau,, 229
To-ko-tso Lake, 285
Tnrgoon, inn of, 107
Tn-tcliniiig, ruined town of, 26, 29
Tumet, plains of, 24, 27
ULAN-MDREN Eiver, 15, 16, 264
Ulan mhuc, well of, 111
Uliassutai, 177, 259
Urga, 26
WANGTSE, 33, 37, 42, 44
Wan-ytien-fu, 149
"Wellby, English explorer, 252
White, Claude, political agent
Sikkim, 296
Wxichin, palace of, 46 ; the king's
reception, 47 ; presents to tite
king, 48
YAKS, mid, 225, 245, 246, 249,
252, 274
Yang pri ehotii village, 121
Yang-tse-kiang River, 252, 257,
266, 267, 270, 273, 276; a
difficult crossing, 261
Yapalashan Mountain, l70 3 171
Yellow River (Hoang Ho), 23, 55,
58, 71, 113, 117, 120 ; its rise
in Tibet, 27; in flood, 60;
traffic on the, 63, 64
Tula, village of, 118
Yung-Thrung, 179, 180
Yung-ting-ho (or Hun-hp) Eiver, 4
Yung-yang valley, 6 ; village and
temple of, 12
Yung-yang-niiao, grottoes at, 11
Yutto Valley, 9, 87
SKRINTED AT THE EDINBURGH PBESS
9 AND 11 YOUNG STBBTf
