Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/295

 gave out an aroma quite in keeping with the other domestic arrangements.

After an interval of ten minutes the mandarin sent to say that he would receive us, and we accordingly proceeded to his house. He sat at a table in a yellow robe, and asked, with a consequential air, who I was, and what was my object in visiting the country? To this I answered, that I travelled for amusement, collecting herbs for medicinal purposes and shooting birds as specimens to show to my people at home; that I had also goods to sell to the Mongols; and, lastly, that both my companion and I were officials as stated in our passports. 'But your passport is evidently a forgery because the seal and signature are unknown to me,' interrupted the mandarin, maintaining his pompous attitude. I replied that I hardly knew more than a few dozen words of Chinese, and therefore could not write a passport for myself, and that I was unacquainted with any Chinese who could manufacture such articles. 'What goods have you?' continued the official. 'Mostly Peking ware for the common Mongols; we have already sold all our Russian articles,' was my reply. 'But you have some guns?' 'Yes, but not for sale,' I answered, 'because we are forbidden by treaty to trade in such articles in China. Our guns and revolvers are for protection against robbers.' 'Show me them, and let me see you fire at a mark.' 'Very well,' I rejoined; 'let us go outside.' I had my double-barrelled Lancaster rifle, and the Cossack carried a