Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/325

 At the conclusion of his tale Sordji asked if I did not know where Shambaling was. In that country, added the lama, there is an enormous city wherein lives a queen, who since the death of her husband has ruled her people. I suggested England. 'Well, that must be Shambaling,' exclaimed the delighted Sordji, and begged me to show him the country on the map.

At last, on the eighth day of our stay at Din-yuan-ing, we received an invitation from the Amban to visit him. The lama Sordji first asked us, probably at the instigation of the prince himself, how we should salute their sovereign — according to our own custom, or in the Mongolian way, i.e. by falling on our knees. On being told that we should of course bow in the European fashion, Sordji begged us to prostrate ourselves before the Amban, or at all events that our Cossack interpreter should do so; but we peremptorily refused.

The visit took place at eight in the evening, in the reception chamber of the Amban. This apartment was very nicely furnished; it actually contained a large European mirror, purchased at Peking for 150 lans (about 37l.) Lighted stearine candles in plated candlesticks stood on the tables, on which was spread an entertainment, consisting of nuts, cakes, Russian sweetmeats with mottoes, apples, pears, &c.

When we entered and bowed to the prince, he invited us to sit down in the places prepared for us; the Cossack stood near the door. Besides the Amban, some rich Chinese merchant, as I afterwards