Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 2 (1876).djvu/123

Rh guides to their country, i.e. to Mur-zasak, receiving thirty lans (about 7l.) in payment for a distance of not more than eighty-eight miles.

The principal objection which presented itself to their dull brains was the impossibility of travelling by night with pack-camels over the mountains; and if we attempted moving by day the probability of encountering Dungans, who pass continually between Seng-kwan and Tatung. Our perilous encampment near Chobsen was now of service to us. 'Fear not the robbers with these people,' said our friend the treasurer to the Mongols; 'look at us with 2,000 men shut up in our temple, and they only four in number in the open plain, yet no one dares to touch them. Think you that ordinary folk could have done that? No! the Russians know everything beforehand, and their captain is a great magician, or a great saint.' This argument, backed up by so tempting a bribe as thirty lans of silver, finally overcame their scruples, and they declared their readiness to show us the way, begging us first to consult the auguries in their presence as to the most favourable day for setting out on the journey.

Having made some observations for ascertaining the sun's altitude, in order to fix the latitude of Chobsen, and the magnetic declination, I announced that it was necessary to postpone our departure for a few days. This delay was indispensable, to enable us to store all our collections in a place of safety at Chertinton, because Chobsen might be taken in our absence by the Dungans. The Mongols, who