Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 2 (1876).djvu/65

Rh on the point of winning, was suddenly snatched from our grasp. We knew not for how long. Had we been told on our first arrival at Din-yuan-ing that we must not proceed with the Tangutans, the disappointment, although great, would not have been half what we now experienced. We had never ventured to hope for such a favourable opportunity, and now it was doubly hard to bear when success appeared so certain. We passed all that day on the tip-toe of expectation. Sordji and the other lamas never once came near us; only Siya arrived towards evening, and him I frightened by threatening to complain on my arrival at Peking of the way we had been treated by the authorities of Ala-shan. The young prince, evidently ashamed at the part he had taken in all these intrigues, entreated us to wait a little while longer, assuring me that the Tangutans would on no account leave without us. After my past experiences I could put little faith in these assurances, and was turning over in my mind what part of Mongolia I should next explore, when suddenly, towards evening the following day (June 17), Siya again appeared, bearing the welcome tidings that the Tangutan caravan was at a short distance from the town, and we might join it the next day. The scouts who had been sent to reconnoitre reported that nothing could be seen of the Dungans, and that the alarm was a false one. Of course this was merely to blind us; no Dungans had passed anywhere near, but most probably the Prince of Ala-shan wished to gain time to send to Ning-hia-fu, and ask for