itinerary was of course inaccurate, but now it served as our only guide.
We were fifteen days[1] marching from Tajing to Din-yuan-ing, and safely accomplished this difficult journey, only once nearly losing ourselves in the desert. This happened on the 21st June between Lake Serik-dolon and the vell of Shangin-dalai. Having left Serik-dolon early in the morning, we marched through miles of loose sands, and at last came to an expanse of clay where the track divided. We had not noticed this spot on the outward journey, and had therefore to guess which of the two roads would lead to our destination. What made it worse was that the angle of bifurcation being acute, we could not decide, even with the aid of a compass, which we ought to take. The track to the right being more beaten, we determined to follow it, but after all we were mistaken, for having gone a few miles a number of other tracks crossed ours. This fairly puzzled us, however we still pressed forward, till at length a well-beaten road[2] joined the one we had first chosen. This we durst not follow, for it went we knew not whither, nor could луе return to the place where the roads first branched off. Choosing the lesser of two evils, we resolved to persevere in our first route, hoping soon to see the group of hills at whose foot lies the well of Shangin-dalai.
