me, inasmuch as it explained the object of our journey. In future the people always said of me that the Tsagan-khan (i.e. White Khan) had sent his officer into their country to see them and their land with his own eyes, that he might return home and tell him everything.
Early the next morning Sordji and others called on us on behalf of the prince and his sons to examine and buy our merchandise, requesting us in their names to sell to none but themselves. Now began our troubles. One lama took a microscope, another a stereoscope, a third soap and needles, a fourth cloth, &c.; all these articles kept continually changing hands as first one, then another examined them. The princes were not nearly so eager to buy this year as they were last, although we fixed much lower prices. The old prince, however, was delighted with the stereoscopes and slides, and at once bought our whole stock.
In the meanwhile an excellent opportunity presented itself of getting to Lake Koko-nor. At Din-yuan-ing we overtook a caravan of twenty-seven Tangutans[1] and Mongols, who had lately arrived from Peking, and were about to pursue their journey to the temple of Chobsen, in the province of Kan-su, forty miles to the NNE. of Si-ning, and five days' journey from Lake Koko-nor. The Tangutans were overjoyed at our proposal to join their party, counting on our protection in case of an attack by Dun-
- ↑ The Tangutans are allied with the Tibetans. A description of them will be found in Chapter IV. of this volume.
