PRESENTS 



79 



brought me a tin of tea as a present from His 

 Excellency, saying that the Emperor of China and 

 a few favoured mandarins were the only people who 

 had ever tasted such a beverage. I immediately 

 sent Nicholas to present the Governor, on my behalf, 



^^^^^^m 



[TTLEDALE TRYING THE YAK. 



with a pair of field-glasses and a Waterbury watch. 

 Thus ended our dealings with the karaoitl officials. 

 The evening was lovely, the hills in the distance were 

 covered in a dark blue mist, and the undulating steppe 

 around us reflected the bright red hue of the setting 

 sun. As we were dining one of the natives came up 



