ROGUERY OF MANDARIN. 229 



not wish to go to him any more myself, as I con- 

 sidered it beneath my dignity to have any dealings 

 with such a rogue. In an hour's time the Cossack 

 returned, bringing the powder-flask empty, but in- 

 forming me that the mandarin would not surrender 

 the caps, which he wished to keep for himself. 

 The Cossack also told me that he had repeatedly 

 asked him to persuade me to give him the other 

 things. The servant who accompanied the Cossack 

 waited for an answer, and was sent back to the 

 mandarin with another refusal. He soon returned, 

 however, and explained that the mandarin wished 

 to buy the articles which had been taken. At first 

 I thought of refusing to sell them, but afterwards, 

 acting on the advice of a Mongol zanghin} with 

 whom we were on good terms, consented to the 

 arrangement, on condition that a passport and guide 

 should be at once given us. Both one and the other 

 were soon supplied ; but instead of sixty-seven lans 

 (about 17/,), which was the price fixed on for the 

 articles, the mandarin only sent fifty lans (12/. loi",), 

 informing me that he would pay me the remainder 

 of the money at my next visit. I was reluctant to 

 re-open negotiations for such a trifle, and giving 

 orders to pack the camels notwithstanding the ap- 

 proach of evening, we started from Ding-hu. 



The Mongol zanghin joined us on the road, and 

 related how on hearing that I wished to go without 

 his leave, the mandarin had exclaimed angrily, ' I 



' A subaltern officer of the rank of cornet. Timkowski's ' Travels,' 

 i. 1 1. 



