1 8 UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH; DESPERATE POSITION. 



camel and two horses, whilst the steppe grass was 

 so trodden under foot by the camels belonging to 

 passing caravans as to afford no fodder whatever. 

 Our poor beasts were dying of starvation, and one 

 of the horses was frozen to death at night ; the sick 

 camel expired two days afterwards, and lay directly 

 in front of the entrance of our tent, completing the 

 picture of our misery. We were now left with only 

 one horse, which could hardly move its legs. This 

 beast was only saved from starvation owing to the 

 fancy the Chinese took for satisfying their dainty 

 appetites with our dead camel, which was tolerably 

 fat, and which we exchanged for twenty-five trusses 

 of good hay. 



The Mongol and Cossack were sent off a second 

 time in search of the missing animals, but returned 

 after a few days, and declared that they had ridden 

 a great distance and made many enquiries, but could 

 learn nothing of the lost camels. Of course it was 

 impossible to find them without the assistance of the 

 local officials. I therefore decided on hiring some of 

 the neighbouring Chinese to convey us to Kuku- 

 khoto, whence we hoped to find means of convey- 

 ance to Kalgan. The Chinese however, notwith- 

 standing their mercenary natures, were not tempted 

 by the offer of a large sum of money, and would not 

 agree to be our carriers at any price, fearing, of 

 course, the responsibility which they might incur 

 towards their authorities. 



Our position now seemed a desperate one. For- 

 tunately at this time wc had two hundred lans in 



