38 TRAFFICKING. 



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 chang- 

 ing 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 pre- 

 sented itself of getting to Lake Koko-nor. At Din- 

 yuan-ing we overtook a caravan of twenty-seven Tan- 

 gutans ^ 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, count- 

 ing on our protection in case of an attack by Dun- 



* The Taiv^iitans are allied uith the Tibetans. Л description of 

 Jiem will be found in Chapter J\'. of this xnlunie. 



