52 SUSPICIOUS COMPANIONS. 



answer again and again, as the curiosity of every 

 new-comer had to be satisfied. This Avas very tire- 

 some, but could not be avoided if we wished to keep 

 on good terms with our fellow-travellers, upon whom 

 the success of our journey so greatly depended. 



A good deal of curiosity, almost amounting to 

 suspicion, was excited by our habit of collecting 

 plants, recording meteorological observations, and 

 writing a journal. I tried to avoid suspicion by ex- 

 plaining that I made notes of all I saw to refresh 

 my memory when I returned home, and had to give 

 in my report ; as to my plants, they were for medi- 

 cinal purposes, and the stuffed birds and animals for 

 exhibition ; the object of my meteorological observa- 

 tions was to know beforehand what the weather 

 would be. Of the truth of the last statement they 

 were quite satisfied, after a fall of rain which I had 

 foretold by means of the aneroid. The title of * the 

 Czars officer' which had followed me from Din- 

 yuan-ing, served to dispel the doubts and distrust 

 of our companions. However, I could not make 

 many observations which I should otherwise have 

 done for fear of causing great suspicion, and deferred 

 doing this till my return journey, contenting myself 

 for the present with a route survey, which was very 

 imperfect, owing to the want of a pocket compass,^ 

 and the intrusiveness of our companions. Some- 

 times it was absolutely necessary to make an entry 

 in my pocket-book ; for this purpose I intentionally 



• I was obliged to give both my small compasses to the princes of 

 Ala-shan. 



