154 TIBETAN ENVOY. 



were plentiful here, and we had no difficulty in ex- 

 changing our tired-out beasts for fresh ones, by 

 making an additional payment of ten to twelve lans 

 a-piece (2/. 15^. to 3/. 6^-.). We had now again eleven 

 camels, but our money was reduced to 100 lans 

 (27/. lOJ'.). How could we expect with such a pittance 

 as that to get to Lhassa, however great our good 

 luck otherwise ? Shortly after our arrival at Koko-nor 

 a Tibetan envoy paid us a visit ; he had been sent 

 in 1862 by the Dalai-Lama with presents for the Em- 

 peror, but arriving here at the time of the outbreak 

 of the Dungan insurrection in Kan-su and the occu- 

 pation of Si-ning by the rebels, he was detained, and 

 ever since then had lived here or at Tonkir without 

 being able to continue his journey to Peking, whilst 

 he did not dare to venture back to Lhassa. Hearing 

 that four Russians had passed through the very 

 country which he was afraid of entering when backed 

 by an escort of several hundred men, he came to 

 see what manner of men we could be. 



This envoy, whose name was Kambi-nansu, was 

 a most obliging, amiable man, and offered us his 

 services at Lhassa. He told us that the Dalai-Lama 

 would be very glad to receive Russians, and that we 

 would be well received. We listened to this with 

 heavy hearts, for we saw clearly that now nothing but 

 want of money prevented us from penetrating to the 

 very heart of Tibet ! When will any future traveller 

 have so good a chance as we were thus compelled to 

 forego ? How much will have to be spent another 

 time to attain an object which a small expenditure 



