DISASTROUS CARAVAN JOURNEY. 185 



travel to Munhu-tsu ^ (Lhassa) itself on camels, but 

 that pilgrims left theirs at Napchu because no good 

 pasturage could be found beyond. 



Caravans leave Koko-nor or Tonkir early in 

 September,'- to arrive at Lhassa in the beginning of 

 November, Here they remain two or three months, 

 and start on the return journey in February. They 

 are then usually accompanied by Tibetan merchants, 

 who take cloth, lambskins, and various other com- 

 modities, to sell at Tonkir and Si-ning. In former 

 years an envoy from the Dalai- Lama was sent every 

 three years with presents for the Emperor at Peking, 

 but since the outbreak of the insurrection these 

 embassies have been discontinued. 



The caravan journey across Northern Tibet in 

 the autumn and spring of the year is never unaccom- 

 panied by danger ; and casualties to men and beasts 

 are frequent. So many of the latter perish that a 

 large reserve of camels or yaks is always taken ; but 

 notwithstanding this precaution, the m^en have some- 

 times to abandon all they possess, and to think only 

 of their own safety. In February 1870, a caravan 

 which left Lhassa 300 strong, with 1,000 beasts of 

 burden, in a violent snow-storm, followed by severe 

 cold, lost all the animals and fifty men besides. One 

 of the survivors related to us how, when they found 



' We find in Hue and Gabet Monghe djo, interpreted as signifying 

 ' Eternal Sanctuary,' applied to Lhassa. The words are misprinted 

 Mouhe dehot in Hue, ii. 240. — Y. 



- But rarely in winter or summer : it sometimes snows heavily 

 in winter ; and in summer no fuel is obtainable, all the argols having 

 become damp from the constant rains. 



