JVE LOSE THE TRACK. 255 



itinerary was of course inaccurate, but now it served 

 as our only guide. 



We were fifteen days ^ marching from Tajing to 

 Din-yuan-ing, and safely accomplished this difficult 

 journey, only once nearly losing ourselves in the 

 desert. This happened on the 2rst June between 

 Lake Serik-dolon and the \vell of Shangin-dalai. 

 Having left Serik-dolon early in the morning, we 

 marched through miles of loose sands, and at last 

 came to an expanse of clay where the track divided. 

 We had not noticed this spot on the outward jour- 

 ney, and had therefore to guess which of the two 

 roads луоиЫ lead to our destination. What made it 

 worse \vas that the angle of bifurcation being acute, 

 we could not decide, even with the aid of a compass, 

 which we ought to take. The track to the right 

 being more beaten, we determined to follow it, but 

 after all we were mistaken, for having gone a few 

 miles a number of other tracks crossed ours. This 

 fairly puzzled us, however we still pressed forward, 

 till at length a well-beaten road '^ joined the one we 

 had first chosen. This we durst not follow, for it 

 Avent we knew not whither, nor could луе return to 

 the place where the roads first branched off. Choos- 

 ing the lesser of two evils, we resolved to perse- 

 vere in our first route, hoping soon to see the group 

 of hills at whose foot lies the well of Shangin-dalai. 



' Including three clays' halt. 



^ We afterwards ascertained that this cart-road led from Din-yuan- 

 ing to the town of Dirisun-khoto (Mongol name), near the south-eastern 

 boundary of Ala-shan. 



