THE ^ обо: meeting a caravan. 257 



but in a direction due north of our halting place ; I 

 could also distinguish the summit of another, which 

 might perhaps be that of Shangin-dalai. Towards 

 which should we direct our steps ? Having taken 

 careful bearings of the latter, and having compared 

 its position on the map with that noted down last 

 year, we decided to march in that direction. 



In doubt and anxiety we loaded our camels and 

 started, the hill now and then visible above the low 

 ridges, and now and again hidden from sight. In 

 vain we strained our eyes through the glass to see 

 the cairn of stones (' obo') piled upon its summit ; the 

 distance was still too great to distinguish anything 

 so small. At length, after having gone nearly seven 

 miles from the halting place, we descried what we 

 sought ; with strength renewed by hope we pressed 

 onwards ; and in a few more hours we stood by the 

 side of the well, to which our animals, tortured with 

 thirst, rushed eagerly forward. 



On one of the marches through Southern Ala- 

 shan we met a caravan of Mongol pilgrims on their 

 way from Urga to Lhassa. Ever since the outbreak 

 of the insurrection, i.e. for eleven years, these vota- 

 ries of the Dalai- Lama had not ventured to visit his 

 capital ; now however, since the occupation of central 

 Kan-su by Chinese troops, a large caravan ^ had 

 been equipped at Urga to proceed in search of the 

 Kutukhtu, who had died a few years before at 

 Bogdo-kuren, and was reported to have been re-born 

 in Tibet. The pilgrims were marching in echelons, 



^ Numbering, it was reported, a thousand tents. 

 VOL. II. S 



