.266 START FOR THE DESERT. 



Fortune, however, again befriended us. Before 

 our tent was a small projecting ledge of rock upon 

 which the waves threw up stones which soon formed 

 a breakwater, and this saved us. Towards evening 

 the rain slackened, the torrent quickly subsided, and 

 the following morning beheld only a small stream 

 flowing where the day before the waters of a mighty 

 river had swept along. A bright sun lit up the 

 scene of yesterday's destruction, and displayed so 

 complete a change in the appearance of the valley 

 that we could not recognise it for the same. 



On returning to Din-yuan-ing we equipped our 

 caravan, bartered away our bad camels, bought new 

 ones, and on the morning of the 26th July started 

 on our journey. Thanks to our Peking passport, 

 and still more to the presents we bestowed on the 

 tosalakchi, who acted as regent during the Prince's 

 absence, we were able to hire two guides to 

 escort us to the border of Ala-shan, where we were 

 to obtain others, and for this purpose the yamen (or 

 magistracy) of Ala-shan issued an official document : 

 in this way we continued to obtain guides from one 

 banner to another ; a matter of great importance, for 

 our road lay through the wildest part of the Gobi, in 

 a meridional direction from Ala-shan to Urea, and 

 we could not possibly have found our way Avithout 

 them. 



Another long series of hardships now awaited us. 

 We suffered most from the July heat, which at mid- 

 day rose to 113° Fahr. in the shade, and at night 

 was never less than 'j;^' . No sooner did the sun 



