A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS 33 



that there was trouble with the differential. It was 

 necessary to dismantle the rear end of the car, and Colt- 

 man and Gup were well-nigh discouraged. The delay 

 was a serious matter for I had urgent business in Japan, 

 and it was imperative that I reach Peking as soon as 

 possible. Charles finally decided to send me, together 

 with Price, the Czech, and the Cossack, in his car, while 

 he and Gup remained with the two ladies to repair 

 mine. 



Price and I drove back to Panj-kiang to obtain extra 

 food and water for the working party and to telegraph 

 Kalgan for assistance. We took only a little tea, maca- 

 roni, and two tins of sausage, for we expected to reach 

 the mission station at Hei-ma-hou early the next 

 morning. 



We were hardly five miles from the broken car when 

 we discovered that there was no more oil for our motor. 

 It was impossible to go much farther and we decided 

 that the only alternative was to wait until the relief 

 party, for which we had wired, arrived from Kalgan. 

 Just then the car swung over the summit of a rise, and 

 we saw the white tent and grazing camels of an enor- 

 mous caravan. Of course, Mongols would have mutton 

 fat and why not use that for oil! The caravan leader 

 assured us that he had fat in plenty and in ten minutes 

 a great pot of it was warming over the fire. 



We poured it into the motor and proceeded merrily 

 on our way. But there was one serious obstacle to our 

 enjoyment of that ride. Events had been moving so 

 rapidly that we had eaten nothing since breakfast, and 



