SINO-MONGOLIAN FRONTIER 



So tormented were our ponies that they could not 

 find time to eat, while they tore the skin of their 

 heads and necks into ribbons rubbing against the 

 carts in frantic endeavours to find relief. 



We stopped for lunch and midday rest at a 

 large Mongol encampment named Oochinobar, 

 where lived a local chief. This dignitary resided 

 in a commodious brick building, though the rest 

 of his people lived in the usual round felt tents. 

 The chief sent us a present of cheese and sour 

 cream. The latter went well enough on our bread, 

 but the former was too full of hairs to recommend 

 itself to us. However, at our request some bowls 

 of fresh milk were brought, to which we did full 

 justice. Night found us at another large temple 

 named Marlagaisun, where we camped beside a 

 fine well. Here we had some difficulty in obtain- 

 ing fuel, but Wu Lama, by riding off to some 

 Mongol camps, managed to secure a bagful of the 

 precious commodity. 



As is well known, the Mongols burn various 

 kinds of cattle droppings, dried in the sun and 

 called " argol." As they use only open stoves, it 

 can readily be understood how important it is to 

 get the stuff to burn with as little smoke as possible. 

 To do this great care must be exercised in gather- 

 ing, drying and stacking the droppings. Beside 

 every camp one may see huge piles of argol as 

 large, if not larger, than the tents themselves. 

 These consist mainly of cow droppings, which form 



