VISITORS AT KURLA. 187 



Kalmuk to Umrutsi, the Kalmuki said, there was 

 a good enough road for ponies over one or two 

 passes which were open all the year round, which 

 would lead me to good Ovis-ground, but that 

 there was absolutely no fuel of any sort neither 

 wood, biirtsa, nor even yak's dung. This was 

 rather a bad look-out ; for though the cold where 

 I had been travelling was severe enough, 15 to 

 20 below zero, I had always been able to get 

 plenty of wood for fires when in camp, and did 

 not mind ; but this, intensified by higher regions 

 and wind, which, at night especially, is bad in 

 the mountains, would be far from pleasant. In 

 spite, however, of his advice, having made up 

 my mind to try it, I told him I should start, 

 and if my position in the mountains was unten- 

 able, I could but return. 



Hearing that the Beg and an envoy sent by 

 the Dotai of Karachar were coming to see me, I 

 had to arrange my room for a function, and 

 improvise seats for, since the Chinese rule, the 

 Turkis with any pretensions to rank think it infra 

 dig. to sit on their heels, as their forefathers did 

 before them. Although the Beg was a Mussul- 

 man, he was got up in Chinese clothes, a man- 

 darin hat, and pig- tail all complete. The tail 



