1 90 EXPEDITION TO KALMUK. 



say is a sign that the man must have lived a 

 very bad life indeed. 



The cold at night was intense, a piercing wind 

 sweeping down from the mountains. 



The capital of Kalmuk consists in the yaman 

 of the Khan, and a small serai built after the 

 Chinese pattern ; in this the Khan administers 

 justice. Round these buildings were pitched, 

 without regard to order or form, about two 

 hundred yiirts. 



On arriving I sent for the Khan's Tunktchi, 

 or secretary, who seemed very much astonished 

 to see me, wondering, no doubt, what sort of an 

 animal I was ; and he evidently did not believe 

 a word on being told I was travelling for sport, 

 and that I had a passport which I should ask 

 him to take to the Khan with my respects as 

 soon as my things came in, and beg him to 

 give me a room in the serai. He said he 

 would go and see the Khan about it, and mean- 

 time I had better sit in his yurt. On his return 

 he brought permission to put up in the serai, 

 but said I could neither go to the Khan nor 

 could the Khan come to me, as he was observ- 

 ing a religious retreat and not allowed to see 

 any one, mentioning he was a very religious man, 



