198 EXPEDITION TO KALMUK. 



gown of dark cloth lined with fur, voluminous 

 pyjamas thrust into a pair of riding-boots with 

 high heels, and on her head a round cap of brown 

 cloth turned up with fur. She rode a fine Kal- 

 muki pony at the head of her retainers, and when 

 she met me, asked why I had returned so soon ? 

 I must confess to feeling rather small, having to 

 acknowledge to being driven back by the cold : 

 she, however, thought it a rash experiment going 

 into these mountains in the depth of winter, and 

 did not seem surprised at my non-appreciation of 

 the climate. 



On arriving, I informed the Tunktchi I would 

 now pay the Khan a visit if he would receive me, 

 but he said that unfortunately his religious duties 

 would not admit of it for a few days ; so I had 

 to forego the pleasure, which did not amount to 

 much, certainly, except a slight curiosity to see 

 the inside of the yaman. 



From what I could ascertain, this State has a 

 poor revenue, and is under the protection of, and 

 kept up by, the bounty of the Chinese Govern- 

 ment, who pay over a sum equal to ^2000 of our 

 money yearly, in exchange for which a hundred 

 or so Kalmuki men are supplied to the Chinese 

 Government in Turkistan as soldiers. 



