SINO-MONGOLIAN FRONTIER 



so would ride long distances over the plain, taking 

 everything as it came. In this way we secured 

 many good bags of ducks, geese and hare. Once 

 as we were returning to camp a bustard, flying 

 overhead, was brought down by Warrington, who 

 let drive from horseback with No. 2 shot. 



On more than one occasion during these excur- 

 sions, Warrington, who as yet was not familiar 

 with the treacherous mud-flats, nearly came to 

 grief in the quicksands. 



One day, having been tempted out upon the 

 mud-flats by a large flock of water-fowl, we suc- 

 ceeded in securing a goose and two mallards. I 

 went after the former, and my companion after 

 the latter. After securing my goose, I turned to 

 see where Warrington was, and was horrified to 

 see him struggling almost up to his waist in sinking 

 sands. Hurrying to his rescue, I arrived just as 

 he had succeeded in extricating himself. He 

 had lost his gun, however, the butt of which could 

 be seen protruding just above the surface of the 

 mud. I went to try to secure it, but soon found 

 myself in difficulties, from which I had consider- 

 able trouble in extricating myself. We then went 

 inland and cut some sorghum stalks, with which 

 to make a safe path over the quicksands. Some 

 Chinese helped us carry these down to the river's 

 edge. One of them asked me what we were 

 trying to do, as I carefully laid the sorghum stalks 

 out over the treacherous surface. I pointed to 



n 



