SPORT AND SCIENCE ON THE 



out of range. Nothing we could do would induce 

 them to rise and circle. 



While waiting for the ducks to come within 

 range, we witnessed a peculiar sight. Heavy 

 yellow clouds began to bank up to the north of 

 the lake. Soon we could make out that an un- 

 usually severe sandstorm was approaching. The 

 solid looking clouds towered high above the moun- 

 tains, and as they came on with incredible speed, 

 blotted out the scenery as though some ruthless 

 hand had wiped a picture off the canvas with a 

 sponge. Thinking that this would probably 

 bring the ducks in to shore, we waited. At last 

 the storm, sweeping over the lake and churning 

 the surface into foam, struck us. Suddenly the 

 temperature dropped from that of a sweltering 

 hot day to below 40° Fahrenheit, chilhng us to the 

 bone. At the same time the driving rain, thick 

 with the dust it had absorbed, whipped our faces 

 and literally plastered us with mud. No ducks 

 came to shore, so at last we mounted our ponies 

 in disgust and hurried after the carts. We caught 

 them up at a village named Ma-hu-t'ung, and, as 

 the wind and rain continued with unabated fury, 

 we decided to stop here for the night. 



We were skirting the eastern shore of the lake, 

 intending to take a newly opened route through 

 the high mountains to the north of the lake, in- 

 stead of the usual southerly route. 



The two days following were uneventful, ex- 



io8 



