64 ACROSS MONGOLIAN PLAINS 



away. When we reached camp I directed the two 

 taxidermists to prepare the skeleton of the wolf, but to 

 keep well away from the tents. 



Charles and I had been talking a good deal about 

 antelope steak, and for tiffin I had cut the fillets from 

 one of the young gazelle. We were very anxious to 

 "make good" on all that had been promised, so we 

 cooked the steak ourselves. Just when the party was 

 assembled in the tent for luncheon the Chinese began 

 work upon the wolf. They had obediently gone to a 

 considerable distance to perform the last rites, but had 

 not chosen wisely in regard to the wind. As the an- 

 telope steak was brought in, a gentle breeze wafted with 

 it a concentrated essence of defunct camel. Yvette 

 put down her knife and fork and looked up. She 

 caught my eye and burst out laughing. Mrs. Mac 

 had her hand clasped firmly over her mouth and on her 

 face was an expression of horror and deathly nausea. 



Although I am a great lover of antelope steak, I will 

 admit that when accompanied by parfum de chameau, 

 especially when it is a very dead chamemo, there are 

 other things more attractive. Moreover, the antelope 

 which we killed on the Panj-kiang plain really were 

 very strong indeed. I have never been able to discover 

 what was the cause, for those farther to the north were 

 as delicious as any we have ever eaten. The introduc- 

 tion was such an unfortunate one that the party shied 

 badly whenever antelope meat was mentioned during 

 the remainder of the trip to Urga. Coltman, who had 

 charge of the commissary, quite naturally expected that 



