152 ACROSS MONGOLIAN PLAINS 



they concealed themselves and awaited results. An 

 hour later Tserin Dorchy crawled out from under a 

 bowlder directly into their hands. 



He had been well-nigh killed before the lamas 

 brought him down to Urga and was still unconscious 

 when they dumped him unceremoniously into one of 

 the prison coffins. He was sentenced to remain a year; 

 but the old man would not have lived a month if Duke 

 Loobitsan Yangsen, with whom he had often hunted, 

 had not obtained his release. His independent spirit 

 is by no means chastened, however, and I feel sure that 

 he will shoot another deer on the Bogdo-ol before he 

 dies ! 



Three days after his return home, my wife and I 

 left with him and three other Mongols on our first real 

 hunt. Our equipment consisted only of sleeping bags 

 and such food as could be carried on our horses; it was 

 a time when living "close to nature" was really neces- 

 sary. Eight miles away we stopped at the entrance 

 to a tiny valley. By arranging a bit of canvas over the 

 low branches of a larch tree we prepared a shelter for 

 ourselves and another for the hunters. 



In fifteen minutes camp was ready and a fire blaz- 

 ing. When a huge iron basin of water had begun to 

 warm one of the Mongols threw in a handful of brick 

 tea, which resembled nothing so much as powdered to- 

 bacco. After the black fluid had boiled vigorously for 

 ten minutes each one filled his wooden eating bowl, 

 put in a great chunk of rancid butter, and then a quan- 

 tity of finely-ground meal. This is what the Tibetans 



