1092 
THROUGH ASIA 
done, the woman, who had been busy feeding and tending 
the fire, took a ladleful of water out of the pot, and poured 
it into the bowls over the barley-meal and mutton lard. 
Such was tsamba, the national dish of the Mongols. After 
the mess was consumed — and it seemed to go down with 
great relish — there was still sufficient lard and meal stick- 
ing to the bottom of the bowl to require another spoonful 
or two of hot water. That constituted the whole of their 
meal. After dinner they produced their pipes, and stuffed 
them with vile Chinese tobacco, which they took out of a 
pouch at their side, and were soon puffing away in happy 
contentment. The entire party appeared to be very much 
addicted to the weed. 
Their clothing consisted of pelt (sheepskin) and breeches, 
boots, and caps. The pelt was worn next the skin. They 
seemed to be quite insensitive to cold, for the right arm 
and right side of the body from the waist upwards were 
bare. At night they wrapped themselves in their pelts and 
crept close together rouncl the fire ; and when it came on 
to snow, they made a rude kind of protection with their 
muskets, saddles, and saddle-rugs. They all wore their 
hair in plaits; and as they sat, their fingers were busy 
telling the beads of their rosary, so as to keep count how 
many times they repeated the prayer “ On maneh padmeh 
hum.” 
October 6th. The Mongols sold us a couple of their 
horses. Early the next morning, about an hour after they 
had started for their hunting-grounds, we discovered that 
habit had been too strong for the animals ; they had gone 
after their late owners. I sent two of the men on horse- 
back up the valley to fetch them back. Hence it was two 
o’clock before we were able to make a start ; although two 
of the Taghliks got off hours before that with the three 
camels. I, Dorcheh, and Yolldash also went on in advance, 
leaving the horse-caravan to follow after us. 
We crossed the stream almost immediately, and for 
some time kept it on our left hand. The valley expanded ; 
and the granite peaks showed a tendency to a separate 
existence, independent of one another. On the other side 
