I I lO 
THROUGH ASIA 
At this point our old friend and guide Dorcheh took his 
leave, to return to his lonely mountaindiome and his wild 
yak hunting ; he was afraid his wife would begin to be 
anxious at his prolonged absence. In his place I engaged 
a young Mongol named Loppsen, a big clumsily built 
fellow, who had several times been to Lhasa and Si-ning- 
fu, and had an exceptional knowledge of the country we 
were travelling through. Loppsen (see page 112 [) was 
one of the best followers I ever had. He was always 
cheerful and pleasant, and freshened up my knowledge 
of Mongolian. He procured me several burkhans and 
tankas, or temple banners, decorated with portraits of the 
Dalai Lama and Banching Bogdo. Where he got them 
from I do not know. Very possibly he stole them from 
our neighbours, for he was terribly afraid lest they should 
see them. 
October i 8 th. Our next stage, sixteen and three- 
quarter miles, was to 1 oleh. Loppsen came on the 
next day, having with my permission remained behind 
in order to furnish himself with provisions and a horse. 
It was arranged that another man should guide us to 
'I'oleh ; but of him we never had a glimpse, and set 
off without a guide. Nor did we really need one, for 
the path was easy to find. At first we travelled through 
a belt of tamarisks, so tall and so close set that they 
resembled a newly planted forest, and in this part of 
the day’s journey we passed a very picturesque obo. 
Ropes were slung across the road from the branches 
of the tamarisk thickets on both sides, and to them 
were stitched pieces of cloth of divers colours, each 
piece bearing the usual formula of prayer; further the 
shoulder-blades of sheep, likewise with the everlasting 
ideographs— “ On maneh padmeh hum,” hung at intervals 
amongst the pieces of cloth. The general effect recalled 
the forest masars of the Mohammedans, only it was more 
tasteful and decorative. 
Upon approaching a pool, we were overtaken by a 
troop of mounted Mongols, who informed us that that 
was Toleh, and that for a long day’s journey to the 
