CHAPTER XCI. 
\ 
AN ENCOUNTER WITH TANGUT ROBBERS 
O N the last day of October we rode across the steppes 
to Kovveh-khuduk (the Spring- on the Shore), on 
the southern shore of Khara-nor, a lake which lay in the 
middle of a small self-contained basin that gathered up* 
the drainage of the surrounding mountains. It was now 
however quite dry. On the north side, between the lake 
and the mountains, were a series of yellow sand-dunes ; but 
on the south shore there was plenty of rich herbage. The 
water of the spring was saltish. But it was a long day’s 
march to the next spring going east, so that, although we 
had only covered eight and a half miles, we were obliged 
to encamp where we were. 
At that place another enemy threatened our horses. 
My men detected in the loose soft soil the footprints of 
bears, which had come down out of the mountains in quest 
of berries. Loppsen warned us to keep a watch upon our 
animals, for the bears were wont to lie in wait behind 
the bushes, and thence attack them and kill them. Here 
again therefore after the horses had grazed some hours, 
they were fetched up and tethered amongst the tents. 
I now ordered that two men should keep watch every 
night, and should be relieved every second hour. In order 
to keep themselves awake, and to let us know they were 
awake, they were instructed to beat at regular intervals a 
couple of saucepans — in default of drums. They might 
also sing as much as they liked, to guard themselves 
against the attacks of slumber. Often after that, when I 
awoke in the night, I heard their monotonous, melancholy 
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