TANGUT ROBBERS 
1133 
Tanofuts before, for he was one of Dutreuil de Rhins’s 
party, when that traveller was attacked two and a half 
years earlier and murdered at Tam-buddha. Przhevalsky 
and Roborovsky were both compelled to fight in this 
same neighbourhood, so that I was fully alive to the 
gravity of the situation. There were twelve of the 
Tanguts, and Loppsen said that each man would certainly 
carry a gun. We had only three rifles, besides five 
revolvers. Their superiority was therefore manifest. 
Loppsen and Islam were the only two on our side who 
were anything like good shots, whereas all the Tanguts 
shoot well, taking long cool aim over their musket-forks, 
and only firing when they are absolutely sure of hitting. 
Under these circumstances how would the fight end ? Was 
my caravan going to be routed and scattered and all the 
labours of my last journey destroyed ? 
No, things were not so dangerous as they looked. 
W'hen the band of robbers perceived that we were a 
pretty large company, and saw our weapons glancing in 
the sunshine, they pulled up at about a hundred and 
fifty paces’ distance. We could see them distinctly as 
soon as the dust settled. They crowded together, 
gesticulating and shouting loudly. The result of their 
deliberations seemed to be that it would not be advisable 
to attack until they had ascertained how many we were, 
and how we were armed. Meanwhile we waited at our 
posts on the hills. I went on calmly smoking my pipe, 
and the action had a manifest effect on my men. I also 
observed the Tanguts through my field-glass, for I always 
had it at my side. 
After about a minute’s noisy discussion the Tanguts 
wheeled away at right angles towards the foot of the 
mountains on the south. There they divided. Half of 
them rode up a ravine among the rocks, whilst the 
other half continued parallel with us, but at the distance 
of two rifle-shots, for as soon as they turned, we resumed 
our journey, keeping close together in a body. 
I'he valley began to narrow, contracting to a sort of 
rocky gateway. Loppsen was apprehensive the Tanguts 
