TANGUT ROBBERS 
1135 
As soon as it began to be dusk, the horses were 
tethered amongst the tents, close to the reeds. We kept 
the fire over which our supper was cooked purposely low, 
damped down as much as possible, so that the flames 
should not betray our position more than could be helped. 
Loppsen was very anxious with regard to the night, for 
the Tanguts would easily be able to observe us, whilst ' 
keeping themselves concealed in the grass. And Loppsen 
was right, for no sooner was it dark than we heard them 
creeping all round the camp, uttering unearthly howls, 
which I can liken to nothing better than the howling 
of hyeenas or the long-drawn melancholy whine of hungry 
wolves prowling through the night. It was however a 
favourite mise de guerre of the Tanguts, adopted, 
Loppsen said, to find out whether their intended victims 
had watch-dogs or not. Our dogs gave them no room 
for doubt, for they barked furiously all night long, and 
kept dashing out towards the pool, near which, it was 
evident, the Tanguts had fastened their horses. Loppsen 
was unable to find words strong enough to express his 
hatred of the Tanguts. They were not, he considered, 
one bit better than dogs, and like dogs they sneaked 
along, crouching close to the gTound, rolling up the skirts 
of their pelts and carrying their guns in their right 
hands. 
However we maintained a vigilant watch, a sentry 
being stationed at each end of the string of tethered 
horses, who kept up an almost constant singing and 
drumming upon the saucepans. Only two men were 
allowed to sleep at once. The others patrolled un- 
ceasingly backwards and forwards between the horses 
and the tents. Every five minutes or so Parpi Bai would 
cry; “Khabardar?” (Are the .sentries awake?). Loppsen 
sat over the fire, silent, warming his hands. But there 
was not much rest for any of us that night. Every now 
and again the men stamped up and down, the horses 
paw'ed the ground and neighed, and at regular intervals 
came the cries of the sentries and the banging of the 
saucepans ; in a word, we were regularly besieged. The 
