KOKO-NOR 
1 167 
The Koko-nor Tanguts generally spend the winter on 
the steppes around the lake, the proximity of which tends 
of course to modify the extreme cold ; but in summer they 
go up into the mountains that lie to the north. The 
principal chief among the Tanguts was the Gangtse Lama, 
who acted as intermediary between the governor of 
Si-ning-fu and the nomads, and was accordingly invested 
with the huli or prerogative of executing justice. When 
thieves and other criminals a;re caught, they are carried 
to Si-ning-fu, and there examined, with the result that 
they not seldom lose their heads. In the more important 
cases the Gangtse Lama writes in Tibetan to Si-ning-fu 
or settles the affair himself. The Chinese are, it is true, 
the masters of the country, but their administration of 
it leaves very much to be desired. Neither there nor 
in Tsaidam are there any Chinese officials. In that 
respect both regions are very differently situated from 
East Turkestan, where the Chinese have thoroughly 
established themselves and organized an excellent system 
of administration. 
The Mongols call their thievish neighbours Khara 
Tanguts, or Black Tanguts, a name suggested in all 
probability by their intensely black tents, or by their 
dark skin and hair, and not, as Loppsen would make 
me believe, because khara was synonymous with mo, i.e. 
“villainous” or “bad.” 
The constant feeling of insecurity which accompanied 
us made us feel as though we were on the war-path, and 
any moment might expect an attack. It was a good thing 
for us that we had moonlight nights, so that our sentries 
could see well about them. Every night the dogs barked 
furiously, though generally it was only at the big greyish - 
yellow wolves, which prowled round our tents. 
The Yikeh-ulan-gol is said to increase so much in the 
summer that it cannot be forded. But now, during the 
silence of the night, I could hear its crystal clear water 
echoing melodiously among the stones, whilst far above 
our heads the beacons of the sky glittered with a vivid 
brilliance like electric lamps. 
