ert and stripped
travellers and abandoned them, without clothes or food, amidst these
frightful plains; in short, there was no end of stories, enough to make
our hair stand on end; and these stories, fabulous as they seemed, or, at
least, much exaggerated, were the same on every tongue,--were all of a
frightful uniformity. Besides, there were to be seen and questioned in
the streets of Tang-Keou-Eul, some Tartar-Mongols, who were standing
evidence of the truth of these long narratives, being the remnants of a
large caravan, which had been attacked in the preceding year by a troop
of brigands. These had contrived to escape, but their companions had
been left to the mercy of the _Kolo_ (brigands). This information, while
ineffectual to shake our resolution, induced us to remain where we were,
until a favourable opportunity for departure should present itself.

We had been six days at Tang-Keou-Eul, when a small caravan of
Tartar-Khalkhas arrived at our House of Repose. It came from the
frontiers of Russia, and was on its way to Lha-Ssa to offer up its
adorations to a young child, which, the people were informed, was the
famous Guison-Tamba newly transmigrated. When the Tartars learned that
we were awaiting a favourable opportunity for proceeding towards Thibet,
they were delighted, fully appreciating the fact that their troop, in
this unexpected accession of three pilgrims, received an accession, also,
of three combatants in the event of a fight with the Kolo. Our beards
and mustachios inspired them with an exalted idea of our valour, and we
were forthwith decorated by them with the title of _Batourou_ (braves).
This was all exceedingly honourable and seductive; but still, before we
finally decided upon joining the cavalcade, we thought it expedient to
consider the various aspects of the matter gravely and maturely.

The caravan which occupied the great court-yard of the House of Repose,
counted only eight men; the rest was camels, horses, tents, baggage, and
kitchen utensils; but then the eight men, according to their own account,
were perfect war dragons. At all events, they were armed up to the
teeth, and made a grand display before us of their matchlocks, lances,
bows and arrows, and above all, of a piece of artillery, in the shape of
a small cannon, of the size of one's arm; it had no carriage, but mounted
between the two humps of a camel, it produced a very formidable effect.
All this warlike apparatus failed