seback, and gallop after him till we have run him
down."

With the exception of their equestrian exercises, the Mongol Tartars pass
their time in an absolute _far niente_, sleeping all night, and squatting
all day in their tents, dosing, drinking tea, or smoking. At intervals,
however, the Tartar conceives a fancy to take a lounge abroad; and his
lounge is somewhat different from that of the Parisian idler; he needs
neither cane nor quizzing glass; but when the fancy occurs, he takes down
his whip from its place above the door, mounts his horse, always ready
saddled outside the door, and dashes off into the desert, no matter
whither. When he sees another horseman in the distance, he rides up to
him; when he sees the smoke of a tent, he rides up to that; the only
object in either case being to have a chat with some new person.

The two days we passed in these fine plains of the _Tchakar_, were not
without good use. We were able at leisure to dry and repair our clothes
and our baggage; but, above all, it gave us an opportunity to study the
Tartars close at hand, and to initiate ourselves in the habits of the
nomad peoples. As we were making preparations for departure, these
temporary neighbours aided us to fold our tent and to load our camels.
"Sirs Lamas," said they, "you had better encamp to-night at the Three
Lakes; the pasturage there is good and abundant. If you make haste you
will reach the place before sunset. On this side, and on the other side
of the Three Lakes, there is no water for a considerable distance. Sirs
Lamas, a good journey to you!" "Peace be with you, and fare well!"
responded we, and with that proceeded once more on our way, Samdadchiemba
heading the caravan, mounted on his little black mule. We quitted this
encampment without regret, just as we had quitted preceding encampments;
except indeed, that here we left, on the spot where our tent had stood, a
greater heap of ashes, and that the grass around it was more trodden than
was usual with us.

During the morning the weather was magnificent, though somewhat cold.
But in the afternoon the north wind rose, and began to blow with extreme
violence. It soon became so cutting, that we regretted we had not with
us our great fur caps, to operate as a protector for the face. We
hurried on, in order the sooner to reach the Three Lakes, and to have the
shelter there of our dear tent. In the hope of discovering these lakes,
that had been promised