aunched, alone and without a guide, amid a new world. We
had no longer before us paths traced out by the old missionaries, for we
were in a country where none before us had preached Gospel truth. We
should no longer have by our side those earnest Christian converts, so
zealous to serve us; so anxious, by their friendly care, to create around
us as it were an atmosphere of home. We were abandoned to ourselves, in
a hostile land, without a friend to advise or to aid us, save Him by
whose strength we were supported, and whose name we were seeking to make
known to all the nations of the earth.

As we have just observed, Samdadchiemba was our only travelling
companion. This young man was neither Chinese, nor Tartar, nor
Thibetian. Yet, at the first glance, it was easy to recognise in him the
features characterizing that which naturalists call the Mongol race. A
great flat nose, insolently turned up; a large mouth, slit in a perfectly
straight line, thick, projecting lips, a deep bronze complexion, every
feature contributed to give to his physiognomy a wild and [Picture:
Samdadchiemba] scornful aspect. When his little eyes seemed starting out
of his head from under their lids, wholly destitute of eyelash, and he
looked at you wrinkling his brow, he inspired you at once with feelings
of dread and yet of confidence. The face was without any decisive
character: it exhibited neither the mischievous knavery of the Chinese,
nor the frank good-nature of the Tartar, nor the courageous energy of the
Thibetian; but was made up of a mixture of all three. Samdadchiemba was
a _Dchiahour_. We shall hereafter have occasion to speak more in detail
of the native country of our young cameleer.

At the age of eleven, Samdadchiemba had escaped from his Lamasery, in
order to avoid the too frequent and too severe corrections of the master
under whom he was more immediately placed. He afterwards passed the
greater portion of his vagabond youth, sometimes in the Chinese towns,
sometimes in the deserts of Tartary. It is easy to comprehend that this
independent course of life had not tended to modify the natural asperity
of his character; his intellect was entirely uncultivated; but, on the
other hand, his muscular power was enormous, and he was not a little vain
of this quality, which he took great pleasure in parading. After having
been instructed and baptized by M. Gabet, he had attached himself to the
service of the missionaries. The