itch our tent, we perceived in the distance a
large assemblage of various herds. Thinking that one of the indicated
wells lay probably there, we bent our steps in the direction, and soon
found that we were correct in our anticipation; the water was before us.
The beasts were collected from every quarter, waiting to be watered. We
halted accordingly, and set up our encampment. As we gazed upon the
assembled flocks, and the well, the covering of which was a large stone,
we recalled with pleasure the passage of Genesis, which relates the
journey of Jacob in Mesopotamia, to Laban, son of Bathuel the Syrian.

"Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people
of the east.

"And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were
three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered
the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.

"And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone
from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again
upon the well's mouth in its place." {218a}

The wooden troughs placed around the well, reminded us of the other
passage, where the meeting of Rebecca with the servant of Abraham is
related.

"And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water
for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

"And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran
again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels."
{218b}

One cannot travel in Mongolia, amongst a pastoral and nomad population,
without one's mind involuntarily going back to the time of the first
patriarch, whose pastoral life had so close a relation with the manners
and customs which we still find amongst the Mongol tribes. But how sad
and painful do these coincidences become, when we reflect that these
unfortunate people are still ignorant of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob.

We had scarcely pitched our tent, and arranged our modest kitchen, when
we saw several Tartar horsemen advancing at full gallop. They were
coming to draw water and give it to the numerous flocks that had been
long awaiting them. These animals, which had hitherto stood at a
distance, seeing the shepherds approach, hastened to the spot, and soon
all were grouped round the well, eager to quench their thirst. This
large assemblage of animals, so numerous and so various, created