258

HORSEMEN OF THE DESERT, NORTH MONGOLIA 268

A LAMA BOUND FOR URGA 278

A MONGOL BELLE, URGA 278

MY MONGOL HOSTESS 284

THE MONGOL HOUSE WHERE I STAYED IN URGA 284

LAMA AND HIS "WIFE" 298

My thanks are due to Robert J. Davidson, Esq., of Chengtu, Szechuan, for
kind permission to use the photograph of the Yangtse Gorges. Also to
Messrs. Underwood & Underwood, of New York, for the photographs of the
Tartar Wall, Peking. With these exceptions the illustrations are from
photographs made by myself on the journey. I should like to express here
my appreciation of the care and skill shown by the staff of the Kodak
Agency, Regent Street, West, in handling films often used under very
unfavourable conditions.

E. K.

SUGGESTIONS FOR PRONOUNCING CHINESE NAMES IN THE TEXT

In general vowels are pronounced as in Italian.

_a_ preceded by _w_ and followed by _ng_ is like _a_ in _fall_.
_ue_ like the French _u_.
_ai_ like _i_ in _mine_.
_ao_ like _ou_ in _proud_.
_ei_ like _ey_ in _they_.
_ie_ like _e-e_ in _re-enter_.
_ui_ with vowels distinct.
_ou_ with vowels distinct and stress on _o_.

Of the consonants, _ch_, _k_, _p_, _t_, _ts_ are softer than in English,
approaching respectively _j_, _g_, _b_, _d_, _dz_.

_hs_ is approximately _sh_ (hsien = she-en).

MONEY, WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

Tael, roughly two-thirds of a dollar gold.
Dollar or dollar Mex., about fifty cents gold.
Cash, about the twentieth part of a cent gold.
Li, a scant third of an English mile.
Catty, about one and one-third pounds avoirdupois.

A WAYFARER IN CHINA

_For the wander-thirst is on me And my soul is in Cathay._

[Illustration: CHINESE EMPIRE]

A WAYFARER IN CHINA

CHAPTER I

ACROSS TONKING

Three years ago West China seemed at the back of beyond. To make your
way in you had either to traverse the length of Upper Burma and then
cross the great rivers and ranges of western Yunnan, a weary month-long
journey, or else spend tedious weeks ascending the Yangtse, the monotony
of the trip tempered by occasional shipwreck. To-day, thanks to French
enterpri