met with in this country. But these local exchanges do not exclude the general rate which equalises the values of the coin. The latter is known to the Mongols under the name of 'manchan,' the former as 'dzelen.' Before buying anything you must always ask whether the price is according to the general or local rate; otherwise, you may find yourself out in your calculations. If, in addition to all this, it be considered that weights and measures differ all over the Empire, you may form an idea of the fraud and dishonesty to which the traveller is exposed even in the most trifling purchases. In order to avoid disputes in weighing silver, and also for the sake of economy, I bought the medium or market scales; but they seldom answered our purpose. We lost heavily by exchanging silver into copper, as we were often unable to ascertain the local rate, which varies every ten miles or so.[1] Indeed, from first to last we paid a large premium to the roguery and rascality of the natives, and were imposed upon in the most scandalous way.
Through the courteous intervention of our Ambassador we received a passport from the Chinese Government, permitting us to travel in South-eastern Mongolia and Kan-su; and having completed our preparations, we started from Peking on March 9th,
- ↑ For instance, at Peking a liang (taël) of silver is worth 1,500 cash, at Dolon-nor 1,600, at Kalgan 1,800, at Ta-jing (in Kan-su) 2,900, and at Tonkir (also in Kan-su) 5,000. The enormous difference between the two latter towns is probably only temporary, and is caused by the excessive rise in price of every article of consumption in those districts after the Dungan desolation.
