thus in a measure removed the obstacles that beset our path; on the other hand, it was necessary to keep up my character by dispensing benedictions, prophesying, and every kind of absurdity. Tangutans and Mongols would sometimes come in crowds to pray, not only to us but to our guns, and the native princes often brought us their children, entreating us to lay our hands upon them, and thus confer a lifelong blessing. As we approached Dulan-kit, a crowd of 200 men assembled to worship us, kneeling down on each side of the road.
I was often consulted in my capacity of prophet, not only as to the future, but in cases of straying cattle or lost pipes, and the like. And one of the Tangutan princes besought us to tell him how to make his barren wife bear children, if it were but two or three! The Kara-Tangutans, who are constantly harrying the region round Koko-nor, not only never dared to attack us, but actually discontinued their raids in the district through which we happened to be travelling. The chiefs of the Mongol banners often applied to us for our assistance to protect them against the robbers, and to order the restoration of their ravished cattle.
The charm which attached itself even to our name exceeded all bounds of probability. Thus on the way to Tibet we left a bag of barley-meal with the Prince of Tsaidam, who gladly took charge of it, assuring us that it would protect him from marauding Tangutans; two months afterwards when we returned, the same prince sent us a couple of sheep in
