all, and not
get soured in temper and feeling against the Mongols. I must have
patience. Some knowledge of camel's flesh also would help me not a
little. As it stands, I feel an incompetent "duffer."'

'_May 6._--Travelled parallel to the road in a stupid manner over
hill and dale, because Lojing chose to consider it a nearer way.
The way was no nearer at all and much more steep. At last got to a
lot of tents down in a hollow, called the "Great Water" (_Ihha
Osso_). Had quite a lot of people. One lama the most provoking
child (25 years old) I think I ever met. He was a perfect nuisance;
even the tone of his voice I could not abide. This individual came
to my tent even after I was down in bed. I was glad he was done for
once. Next morning he was in my tent before I was up, remarking,
"What a great sleeper you are!' Last night he had remarked, "How
early you go to bed!" I am afraid he is the most empty, poor fellow
I have known.'

'_May 13._--To-day also occurred another of my lama's conspicuous
stupidities; after asking the road to a set of tents where dwelt
friends of his own, he suddenly left the road and began the ascent
of a steep hill. I asked where he was going. He said to the tents.
I followed some distance, and then from the convergence of paths
judged that there was no pass where he was going, and accordingly
shouted to him to stop. Stop he did, and also looked thunder. I
asked him, "Have you travelled this way before?" "No," said he.
"Come this way, and follow the road." "You go that road," said he,
"I go this road." "Nothing of the kind," said I. "You come here,
and we'll get to tents." He came; but then and there began one of
his intolerable tirades against me, saying how disobedient I was,
and that _this was his own native place_, he knew. What a bad man I
was! He had hardly finished his fury when lo, behold, close before
us, right in our path, the very tents we were looking for! He is,
to use a Mongol idiom, "Stupider than stupid."'

'_Sept. 12._--We are now in a diphtheria district. I go into it,
and hope to remain some time, trusting myself to the hands of God.
I am safe enough in His hands. If He can forward mission work more
by my death than by my life, His will be done.'

'_Sept. 18._--To-day let pass me, as all were star