by
land, being desirous of rendering some direct service to science by
penetrating into regions of which little was known. This overland route,
as they foresaw, would involve them in many difficulties, fatigues, and
hardships. It would impose on them a journey of six thousand miles, in
the midst of half-savage populations, and over steppes and deserts
virtually pathless; they would have to climb steep mountain-sides, to
ford broad rivers; and, finally, to sleep under no better roof than that
of a tent, and to live on milk, butter, and sea-biscuit for several
months. Madame de Baluseck, wife of the Russian minister at Pekin, had
already accomplished this journey. Madame de Bourboulon felt capable of
an equal amount of courage, and though accustomed to live amid all the
luxuries and comforts of European civilization, desired to encounter
these privations, and to brave these perils.

Prince Kung, regent of the Chinese Empire, promised the travellers full
security as far as the borders. He did more; for he attached to their
train some mandarins of high rank to ensure the execution of his orders.
A fortnight before the day fixed for departure, a caravan of camels was
despatched to Kiakhta, on the Russian frontier, with wine, rice, and all
kinds of provisions, intended to replace the supplies which would
necessarily be exhausted during the transit of Mongolia.

A captain of engineers, M. Bouvier, superintended the construction of
some vehicles of transport, light enough to be drawn by the nomad
horsemen, and yet solid enough to bear the accidents of travel in the
desert. Bread, rice, biscuit, coffee, tea, wine, liqueurs, all kinds of
clothing, preserved meats and vegetables, were carefully packed up and
stowed away in these carts, which were sent forward, three days in
advance, to Kalgan, a frontier town of Mongolia. And all these
preparations being completed, and every precaution taken, the 17th of
May was appointed as the day of departure.

Thenceforth, and throughout the journey, Madame de Bourboulon adopted a
masculine costume--that is, a vest of grey cloth, with velvet trimmings,
loose pantaloons of blue stuff, spurred boots, and at need a Mongolian
cloak with a double hood of furs. She mounted her favourite horse, which
she had taken with her to Pekin, and it had been her companion in all
her excursions in the city and the surrounding country.

At six o'clock in the morning everybody was assembled in the court of
t