With the Arst signs of dawn, the cars set off once more, hoping to Reach Chapsir before nightfall, as tthe district' Is usually infested with robbers, Tt was here that Mr. Gareth Tones, the British journalist, met his death last year, Incidentally, these yabbers have quite a good reputation for thelt cunning, as a recent ex-plait showed, Ttappears that three cars, driven Russians, were on the way from Urga to Kalgan with $30,000 worth of skins and furs, and the bandits apparently had heard about it, They dug a deep trench near" the road, in Which twenty hid. themselves, while tone member of the band stood up plain view and signalled to. the cars to stop, Had there been a lot of ren on the road, the cars would have made a Wide detour and gone on without stopping, but seeing only one mon their suspicions were lulled and they word in the Mongolian language, incidentally, is "Margoge" which can mean anything from later, tomorrow, in a week's time to in a month's' time, and is frequently used.
Meagre Motel Accommodation The hotel, which consists of one room for foreigners and three for Chinese, charges a flat rate of 80 cents a day; if it is full and some: have to sleep outside, the same rate prevails, Tu addition, there is a charge of 60 cents a day for tea and water, and a similar charge for food. The latter consists of a bowl of our, which is handed out to eves tone, the matter of preparation being fan individual concern, "After passing through Sain Ussu,_ the cars travel another 80 miles to Churin, from which, in the summer time, they embark on the best part fof the Journey, through wooded hills in winter, the roads are impassable due to snow, and so the cars await the arrival of others, until finally some twenty or more, carrying 300 to 400 passengers, set out to dig a way through.
At last Urea comes in sight and after passing through some muddy stony lowlands, the cara reach a former Chinese suburb called Maimacheng, and then pass the! wireless. station, the barracks, the aerodrome, the gaol, the hospital, the Russian Consulate, and a large number of. government buildings, until the centre of the town is reached and Journey to Urga is over.
Secondary 'A. second route to Urga commences witha. train journey from Tientsin, vid Mukden and Harbin, to Manchoull. road to Urga by this route Is easier, though not so interesting, and travellers do not cross the Gobi Desert, travelling instead through miles of steppes, which tu. the summer months are covered with a flowery carpet of many hues. Atter travelling about 180 miles, the city of Sainbetze (or Baintumen, a: it Is now called) is reached; this was formerly a thriving settlement, but with everything now subject to monopoly, all the shops and traders had to close up th businesses. Sainbetze was once the centre of the chinese buyers visiting purchase ponies for and the Tientsin race clubs, but that business, 100, has been Tost.
From Sainbetze, a fatrly good road. runs through Tsetsenhan and Dalaiwan to Urga, the total distance from Manchouli being 650 miles.
The third and easiest way of getting to Ur however, is by aeroplane, a route that makes up in ease, safey, and comfort what It loses in picture quoness, Those intending to use, this service continue, with the train from Manchouli to Verkne-Udinsk, where Mongol travellers sat in the back Journey rather nervously, as, in addition to recognizing the driver tone noted for his recklesmess, he sew that he: was slightly under the influence of vodka. In reply to 0 request that he take things easily, the driver said that he never wen! over 35 miles an hour. This the traveller found to be true, but only when the lorry was going up-hill; once the top was reached, the driver Switched off the engine, and down through the winding roads the lorry swept, with as few applications of the brakes as possible, the river's ambition to reach 50 miles an hour being frequently realized.
Over the Prcelplee The outer border of the narrow winding road was lined with white poles, to guide the chauffeurs at night. At the top of one mountain pass, the traveller noticed three were missing, snd commented on the fact. The Griver replied:—"Oh, a few days ago chauffeur was not as careful as 1 fam and shot down the side of the t mountain." Three were killed, he thought, and the car was still at the bottom of the mountain, which was not a comforting thought for the traveller during the rest of that wild night drive. t ills relief can well be imagined when on their arrival In Trolskosavsk noon the next day he learned that the Toad to Verkne-Udinsk was impassable for cars due to a heavy snow-fall, He hired a sledge, cora-dele with driver and two horses. ind set out early the next morning on what. despite the cold, he found to be one of the most pleasant journeys il he had ever made, The road was covered with a thick blanket of snow, fond Jed through a tremendous pine forest to the Selenga River, which was frozen over, The road was accordingly abandoned, the balance of lee. the Journey being completed over the
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