ABSTRACT
The drive was an endless one. We had started at seven in the morning, and now the sun was setting, and still there was no sign of Urga. We had crossed two densely wooded passes with difficulty, and had at last reached a high plateau. The scene immediately became more animated, Mongols with their herds passed us, and even a carriage with Europeans. Unfortunately we could not speak to them as they did not understand English, French, or German. On the hill to the left we saw a monastery and in the distance some buildings, but we were again doomed to disappointment for it was not Urga. The sky before us was like running gold, with distant hills and buildings reflecting a deep purple and mauve against the glowing background. We drove on and on and yet never seemed to come any nearer those purple hills. Only as the last rays of daylight were fast disappearing in the dusk and the colours fading, did we see our destination in the distance.
