“Some strange riders approach the caravan and ask the Mongols about how many weapons we have. The Mongols whisper something to him and wave their arms, showing something big, and then tell us: the people of Je-Lama. They will not offend us. We approach Anxi. Unclear rumors about some Chinese troops. To meet with them is worse than to meet the people of Je-Lama. We will go around Anxi at night. But the nirva loses road. Dawn finds us in front of the walls of Anxi. We turn the camels and hurry to cross a wide, fast irrigation ditch. By the evening we will go beyond Gansu and enter the Kukunor area.”

(N.K. Roerich. Altai – Himalayas.)