" Later on we met a wealthy Kashgari, who had been trading in the 

 south of the province. He was seated in a large cart, evidently not of Chinese 

 build, to which three horses were harnessed abreast, in Russian fashion. 



"We continued to pass numerous carts and strings of camels and mules, 

 which testified to the popularity of the road as a trade route. 



" At Wa-kang-ch'eng, a large village about ten miles from Lan-chou, the 

 inhabitants were engaged in the manufacture of rough earthenware vessels, 

 clay being plentiful in the district and fair coal obtainable in the neighbouring 

 ravine. 



" About thirteen miles from Lan-cho\i, vegetation became denser and the 

 watercourse, which had been dn*' up to now, commenced to hold a streamlet 

 of water. We wound up the ravine for another two miles and then began a 

 steep ascent to the summit of the pass (6500 feet) , whence we descended a 

 steep ravine to the village of Ma-chia-k'ou. Here we decided to halt for a day, 

 as the surveyor wished to visit some of the neighbouring peaks for purposes of 

 triangulation. 



" Although everyone appeared perfectly friendly, I thought it better to 

 re-iterate my warnings to Hazrat Ali never to work unarmed and always to 

 take one of the Chinese soldiers with him on his excursions, as a sign that the 

 party was travelling under official sanction. 



" On June 21st, Hazrat Ali started at an early hour to commence his 

 survey from one of the high peaks about six miles to the east of our camp. 



" Unfortunately I was called away on some camp duty and missed seeing 

 him before he left. I was consequently much annoyed to find later on that 

 he was not accompanied by one of the escort. His servant assured me, how- 

 ever, that he had gone out well armed, so that there appeared to be no cause 

 for anxiety. 



" Rain fell heavily during the day, and, as I knew this would interfere 

 considerably with the progress of the survey, I did not expect Hazrat Ali to 

 return until towards nightfall, as I knew how conscientiously ,he always 

 carried out his day's work. 



" As night drew in without his returning, I decided to take out guides to 

 his assistance, in case he should lose his way in the darkness. 



" As our party was on the point of setting out, one of the plane-table 

 coolies crawled into camp, covered with wounds and with his arm broken. 



" The poor fellow informed us that the survey party had been attacked, 

 without warning or provocation, by a large gang of natives from the villages 



64 



