16 CHINESE TURKESTAN 



end of the journey, but the incessant hard marching 

 accounts for this, and, take it all round, I doubt if 

 Yarkandis would have stood it as well. It is very 

 necessary to feed them up well before starting, as 

 none of the animals are likely to be in very good 

 condition when bought. The simplest way is to 

 buy a field of lucerne, a lot of which is grown round 

 Leh, and turn them out in it. A fortnight of this 

 works wonders in their appearance, and the fatter 

 they are to start with the better ; it soon comes off. 

 Most of the men we took with us had been in 

 our service before, and were willing to go anywhere ; 

 but a stranger would have to be careful in his choice, 

 as there are some pretty complete scoundrels among 

 the Argoons. These men are all of mixed blood- 

 Yarkandi and Ladaki ; they are Mahommedans, and 

 many of them can speak three languages Ladaki, 

 Turki, and Hindostani. So, as we could both 

 speak the last, we had no lack of interpreters. They 

 usually make their livelihood in the service of 

 traders between Leh and Yarkand, so are well 

 accustomed to travel. The head man (caravan- 

 baski) is, of course, the most important, his pay 

 being 25 rupees per month and 5 rupees per month 

 for food ; ordinary syces, 1 2 rupees and 5 rupees for 

 food. The monthly food allowance is paid while 

 travelling, and they find themselves. They require 

 an advance of some months' pay before starting. 

 In addition to their pay it is the custom to give 



