46 CHINESE TURKESTAN 



saw no pheasants and didn't expect to, racing along 

 like that, while the gourds were mostly bitter, and 

 anyway are not satisfactory things to quench thirst 

 with ; so we started back again, but we took it out 

 of that native on the way by giving him both guns 

 to carry, and then we made the pace so hot that when 

 he got back I question whether he had had an en- 

 joyable afternoon. We saw tracks both of deer 

 and jeron here, and between this and the Aksu 

 River should probably be good ground for them. 

 In the evening two Chinese came up to our camp 

 and proceeded to examine us and our tents for all the 

 world as though we had been stuffed specimens in a 

 museum. Of course they were promptly kicked out, 

 but surely no other people in the world have such a 

 calm, self-sufficient cheek. Of course they are the 

 superior Chinese, while we are only " foreign 

 devils " ; but even a foreign devil resents their im- 

 pertinent curiosity. 



Beyond this we soon left the jungle for a great 

 swampy flat of tamarisk, in the middle of which is 

 situated the delectable spot called Yaidu. It con- 

 sists of three or four houses and swarms with 

 mosquitoes ; and there are no trees, a want felt as 

 the day was intensely hot, the sky being clear after 

 thunder and rain during the night. 



Still a dead level of barren country to Chilan and 

 again to Choi Kadak, which latter place may almost 

 be called a village, but the water at both is about as 



