1 88 CHINESE TURKESTAN 



take long, as there were lots of ponies about, 

 and we were not disposed to haggle much over 

 prices, usually giving one of our ponies and a con- 

 siderable pecuniary consideration for a fresh and 

 strong beast. We exchanged calls with the amban, 

 an old acquaintance of mine, whom I had formerly 

 met in Yarkand, and who I fancy must have done 

 something and have been sent here for punishment. 

 We put in a good deal of time buying jade, for 

 which Khotan is celebrated, also a lot of curios from 

 Borasan, which Dr. Sven Hedin has so fully 

 described in his book Through Asia (vol. ii.) that 

 it would be unnecessary for me to say much about 

 them, even if I knew anything. For the benefit of 

 future travellers I may say that the people usually 

 ask a very much larger price than they are pre- 

 pared to accept no new thing in Asia ; but here 

 they are worse than most places. One man started 

 by asking 200 tongahs for some things, and finally 

 took 15. Khotan is also celebrated for its carpets, 

 but the aniline dye has arrived there and made 

 them worthless at least in our eyes. 



