Across the Roof of the World. 



what furniture there was to be found in this outlandish part 

 of the world. Windows of coloured glass and lattice work let in 

 the light and sunshine, throwing brilliant rays across the interior. 

 The Aksakal and his many compatriots brought loads of fruit, 

 in the shape of apricots, melons, plums and a whole host of 

 sweetmeats, to say nothing of Russian biscuits and cigarettes. 



My first duty was to order a supply of Chinese visiting cards 

 for the purpose of official calls on the Governor and others. 

 These cards are long strips of red paper, about 8 by 4 inches, 

 and one's name is written thereon in Chinese characters, or as 

 near as the Celestial writer can get to it. I discovered the result 

 in my own case fell short of the original, but as it had at any rate 

 the merit of a name of some sort I did not worry. These cards 

 arrived in the course of the afternoon, and 1 sent one with my 

 passport to the Yamen, or official residence of the Chinese 

 Governor, intimating my desire to call on him the following day. 

 T also sent another to the Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese forces 

 at Yarkand with a similar message. Return cards came from 

 both these good people soon after, with a communication to the 

 effect that they would be pleased to see me. Giyani therefore 

 unpacked my full dress uniform and furbished up buttons and 

 brass work in readiness for the audience of the morrow. 



In the afternoon I walked through the bazaars wuth the 

 Aksakal and sundry others who had attached themselves to me, 

 to get an idea of this, tne largest, city in Chinese Turkistan, and 

 once an important centre in the days of old Tartary. 



Yarkand has a population of some 60,000 inhabitants, the great 

 majority of Mahommedan persuasion, with a sprinkling of Chinese. 

 It is one of the chief trading centres of Kashgaria, and from it roads 

 radiate to Kashgar and Maralbashi on the north and north-east, 

 whilst to the south lies the main trade route to British India, the 

 latter giving to Yarkand its present-day importance. 



It is a 30-day march from Leh in Ladakh (Kashmir) over a 

 road crossing some of the highest passes in the world, which as 

 a trade route between two countries is the loftiest in the universe. 



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