Across the Roof of the World. 



languages must have lost some of their piquancy by the time they 

 reached me. He was greatly interested in my wanderings, but 

 could not fathom why I should want to visit the Pamirs and 

 undergo much personal discomfort exposed to the vagaries of 

 a rigorous climate, for the sake of shooting a few animals, 

 whose horns were valueless from a monetary point of view. 

 Having visited China during the Boxer rebellion of 1900 I was 

 able to discourse on this theme and the country in general to 

 the old man's visible delight. 



After leaving him I rode back through the bazaars now even 

 more crowded than on the outward journey. It seemed as though 

 the entire population had taken a holiday to see the procession, 

 and when we reached my quarters it required more than the 

 usual display of stick to force a passage. 



The following morning the Amban and Commander-in-Chief 

 returned my call, sending a retainer to announce their approach. 

 They arrived together, being met by me at the gateway, 

 and ushered into the reception room. Both remained over an 

 hour, discussing a variety of subjects. The venerable officer 

 was much taken with a bottle of saccharine I produced, and to 

 prove that it really did possess sweetening properties I dropped 

 four tablets into his tea. This must have been too much even 

 for a Chinaman, since he failed to muster sufficient courage to 

 drink it. 



The Amban appeared to be up-to-date and appreciated things 

 European, in this respect being unhke the usual type of Chinese. 

 They were much taken with my battery, examining the rifles 

 with evident interest. At the conclusion of the visit both took 

 their departure in little two-wheeled carts, each drawn by a large 

 black mule richly caparisoned. Accompanying them was a 

 goodly following of retainers, spearmen, umbrella carriers and 

 others, who always surround a Chinese official when he moves 

 out of his Yamen. 



During the afternoon a contingent of Indian traders called 

 and extended an invitation to an entertainment they desired to 



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