Across the Roof of the World. 



miles of bumping had well-nigh shaken us inside out, though 

 my sturdy little orderly, being short and about as broad as he 

 is long, had more on which to take the concussion, so did not 

 undergo such distress as his less stout master. 



I halted three hours in Kizil and having engaged another horse 

 for my " mapa " pushed on to Yangi Hissar, a distance of thirty 

 miles. I arrived there at 4.30 the next morning in a battered 

 condition, feeling as though I had spent a lifetime on the rack. 

 I established myself temporarily in the Chinese rest-house, 

 sending my card and passport to the Yamen in accordance 

 with custom. 



I had brought Nadir with me from Kizil, and he presently 

 returned accompanied by the Aksakal, bringing a large quantity 

 of fruit, as well as biscuits and tea, so I indulged in an impromptu 

 meal beneath the verandah. In the meantime cards arrived from 

 the Amban and the Officer Commanding the garrison, who 

 expressed a desire to pay me a visit, but as I was anxious to 

 reach Kashgar without undue delay, I sent a message that I 

 should be grieved if any deleterious effects resulted from their 

 being disturbed at such an early hour, a subterfuge having the 

 desired result, since they did not appear. 



I arranged horses for myself and Nadir, and the Amban 

 ordered an escort of four cavalry soldiers, so at 8.30 I rode out of 

 Yangi Hissar. It is fifty-six miles to Kashgar through a fairly 

 well-cultivated country, and we travelled so fast that only one of 

 my escort was able to keep up. After twenty miles my horse 

 naturally began to tire, so I hired another from a villager near 

 by, and then pushed on to Yapchan, where I obtained a fresh 

 mount for Nadir. Leaving one of the escort to bring on the owner 

 of my horse into Kashgar, I again forged ahead and passed through 

 Yangi Hissar, the new city situated six miles outside Kashgar, 

 arriving at the British Consulate there just after 3 o'clock. 



Captain A. R. B. Shuttleworth (Indian Army), having been 

 advised of my approach by a mounted orderly, very kindly met 

 me outside the city, and together we rode to the Consulate, 



142 



