Across the Roof of the World. 



from the Orenboiirg Cossack Regiment arriving. They gave one 

 the appearance of being workmanhkc, and handled their rough 

 ponies with considerable skill. 



In the afternoon, when Captain Shuttleworth liad finished 

 the duties in connection with his onerous office, we usually 

 strolled through the bazaars and the surrounding country, one 

 day paying a visit to a tomb, outside the city, known as Hazrat 

 Apak, the only building of any architectural pretensions I had 

 seen in Turkistan. 



There are a number of ancient tombs of Musulmans here, and 

 a great many horns of burhel, poli, and ibex are piled on the 

 walls and round the tomb of Hazrat Apak. A poli horn we 

 measured taped 72 inches, almost a world's record, so some 

 unknown shikari had evidently encountered great luck. 



Market day in Ivashgar is an animated sight, and is quite a 

 gala day, the crowds being augmented by hosts coming in from 

 neighbouring villages. 



As a rule the women are decidedly handsome, and some 

 of them would have no difficulty in securing prizes at a beauty 

 show, possessing as they do fine complexions, long dark tresses, 

 good teeth, and a graceful carriage for which all Eastern women 

 are noted. 



There is also a Swedish mission in Kashgar ; the missionaries 

 often called and we occasionally enjoyed their hospitality. They 

 were genial people, not affecting a missionary garb or air. Their 

 object in life is to convert the heathen Turki and Chinese, but I 

 fear they do not experience much success. As at Yarkand, 

 there is a dispensary attached to the mission and it must be a boon 

 to the natives, nine-tenths of whom are afflicted with unsavoury 

 diseases. The missionaries do much good in a quiet way, though 

 the lack of any desire in the infidel to become a Christian must 

 indeed be disheartening. 



I was anxious to bag a specimen of the Yarkand gazelle {Ga- 

 zella subgutturosa), found to the west of Kashgar and throughout 

 the Yarkand and Maralbashi country. Its habitat is the open 



150 



