Across the Roof of the World. 



obtaining the animals from some unfortunate not so well able 

 to satisfy his demands. Knowing this to be so, I interviewed 

 the Beg detailed to bring the ponies required, promising him 

 a douceur for each animal produced by the following afternoon 

 if effected without recourse to unfair means. Needless to say 

 they all arrived punctual to time. So much for Chinese 

 methods ! The owners of the ponies wore long faces when 

 they appeared in the garden, but an immediate change ensued 

 when I informed them they would receive high pay and rations 

 as long as they remained in my service. 



I halted three days in Kuchar, and one evening attended a 

 feast the Pathan traders had prepared in my honour. Music 

 was rendered by a Turki band, while a dwarf from Khotan 

 danced, and a good exponent he was of the art. No ladies appeared 

 on the scene, so I cannot express an opinion as to their capabilities 

 in this direction. 



The bazaars were of the same nature as those in Yarkand 

 and Kashgar, with the exception that a greater display of 

 Russian goods was noticeable. A river runs through the 

 town and in the evening crowds congregate on its banks, 

 listening to the stories of wandering dervishes and travellers 

 from afar. I photographed one of these gatherings collected 

 round a professional raconteur, the crowd hstening open-mouthed 

 to the wondrous tales he told, but whether they doubted 

 his veracity was not apparent, although his remarks as a 

 whole may have been taken cum grano salis. The untutored 

 Oriental, having no experience of the Western world and its 

 marvels, is undoubtedly sceptical concerning all he hears 

 thereon. Whilst on the Pamirs some Kirghiz one day enquired 

 if England was as big as the Taghdumbash Valley. I assured 

 them it was, and moreover added that for its defence we main- 

 tained a great many warships, the cannons thereon being capable 

 of firing over ranges I endeavoured to indicate. Never having 

 seen a ship, nor able to divine its purpose, it was not hard to 

 account for their looks of utter incredulity. 



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