Across the Roof of the World. 



the usual profuse compliments prior to my call, and the day after 

 my visit weighed in with their presents — sheep, a sack of rice, one 

 oi oats, a good half ton of coal filling a cart, and other articles 

 sufficient to stock a shop, to say nothing of a couple of bottles of 

 champagne to which I did more than ample justice. Evidentl}'^ 

 they know how to do the thing in Kulja. 



The following day the Taotai, Shingwan, and Russian Consul- 

 General returned my call. The Taotai arrived at lo o'clock 

 with a retinue of armed retainers, and men bearing drums, 

 banners and emblems in quantities sufficient to fit out a theatrical 

 pageant. I had arranged my large sitting room in suitable 

 style, and the table groaned under sweetmeats and delicacies 

 procured from the Russian shops in the neighbourhood, or brought 

 with me from Kashmir and India. One of the Secretaries at 

 the Russian Consulate, to whom I had been introduced by the 

 Consul, acted as interpreter, so that on this occasion my remarks 

 were conveyed with greater speed and accuracy than is the case 

 when made through the medium of a native interpreter. Later 

 the Shingwan put in an appearance, when the same ceremonies 

 were gone through as with the Taotai. 



The Russian Consul-General arrived in a fine carriage, escorted 

 by many Cossacks, and the uniform he wore and the martial 

 appearance of his entourage, gave quite a brilliant colour to the 

 otherwise sombre surroundings of my dwelling. He was very 

 kind and obliging, and later in the day sent round his Aksakal 

 to take my orders and assist me in any way I might require. 



I decided to send off all my trophies by road from Kulja to 

 the railway, and in the course of conversation with the Consul 

 concerning the matter he informed me this would be feasible, 

 and that there was a transport agency at Djarkend, a town 

 some 35 miles beyond the Russo-Chinese frontier, on the way to 

 Tashkend. The Consul arranged to take over the case of trophies 

 from me and despatch them to Djarkend, for dehvery to the 

 agency who would then forward it to Irkutsk, there to await 

 my arrival, whence I intended to take it on with me to Pekin, 



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