Weird Police Methods. 



of dirt and squalor. The only persons about were the Chinese 

 night watchmen who now and again challenged us, to which 

 Karovin replied. These watchmen carried a rattle which they 

 kept sounding with the object of warning off the evil doer, and 

 when I explained to one of these guardians of the peace, through 

 Karovin, that we ordered things differently in England, the 

 main object in our policemen's manoeuvres being to secure those 

 engaged in felonious pursuits, he only laughed and said it was 

 preferable to make a noise and frighten the criminal away rather 

 than be troubled with him and perhaps come off second best. 

 So saying he passed on, giving the rattle an extra loud turn to 

 emphasise his views on the subject. 



I gave a dinner to the missionaries, and with some of the 

 champagne presented to me by the Chinese officials and a couple 

 of bottles of port I managed to buy in the town, it had quite a 

 diner de gala air about it. We discussed most subjects, and 

 from them I learnt a good deal, for there are probably no more 

 intelligent observers in all Turkistan. 



I also dined several times with the Cossack Captain, and he 

 insisted on my lunching with them the day of my departure 

 from Kulja. He had also returned my call in full uniform when 

 I first arrived in Kulja, and appeared a fine looking figure, in 

 the becoming dress of the Siberian Cossacks, with an Astrakhan 

 hat of large dimensions. He was a very strict disciplinarian, 

 and whilst I was in Kulja punished two of his men for being found 

 intoxicated in the bazaars by an award of five hours' pack drill 

 per day for two weeks. This must have caused them to think 

 a little and ponder on the respective merits and demerits of 

 having a spree when sucli deserts awaited them. 



During my stay in the town one of the Russian Aksakals, of 

 whom there are three, was about to celebrate the marriage of 

 his daughter, and Karovin took me to the house in order that 

 we might view the preparations for the happy event The 

 Aksakal's residence stood in its own grounds and was enclosed 

 by a wall, with a large entrance gate in front. On the roof of a 



309 



