Across the Roof of the World. 



not sufficient for a Chinaman. In the end matters reached such 

 a stage he was dismissed and sent to offer explanations to the 

 Governor-General. This must have been effected to their mutual 

 satisfaction for he is now back again in his former post. 



At Suidun I was informed that shortly before my arrival the 

 Amban in Charge of the troops had been directed from Pekin to 

 submit a report on the musketry training of those under his 

 command. He therefore paraded the garrison in the courtyard 

 of his Yamen, where the gallant soldiery blazed off their ammuni- 

 tion in the air, the while his Excellency sat down and smoked 

 the pipe of peace. At the close of this instructive course of 

 training the latest thing in musketry returns went in and an 

 indent for more ammunition ! 



The country north of Suidun through Borotala, and past the 

 great Ebi Nor to Chuguchak is more or less uninhabited, with the 

 exception of the nomad Kazaks, who are found in the sheltered 

 valleys to the north of the Ebi Nor. It therefore became neces- 

 sary to lay in a stock of stores and provisions to suffice until I 

 should reach Chuguchak, since there would be nothing obtainable 

 in the interim. These consisted of vegetables, tea, sugar, rice, 

 dried fruits, and various other articles together with Turkistan 

 bread made of white flour, which, when hard, makes good eating 

 and can be carried great distances without deterioration. 



Everything having been satisfactorily arranged I left Suidun 

 on November 17th, and marched 15 miles to Lutsukou. The 

 Chinese and Russian roads run together for the first four miles 

 when they branch off, the former continuing on past Lake Sairam 

 and eastward to Urumchi, Hami and Pekin, the latter to Khargos, 

 on the Russo-Chinese frontier, Vierny and Tashkend. The 

 Chinese road, the one I followed as far as the Sairam Nor, is in 

 a fair state of repair, and there are karauls, or guard houses at 

 intervals, where the small escort accompanying one is changed. 



I put up in a small house outside the village of Lutsakou, 

 and in the evening sallied forth to look for duck, of which there 

 was said to be a few on some ponds near by. I discovered duck 



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