DANIEL 175 



with carpets, and the furniture consisted of a small 

 writing-desk, two or three low stools, and a common 

 wooden cupboard carrying an ordinary guinea clock ; 

 in the corner were piled up numerous brass imple- 

 ments of various sizes and shapes, which looked more 

 like instruments of torture than basins and jugs. 

 The gentleman with the peacock feather greeted us 

 warmly, but the conversation under such conditions 

 could hardly be lively, and ended in a complete 

 fiasco. We used all our diplomatic resources to 

 obtain someone acquainted with the region, saying 

 that we were ourselves important people in our 

 country, and that our sovereigns would be very much 

 annoyed if they knew that we had not been treated 

 according to our position, etc. — but all in vain. The 

 constant reply was that he had received no orders 

 from Kobdo. Moreover, after having perused our 

 passports, he told us that he would have to send 

 them to the authorities of that town to be care- 

 fully examined, and that we should be obliged to 

 wait till they were returned, which implied three 

 weeks' stay at the karaoul. Paying no attention 

 to this ultimatum, we solemnly got up, thanked him 

 for his courtesy, and retired with the firm intention 

 of starting on the following day. In this dilemma 

 our new Chinese interpreter Daniel came up to us 



