A LENGTHY BARGAIN. 227 



and from eight to ten days' caravanning to the 

 upper reaches of the Oriyaas stream, and in from 

 six weeks to two months after leaving London the 

 sportsman will find himself camped in the cream 

 of his shooting. 



The prospect of securing transport speedily at 

 Kulja is dependent on the demand and supply of 

 horses. There is a caravan route from Kashgar 

 which passes by the town of Aksu over the Muzart 

 Pass, and through Tekkes to Kulja, and it was 

 from a caravan - hashi who had travelled up along 

 this route that I obtained my ponies. I offered 

 him twenty roubles a -month per pony — excellent 

 pay, since after reaching the Oriyaas river they 

 would have little to do except rest and grow fat 

 on the rich pasturage on the river-banks. The man, 

 however, was a true Oriental, and having ascer- 

 tained that there were very few ponies in the 

 town, promptly demanded thirty, finally, with great 

 magnanimity, saying that as I was no doubt anxious 

 to proceed without undue loss of time, he would clinch 

 a bargain, and supply me with ponies at twenty-five 

 roubles a-head per month. I metaphorically kicked 

 him out of the house, and told him that he might 

 come back when he came to his senses, when I 

 might possibly still be willing to offer him twenty 

 roubles. He smiled and went, and the days passed, 

 and any morning I might see him idling contentedly 

 in the bazaar, but he made no attempt to renew 

 negotiations. I think I knew all along in my heart 

 of hearts the fatuity of any European attempting 

 to compete with an Asiatic in a game of waiting ! 

 The keep of his horses cost him nothing, — indeed 

 they lived sumptuously on the luxuriant vegetation 

 of the Hi valley, — his last journey had brought him 



