448 SOUTHERN DZUNGARIA 



6,000 ft. pass, and a pass of only 3,500 ft. lies between 

 Urumchi and Turfan, yet the higher pass is the more 

 easily approached from either side. 



A misadventure during the first day's journey from 

 Urumchi, the loss of a tent-bale, which fell off the cart, 

 and was apparently stolen from the road before our 

 men could pick it up, as well as the attempt on the 

 morrow, made b}^ a member of our escort, to steal one 

 of our horses, showed that, even close to the capital, no 

 great amount ot law and order prevailed. In former 

 days this road was feared by Chinamen on account of 

 highwaymen and thieves, and even now it is customary 

 for foreign travellers to be provided with an escort of two 

 mounted men, road-guards, who are picketed at intervals 

 along the route, and are responsible for the safety of 

 travellers over their particular portion. The danger, 

 however, is more imaginary than real, owing to the prompt 

 action taken at the start by the Chinese officials. Their 

 method of dealing with the robbers was most effective, 

 for they immediately hamstrung those they caught. 

 The pickets are supplied from the Kalmuk reserves, or 

 the Chinese rabble, in accordance with the Chinese 

 principle that ** you do not turn good men into soldiers 

 any more than you make nails out of good iron." 



Skirting close under the foot-hills of the massive 

 Bogdo-ola Range, across unbroken snow-fields, we passed 

 onwards to Guchen, which we reached in three days of 

 actual travelling from Urumchi. 



Guchen, or Ku-ching — the ancient town — appeared to 

 be a large and busy place, which might be described as 

 the " port " of Urumchi, for it entirely owes its existence 

 to the position it holds as the terminus of all trans- 

 Gobi trade. Here, the overland trade from Kalgan and 



