FROM KULJA TO KUMUL 449 



Kho-Kho-Koto,^ first finds rest after a continuous trek 

 — one long desert stage — of fifteen liundred miles. Here 

 the caravans, which outfitted at the " Blue " city on the 

 northern bend of the Hoang Ho, deposit their loads, and 

 wait until a sufficient quantity of goods has been collected 

 for transport eastwards ; the merchandise they bring 

 being here stored and sorted for further distribution by 

 fresh caravans, which work the transport of the regions 

 westwards of Guchen. 



It is a far cry from the Pacific, or even from the 

 industrial centres of China, to Guchen, yet a sufficient 

 trade exists between them to call a regular caravan- 

 trade into existence and to employ a whole army of men 

 as transport-riders. Far Western China is, in fact, 

 in closer connexion with the European markets by way 

 of Chinese ports than she is bj^ way of Russia. Man- 

 chester goods compete with Russian wares in the bazaars 

 of Urumchi, and it is noteworthy that the goods coming 

 to Sin-Kiang from the east, i.e. from Pekin or the coast, 

 are distinguished by a name which signifies the " Best," 

 as opposed to those which come from the west, or Russia ; 

 Urumchi merchants crack up their wares as coming from 

 the East. Mr. Hunter, of the China Inland Mission, who 

 has resided a long time in the capital, told me that he 

 thought more English goods reach Guchen via Pekin 

 than reach Kashgar via India. It might be supposed that 

 the cost of transport would be prohibitive ; the tariff 

 being, according to Petersen, 20 tael per 167 lb. A 

 camel carries about 500 lb. on such a journey ; the cost 

 would, therefore, run roughly at 60 tael or £6 los. per 

 camel-load ; but the Urumchi merchants charge quite 



^ Ku-ku-koto, or Kou-kou-koto, also called Kwei-huaching, the start- 

 ing-place of the caravans. 



