HAMI, OR KUMUL 473 



that there are certain marked differences, the cause 

 of which can easily be traced to radical changes in the 

 lives of the people, but on the whole the people are 

 the same ; they remain as an interesting proof of the 

 stagnating effect of living in the far-away and secluded 

 desert-basins of Central Asia. 



Kumul is still the capital of this same little Khanate 

 *' which was once a kingdom " and which is, in fact, 

 an independent native state — tributary to China, under 

 the direct rule of an hereditary Khan, or Prince. Re- 

 membering, therefore, Marco Polo's remarks about the 

 hospitality of the inhabitants, and knowing that Kumul 

 was sufficiently far away from the " world " to have 

 avoided contamination, we despatched a rider ahead, with 

 orders to deliver our visiting-cards to the Khan. On 

 approaching the first trees of the oasis we found a mes- 

 senger awaiting our arrival who took us in charge and 

 led us to a house especially prepared for our recep- 

 tion. These quarters were situated outside the walls 

 of the town, overlooking the oasis, and with an un- 

 interrupted view of the snow-miountains to the north ; 

 a large walled fruit-garden surrounding the house added 

 to its sense of comfort. 



On arrival, we found a whole retinue of men await- 

 ing our orders ; these unpacked the carts as we sat on the 

 carpeted divan at the end of a cool and exquisitely 

 clean room, drinking green tea brought by the head- 

 servant who had been told off by the Khan to attend to 

 our wants. Other retainers ran to fetch food, fuel, and 

 water ; but before these returned another batch of 

 messengers arrived, bearing the cards of the Khan with 

 inquiries as to the success of our journey and to our 

 comfort ; these messengers brought cart-loads of coal 



