490 KAMI, OR KUMUL 



in the midst of irises and overshadowed by a ring of tall 

 poplars was built a cool pavilion for use during the 

 midsummer heat. 



On our return to the palace we sat down to the real 

 dinner of thirty-courses, served up in Chinese style. 

 We had eaten Chinese dinners before, so the entertain- 

 ment was no novelty ; but the peculiar circumstances 

 under which it was given made it interesting. For^ 

 although our host lived in a Chinese house, entertained 

 us with exact Chinese ceremonial, gave us a Chinese 

 dinner, was dressed himself, as were all his servants, 

 in Chinese costume and wore mock pigtails, yet, on the 

 other hand, there was much in the Khan that was not at 

 all Chinese. The Prince was almost European in features ; 

 he had the dignity, the ease, and the charming manners of 

 a Mohammedan gentleman ; he talked in Turki in the 

 most friendly way, and seemed to understand the aims 

 and objects of wandering Englishmen in Central Asia. 

 His real character showed up in contradiction to all that 

 he had copied from China, when, for example, he would 

 only touch the spirit from a bottle he had opened in our 

 honour, and when he left us half-way through dinner 

 in order to pray at the mosque ! He much wanted to 

 make the pilgrimage to Mecca, but was doubtful of ob- 

 taining the necessary permission from the Emperor of 

 China, perhaps also fearing to leave his people under 

 the present unsettled conditions. He took great pride 

 in showing us the extent of his resources and the variety 

 of his belongings. A crowd of courtiers were on duty in 

 the adjoining room, and at the expression of the slightest 

 wish half a dozen men would cry, " Khosh ! " and hasten 

 to obey his commands. We chanced to ask if he had 

 any falcons, and the falconers appeared as if by magic. 



