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LEH. 



busy writing after breakfast, preparing letters, and bring- 

 ing up journal to this point, when consciousness of some 

 one near me caused me to look up, and there stood 

 Suleiman, Catechist. I was delighted to see him. He 

 had preceded my baggage, being mounted. He was well, 

 and reported well of my other people, animals and property. 

 He had distributed nearly all the books in Sirinuggur, 

 both to Cashmiries and others : he had once been all but 

 involved in a serious disturbance, some bigoted mussul- 

 man, with whom he was disputing, having denounced him 

 as an enemy of the faith, worthy of death. But a pundit, 

 whose friendship he had happily acquired, interfered, 

 and peace was restored. 



There was heavy rain in the afternoon ; such a down- 

 pour is very rare here. My things did not arrive until 

 five ; my two tattoos in fair condition, considering the 

 journey and privations endured in such a country. Little 

 Fan, thin and amazed, did not recognise me : her three 

 pups are thriving. I received some letters, and lots of 

 papers ; favourable reports of all my property from the 

 sirdar. 



About dinner time Bella Shah was announced, and 

 with him a propitiatory 'nuzzur' of sugar candy and 

 dried fruit. We had a long conversation, in the course of 

 which he confirmed the account given by Basti Ram of the 

 fate of poor Schlagentweit ; and again gave me glowing 

 accounts of the abundance of yak on the other side the 

 Karakorum range. Most exciting were his reminiscences. 

 He laughed at the idea of danger from the Yarkandies ; 

 who, he said, came constantly to hunt the yak, taking 

 the flesh back to Yarkand for sale. He declared that, 

 far from interfering with me, if I offered them a rupee or 

 so, they would shew me the best grounds, and assist me 

 in my hunting. He said that the Yarkand people would 



