178 TO THE SHAYAK. 



appeared descending from a slope close by, headed by 

 their owner, a Yarkand merchant, whom we hastened to 

 greet, and to overwhelm with questions. He was a jolly, 

 good-humoured old man, of a ruddy countenance, and 

 readily entered at large into conversation, detailing his 

 journey, the obstacles met with, &c. First of all, the yak 

 were met with in great herds two or three days' journey 

 beyond the Karakorum. Of this there was no doubt. But 

 there was a band of freebooters, some two hundred strong, 

 somewhere on the Yarkand road, lying in wait for mer- 

 chants. He had evaded them ; but he did not know 

 what had befallen other merchants who were to leave 

 Yarkand about the same time : of them he had heard 

 nothing. He gave us most valuable information of the 

 road to follow, the places to halt at, and certain spots 

 where the yak would certainly be found ; in describing 

 which he mentioned one at the ziarat, or shrine, erected 

 where the marble and alabaster were quarried, with which 

 Shah Jehan, and other of the Mogul emperors, constructed 

 the magnificent edifices, palatial and sepulchral, which 

 still adorn Delhi and Agra, to the astonishment and ad- 

 miration of all. This was news to me, as I had fancied 

 that the place whence this material had been procured 

 was quite unknown. It is an interesting spot to visit, let 

 alone the yak there frequenting. The old gentleman told 

 me he had some gold coins bearing the stamp, and date 

 corresponding, of Alexander the Great. These he had 

 got at great expense, and I understood him expressly for 

 some saheb in the Punjab where he is going. 



I bought some felt nambas of him to serve as blankets 

 for my servants and shikarries, and for myself, paying 

 1. 8 rupees Cos. each, and two rupees for a red one of 

 superior fabrique, but damaged. I endeavoured to deal 

 with him for a couple of his ill-conditioned, raw-backed, 



