TRIALS OF THE ROAD 265 



were stronger in artillery. Some of the rebels were 

 beheaded after the battle, the remainder being sent 

 in chains to Ti-hua. All the rifles I saw seemed 

 to be old, about '350 in the bore, using lead paper- 

 wrapped bullets, with Mauser action. One cartridge 

 I examined, evidently recapped, was dated 1877. 



It was still cold, and the inns, however rough, 

 gave shelter and a certain amount of warmth. 

 One night, in a very small room, we had stoked 

 up the 'kang and retired to rest. I woke about 

 3 a.m. feeling as though I were being roasted 

 alive. The 'kang was stoked from the outside, 

 and I was sleeping next the window. On investi- 

 gating matters I discovered that the dried mud 

 composing our bedstead was nearly red-hot below 

 my feet. Indeed, the straps of my bedding were 

 charred to a cinder, and how the canvas escaped 

 was a marvel. Shortly after leaving Shi-hu we 

 arrived at our night's resting-place, to find the 

 whole of the only available inn occupied, and 

 tents, horses, and all the impedimenta of troops on 

 the march strewing the ground. It appeared that 

 reinforcements were on their way from Chuguchak, 

 so we had to make the best of our carts for the 

 night. It was a pretty sight as we dropped down 

 from a ridge into the valley to see the tents 

 gleaming in the fading light, the camels ostenta- 

 tiously finishing their evening meal, the horses, 

 donkeys, and the rough-looking soldiery. The 

 aesthetic sense, however, was rather damped when 

 we viewed the filthy little room, occupied by 

 eight or nine men, which was the only dining-room 

 we could secure. The old opium-smoker who was 

 supposed to look after the telegraph poles anomal- 



