UYOUNG. 53 



all the way. The mist, which had hung over all 

 for the last few days, now cleared off, and we 

 were able to see what was before us. We seemed 

 to be crossing the base of spurs that ran down 

 from the high mountain region to our south or 

 west. To the north and east appeared the desert 

 plains of this part of Turkistan, and a very deso- 

 late country it looked. It was quite late in the 

 evening when, on emerging from a close gorge 

 which we had followed for the last two miles, we 

 came suddenly into a valley exactly similar to the 

 Tisnaf, and camped at a village called Uyoung, 

 which we made out to be about the same altitude 

 as the last. We had no sooner got there than 

 the headman came and said that during our stay 

 we must be his guests, that he would supply us 

 with all we wanted, and prayed of us to halt the 

 next day. This we decided to do, for the march 

 of twenty-six miles had been very hard on the 

 ponies, owing to heat and want of water. 



We had many visitors and presents of fruit, 

 &c., during the day. Our host was most kind, 

 and asked permission to entertain our servants at 

 a duster khan > consisting -of tea-bread and sweet- 

 meats, in his house ; for which we thanked him, 

 and said we also should pay him a visit, which 



