128 YARKAND. 



was in full swing for afternoon and even morn- 

 ing tea is de rigueur in Turkistan. After seeing 

 us settled, Mahomed Unis asked leave to depart, 

 saying he would like to take my passport to the 

 Amban and report our arrival in due form. I 

 gave it, with my compliments to the great man, 

 upon whom we would call on the morrow, if he 

 would receive us. We then cleared the room 

 of visitors, begging them to excuse our apparent 

 rudeness, but we were going to have our mid- 

 day meal, and should be glad to see them at 

 some future time. Having got rid of our visitors 

 and had some lunch, we began to realise that 

 the first period of our wanderings was over, and 

 that we must settle operations for the future, 

 lay in supplies, refit generally, and buy or hire 

 a new team of ponies. 



Then came the question as to Bower's move- 

 ments. By the mail that met us on the road 

 he had received a letter from the Joint -Com- 

 missioner at Leh, asking him to undertake the 

 hunt of Dad Mahomed, the murderer of Dal- 

 gleish, and for this purpose had sent him two 

 men who knew the language of the country, 

 and also funds to defray expenses, but, unfor- 

 tunately, no passport. As he was travelling on 



