BOWERS DIFFICULTY. 129 



mine, he did not see how he was to get on at 

 all, unless the Amban of Yarkand would give 

 him one. The situation was extremely awkward, 

 as I had been instructed by the Minister at Pekin 

 to be very careful while in the country, and to 

 show that I was travelling for my own pleasure 

 and in no way doing any political work. The 

 arrival of the moonshi and jemadar from Leh 

 might arouse suspicions, and it was impossible 

 for Bower to explain to the Amban that he 

 had simply come to catch Dad Mahomed, as 

 the murderer was at large, and had friends 

 among the Pathan merchants in most of the 

 towns, who would at once give him notice if 

 it transpired what he was after. His where- 

 abouts was not known, reports being of the 

 vaguest : some said Russian Turkistan, and 

 others Kalmutz on the frontiers of China. Al- 

 together, we thought it rather a wild - goose 

 chase ; but, having undertaken it, Bower said 

 he would try his best. I, on the other hand, 

 had come to shoot, and did not intend to waste 

 my time. Bower decided that, failing the Am- 

 ban, he would go to the Dotai, or governor, 

 of Kashgaria, explain the matter to him, and 

 ask for a passport ; whilst I proceeded by the 



