142 FROM YARKAXD TO AKSU. 



and was told that it was on account of the 

 difficulty there was in some parts in getting 

 water to make the bricks of which they were 

 constructed. This was considered quite a 

 sufficient reason in Turki eyes ! 



My first halt was at a village called Terrek 

 Langar, and my guide found a mud hovel, about 

 10 feet square, which was to be my domicile, out 

 of which we first had to eject some goats. It 

 was certainly not very pretentious, but answered 

 my purpose well enough, having the usual little 

 fireplace, where a blaze soon made things cheery ; 

 and I thoroughly enjoyed a quiet evening, after 

 the perpetual fuss and bother of Yarkand. 



The ponies worked admirably, and did their 

 eighteen miles in five hours. So far the country 

 was open here and there tracks of sandhills, and 

 low scrub jungle, out of which we put up some 

 pheasants. 



We came upon a party of natives mounted on 

 ponies, some of them having big brown eagles 

 on their wrists, hooded and jessed like the ordin- 

 ary falcon. They told me they were going to 

 hunt the jeran antelope. I should have much 

 liked to join them, but having a twenty -mile 

 march before me, could not spare the time. 



