KUCHAR. l8l 



enjoyed a couple of days of each other's com- 

 pany, and then I went on towards Kalmuk, while 

 Bower started to hunt stags in the jungle beyond 

 Shah Yar. 



On my -way I broke my journey at Charcken 

 and Kuchar. At the latter, unfortunately, it was 

 market-day, the place crowded, and all the serais 

 full and dirty, until at last I came to the An- 

 digami serai i.e., one frequented by Russian 

 Turkistan traders from that place. The Malik 

 immediately showed me to an excellent apart- 

 ment, which he had built as a house of prayer, 

 and also to place at the disposal of any distin- 

 guished visitors. He treated me right royally, 

 giving me the best he had, and begged to be 

 allowed to cook a meal for me. Also, as he 

 spoke Chinese, he offered to take my passport 

 to the Amban the following day ; for as it was a 

 big day with the Chinese, he would be drunk, 

 and incapable of transacting business. I was 

 quite ready to stay in such good quarters for 

 one day. And the following, fortunately for me, 

 was a case of " the same drunk as yesterday " 

 with the great man ; so visits and presents, of 

 which of a suitable kind I was running short, were 

 dispensed with. 



