OF EASTERN TURKESTAN. 59 
27th.—Sanju.—Our road to-day from Kewis lay along the 
course of the Sanju stream in a broad sort of valley with only 
low banks on each side. As we rode alone the view rather 
reminded one of Baramulla in Kashmir, only I could satisfy my- 
self that at last we had got out of the mountains. It seems 
to me that I entered the hills, from the Indian side, at Barakau 
on the 25th of June last; that I reached the ‘top’ on the 
Depsang plains on the 14th of this month; and that to-day 
I have emerged on the Central Asian side of ‘the hills into the 
plains of Eastern Turkestan. I cannot believe that I have 
crossed more than one great system of mountains, whatever 
endless sub-divisions into ranges Geographers may choose 
to adopt. 
As we approached Sanju our eyes were gladdened by the 
sight of cultivated fields, neat hamlets and jolly looking Turk 
peasants. And as to Sanju itself! trees, green fields, and 
human habitations! It seemed to me, after my experience of 
the mountains, to be the most lovely and fertile place I had 
ever seen. The Beg (or Governor) of Sanju met us on the 
road and great were the hand-shakings and interchanges of 
complimentary speeches. The Beg had gone over to “India 
a few years ago, and I believe got as far as Lahore: he seemed 
to be astonished that he had not met me there! When we 
reached Sanju we found a lot of carpets spread out for us 
under a fine old walnut tree, and, of course, we had a splendid 
dastarkhwan on the spot. The birds I noticed to-day were: 
the White-rumped Magpie (Pica bactriana), near Kewis only; 
Wactails (Motacilla ANE ?); Galerita magna, numerous about 
Sanju; the Black Crow (Corvus culminatus) ; thousands of young 
Sparrows (Passer montanus) flying up from the corn fields 
into the trees ; several Kestrels (innunculus alaudarius) ; and 
the Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops). 
28¢h.— Halt at Sanju.—Our camp here is on a grassy green, 
which slopes down to the stream behind us. There is a long 
wall in front of my tent which separates us from a cluster of 
houses all built of unburnt bricks or mud. Sanju seems to 
be a sort of district. rather than a town; the houses and hamlets 
extend along the course of the stream for six or seven miles ; 
the Beg’s house here is a large building with a courty ard in 
front, and, for the place, looks quite imposing. ‘The elevation of 
Sanju is, I find, 6,302 feet above the sea, and the weather is 
at present delightful : 61° F. at noon to-day and minimum 
last night 42°5. The place abounds in trees : Poplars, Wal- 
nuts, Willows and Eleagnus, the latter being simply loaded 
with fruit (Trebizond dates). There are smiling fields in every 
direction, corn, Indian hemp, barley and Indian corn ; the 
