104 
NARRATIVE. 
rocks cropped out only along tlie highest ridges. 
The fine clay was raised by our yaks in suffocating 
clouds of dust, which obscured the view in all 
directions. On the top of the pass numbers of Ibex 
were seen, and near our camp Chicore partridges were 
very plentiful. We encamped on the banks of the 
Arpalak river, where, finding abundance of grass and 
fuel, we resolved to halt, until we should receive 
from the Governor of Yarkand a reply to the letters 
written from Kitchik Yilak. During the halt of three 
days here, we became better acquainted with the 
Yarkandis and the customs of the country. 
In the afternoon a messenger arrived saying that 
Kasim Akhund, the Begi, or head oflQcial of Zangria, 
a town situate between Guma and Khoten, had come 
to pay his respects to Mr. Forsyth, and present a das- 
tarkhan. The messenger was told we were ready to 
receive his master, and in a few minutes a servant 
came and spread a table-cloth of coloured silk in our 
reception tent. Then came a number of men bearing 
trays of sweetmeats, fruit, bread, &c., and when all 
these had been laid out, the Yarkandis rode up. It 
is the custom at all visits for the visitor to ride, even 
if, as in this case, he has only to come fifty yards ; and 
if a man of any rank, he does not leave the tent until 
his horse is ready at the door. After the visitors are 
all seated inquiries are made after their welfare, on 
which all rise up for an instant, stroke their beards, 
and say, " Alia ho Akbar." The person who is 
receiving the visit then breaks a piece of bread and 
hands a portion to each of the visitors, and then 
invites them all to make themselves at home. Tea is 
afterwards brought in and handed round. The Yar- 
