ARRIVAL IN Y ARK AND, ETC. 
135 
of the sap wood. A circular section of a similar log 
is then fitted in to form a bottom, and the bucket 
is carried by a rope across the top, fastened in 
the same way as in the buckets used on board 
ship. 
Very primitive matches for lighting are made from 
willow wood. A block of this wood, eight inches 
long by three inches across, is split into slices so 
neatly that the bundle of matches, when tied up for 
sale, retains precisely the form of the original block 
of wood. One end is then dipped in sulphur. 
The domestic animals are ponies, which are said to 
come chiefly from Aksu ; they are of a very robust 
build, and extremely hardy, looking like miniature 
English cart-horses ; their price in Yarkand varies 
from about 4/. to 15/. A larger breed of horses come 
from Kokan. All the horses are very docile ; and one 
man, mounted on horseback and flourishing a long 
whip, can drive fifty of them on the march without 
much difiiculty. When thus driven in company - for 
some time, they seem to acquire a great afiection for 
each other ; there are usually one or two which 
the others follow as their leaders, and if the driver 
selects these to ride, the others follow without any 
trouble. On one occasion, on our return journey, when 
one of my Yarkandi horses slipped down a snow slope 
about 200 feet, and although uninjured, had some 
difficulty in extricating himself, two of his stable 
companions showed the greatest anxiety for his safety. 
They could not be induced to proceed until he again 
rejoined them, but ran about in a state of great 
excitement, neighing to their companion below ; and 
when he regained the road they caressed him in the 
