ARRIVAL IN YARKAND, ETC. 
137 
remarkably fine animals. During the Chinese rule 
males were extensively bred; but this has now been 
entirely given up. The Governor of Yarkand 
showed us some very neatly-made country carts with 
very high wheels ; and in one of these a couple of 
mules were yoked. These were the only mules I saw 
in the country. Horse-flesh is eaten, but I know not 
if it is considered a delicacy. 
The cattle, as I have said, want the Indian hump, 
and are as a rule poor-looking animals. They do not 
seem to be often fed for slaughter, but are chiefly 
used as beasts of burden and for ploughing. 
Yaks' flesh is largely used as food ; it has a very 
high colour, and is said to be rather coarse. Yaks 
are not usually brought to the plains, in summer at 
least, except to be slaughtered. Most of the ropes in 
use are made of yaks' hair. Goats are not very com- 
mon, and the few I saw had for the most part horns 
with only one curve straight backwards, like the ibex, 
and not the spiral twist of the markhor horns. 
Mutton seems to be the staple animal food, and 
mutton fat is used for making large dip candles about 
two inches in diameter. Every soldier is said to have 
meat at least once a day. The sheep we saw were of 
a remarkably fine breed. They are usually without 
horns, or have only very short ones ; most of them 
are white, with chestnut faces, and all have a slightly 
enlarged tail. The ears of both the sheep and cattle, 
and I think of the goats also, are short and erect ; not 
long and pendulous, as in the Indian breeds. The 
wool of the sheep is long and fine, which is re- 
markable in such a dry climate ; but probably most 
of them come from the Kirghiz pastures, where 
