138 
NARRATIVE. 
the climate is colder and more moist than on the 
plains. 
The Bactrian two-humped camel, with very long 
>shaggy hair, is common on the plains, and is generally 
larger in size than the Indian camel, closely re- 
sembling those brought from Cabul with merchandize, 
except in being of a much lighter colour. The flesh 
of young camels is said to be considered a great deli- 
cacy. We saw abundance of poultry at every village, 
but I never noticed any ducks, either wild or domes- 
ticated. Dogs are not petted in Yarkand ; on the 
contrary, they are ill-treated wherever they appear. 
A few very pretty little Skye terrier-looking dogs 
still remain since the Chinese were expelled, but the 
owners keep them out of sight. Cats are in great 
favour. Wild pigs are said to be plentiful in the 
jungles along the rivers, and pork was eaten even by 
Mahomedans during the Chinese rule, but now the 
very name of the unclean animal must not be men- 
tioned. 
I saw no antelopes, but they were said to be common 
in the desert, where wild camels, lions, and tigers, 
were also said to be occasionally seen ; but the 
Yarkandis are not much given to speak the truth, 
and if any large carnivora exist, I think it probable 
we should have seen some of their skins, being on the 
look-out for them. I believe that quantities of fish 
are caught in the Yarkand river and brought for sale 
to the market, and I saw numbers of small fish in the 
shallows; but although I repeatedly sent ont men with 
nets to capture fish for me, I never succeeded in 
getting any specimens. Tash Khoja promised every 
day to get me fish, but he never fulfilled the promise. 
