THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
pursue or persecute them. The majority of travellers go to the Chinese 
side because it is simpler, no special passports are necessary, and they 
know the ground by means of the accounts of previous travellers. Were 
they to attempt a sporting expedition in the Russian Tian Shan, even 
if they obtained permission, they would have to spend much time in trying 
the possibilities of new districts and risk experiencing disappointment. 
At the present moment the Russian Tian Shan is not open to British 
travellers. It lies within the jurisdiction of the Governor -General of 
Turkestan, and even with the special permit which the traveller must 
obtain in order to visit and pass through Russian Turkestan, he will not 
be allowed to go off the railways and the post roads. The hunter who 
visits the Chinese Tian Shan will pass for 800 miles along the foot of the 
mountains in the Russian sphere before arriving at his destination, which 
is, in nearly every case, the town of Kuldja, in the Ili Valley, a few short 
stages across the Russo -Chinese frontier. Kuldja lies on the northern 
side of the range, and it is only the northern side of the watershed which 
is game country, hence the importance of this town in the itinerary of 
any traveller in these regions. Whether he comes direct from Europe or 
works his way northwards from the plains of India, his goal is probably 
the same. At the present moment it is the only one to be recommended, 
unless the object of the expedition is to explore new country. 
It is possible to reach Kuldja from England in about twenty days. The 
period is necessarily elastic, for the last 800 miles is by post road, 
consequently the season of the year, the state of the tracks and the 
supply of horses obtainable have to be taken into account. The route leads 
by rail or sea to Moscow or Petrograd, thence by rail through Oren- 
burg to Tashkent. There may be details of stores or money affairs to be 
arranged in this capital of Turkestan, otherwise some time may be saved 
by leaving the railway at the wayside station close to Chimkent, for from 
here the post road leads direct towards the Ili. It is, roughly, ten to fifteen 
days’ “ posting ” to Kuldja, but in early spring or early winter it may 
take still longer. A special permit, obtainable through the Embassy at 
Petrograd, is necessary in order to pass through Russian Turkestan. An 
ordinary passport is of no advantage in Russian Central Asia, and any 
traveller without special permission can be refused admittance. In the 
same way the importation of arms and ammunition has to be provided for 
by a request for a permit to bring in so many guns or rifles of such a 
calibre and so much ammunition. In forwarding requests for permits 
134 
