210 
THROUGH ASIA 
deal of vivacity of manner, at once a smart and cautious 
diplomatist. As soon as they learned of my intention to 
make an attempt to climb Mus-tagh-ata, they objected to 
Kul Mametieff going with me, on the ground that he was 
a subject of Russia. But when I showed them my pass, 
and the letter I carried from Shu King Sheng, the Chinese 
ambassador at the Court of St. Petersburg, addressed to 
the Dao Tai of Kashgar, they withdrew their opposition, 
but stipulated that, immediately we came down from the 
mountain, Kul Mametieff should take the shortest road 
back to the Russian Pamirs. On the other hand a Kirghiz 
allik-bashi, a non-commissioned officer who nominally com- 
manded fifty men, was bidden go back at once, having no 
pass. I then proposed to send Rehim Bai on a camel 
direct to Kashgar, for his illness was assuming a critical 
phase, and he was in urgent need of rest and comfortable 
quarters. But to this Tura Kelldi Savgan would not 
agree ; for if, said he, Rehim Bai were to die on the road, 
his death would involve the Chinese authorities in 
difficulties. It was only by promising to return to 
Bulun-kul when I came back from my ascent of Mus-tagh- 
ata, and not make for Kashgar by any other route, that I 
finally succeeded in overcoming the last of their scruples. 
Even then I had to leave behind in their hands one of my 
men as a hostage, together with one- half of my baggage. 
This compact made, 1 announced that it was my intention 
to return their visit without delay ; but both officers 
declared, that they had no authority to admit a European 
inside the fort in the absence of the commandant, Jan 
Darin, who had gone to Kashgar. But Jan Darin would 
soon return, they said. 
In this laborious way we parleyed backwards and for- 
wards for five mortal hours. When at last they rose to go, 
I thought to make a good impression upon them by 
presenting them with a Tula kinshal (dagger) and a silver 
drinking-cup. They protested, it was not at all the right 
thing for me to offer them presents after such a reckerckd 
dastarkhan ; that it ought to be the other way on, seeing 
that I was their guest. But in the end they suffered them- 
