2i6 
THROUGH ASIA 
crumbled away, and we were obliged to scramble down as 
best we could, and ride through the water along the ridge 
of commingled ddh'is and gravel. On the south of the 
lake we struck into the broad valley watered by the stream 
Su-bashi, where large herds of shaggy yaks were busy 
plucking the young spring grass. In the meantime the 
wind had quickened up into a veritable storm. Dense 
clouds of dust and sand, and even fine particles of abraded 
rock, blew straight into our faces, with such violence that 
we were sometimes compelled to stand still and turn our 
backs to the storm. When we came to the fort that 
guards the valley, we found the Chinese as busy as bees 
unpacking and inspecting a fresh consignment of stores 
which had just come in for the garrison. But we were 
met by a stalwart horseman, Togdasin Beg, chief of the 
Kirghiz of Su-bashi. He received me politely and in a 
friendly spirit, and conducted me to his large and hand- 
somely appointed yurt. This man subsequently became 
one of my best friends amongst the many I made in 
Asia. 
As soon as we got our tent in order, we were honoured 
by a stream of visitors, who kept coming all the evening. 
First there were all the Kirghiz of the neighbourhood. 
Then we had the Chinese soldiers of the garrison, amongst 
them some Dungans (Chinese Mohammedans). All the 
sick too of the valley came to me begging for medicine. 
One old woman said she had the Kokand sickness. 
Another patient suffered from toothache. A third had 
a pain in his nose. One of the Dungan soldiers ex- 
perienced an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach when 
a storm was blowing. And so they went on. I treated 
them one and all in the same simple fashion, by pre- 
scribing for each alike a small dose of quinine. And 
on the principle that the bitterer the remedy the more 
efficacious it is — a principle which is thoroughly believed 
in by all Asiatics — they went away universally satisfied. 
The next day we were entertained at tea by the notables 
of the Kirghiz auls and by certain of the Chinese soldiers. 
In the evening Togdasin Beg came to my tent by invita- 
