CHAPTER XIX. 
REMINISCENCES OF KASHGAR 
I REMAINED fifty days in Kashgar, waiting till my 
eyes got well. This time I employed in working 
out the results of my journey up to that point, ^ in 
arranging and tabulating my observations, and plotting 
out my maps. The rest was indeed very welcome, in 
fact absolutely necessary. I thoroughly appreciated the 
hospitality of my friend’s house, where I was surrounded 
by all the comforts and conveniences of civilization. 
Consul Petrovsky is the most amiable man in the world, 
in every way a right excellent host. His intellectual 
conversation was as instructive as it was elevating. For 
he is a thorough man of science to his finger-tips. During 
the years he has been stationed at Kashgar he has made 
many discoveries and observations of the greatest value 
for history and archaeology. Some day he intends to 
publish them to the world. His library contains a 
selection of the best books that have been written 
on subjects connected with Central Asia. He has also 
a laboratory fitted with the most costly instruments and 
scientific appliances. It would be absolutely impossible 
to have a better base than Mr. Petrovsky’s house for 
a series of exploring journeys in the interior of Asia. 
I have already described Kashgar and the vicinity in 
my former book, Genotn KhoTCiscin och TtiTkestan. Suffice 
it therefore to say here, that the old town stood there on 
the banks of the Kizil-su every whit as grey and solitary 
as when I first saw it in 1890. I add however a few 
words about the Europeans and Chinese with whom 
during this visit I was brought into contact. 
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