624 
THROUGH ASIA 
Islam and Kasim made themselves at home beside 
the usual fire, underneath a third poplar. The shepherds 
quartered themselves with their flocks in the reeds close 
by. Twice a day Pasi Akhun brought me a bowl of 
rich milk and a piece of maize bread, and I had sufficient 
tobacco to last a couple of weeks. The most consummate 
epicure never got richer enjoyment out of life than I did 
during the days that followed ; and yet my lonely life 
in the forest bore not a little resemblance to the existence 
which Robinson Crusoe led on his island. 
May 1 2th. Shortly after one o’clock we perceived a 
small caravan approaching our camp from the north. 
They were advancing along the bed of the river, but were 
still a long way off ; and we impatiently awaited their 
arrival. Islam and Kasim hastened down to the river- 
side, so as to call to them and guide them to the hut. 
They turned out to be a party of four merchants, belonging 
to Khotan, who left the town of Kucha thirteen days 
earlier. They had gone thither some time before with 
a supply of grapes, which they sold, and with the money 
the grapes fetched they had bought ten horses, some 
donkeys, and a cow, and were now taking the animals 
to Khotan, where they expected to make a good price 
of them. 
They told me, that at Sil, the place where the Yarkand- 
daria was joined bj^ the Khotan-daria, the former river 
contained so much water, that it reached up to the waist of 
a man on horseback. All the way up there were small 
pools in the bed of the Khotan-daria, and failing them, 
it was always easy to get water by digging a well. The 
summer flood was expected in the beginning or middle 
of June ; but it would not attain its maximum volume for 
from one to two months after that. 
We pounced upon these four merchants like hawks, and 
in half an hour bought from them three first-rate horses 
for 750 tengeh (about 5^.), although they had only 
given 600 tengeh (about .^13 15.?.) for them in Kucha. 
Besides that we also bought three pack-saddles and 
bridles, a sack of maize for the horses, a bag of wheat-flour 
