696 
THROUGH ASIA 
had nothing more to do except to strike camp and return 
home. 
Stay, I am wrong, there was still one thing to be done. 
The two Commissions had been at work together some 
three months in all. It was inconceivable that they should 
separate, perhaps never to meet again, without dining- 
together in each camp in turn. To these high and solemn 
functions I, although strictly maintaining my neutrality, 
was cordially invited ; and as public dinners are something 
of a rarity in exploration journeys in Central Asia, I 
did not scruple to sacrifice two more days to the pleasure 
of taking part in them. 
The dinner in the Russian camp took place on 
September i ith. General Gerard and I were given the 
places of honour on the right and left respectively of our 
host. My more than plain travelling-suit, which was 
moreover woefully . threadbare, and which had never at 
any time been guilty of possessing such superfluities as 
collar and cuffs, presented a glaring contrast to the full- 
dress uniforms of all the generals, colonels, captains, and 
diplomatic agents — ^laces of the general staff, scarlet 
facings, gold braids, orders and medals for valour from 
the campaign in Turkestan, the Russo-Turkish War, 
Burma, Chitral, Afghanistan. But then, when I left 
Kashgar, I had not the remotest idea that that summer 
excursion was to bring me into contact with such di.s- 
tinguished company, and therefore had brought no suitable 
clothes with me. However, I kept up my courage ; and 
the warriors flattered me by saying that my journey across 
the desert was a stiffer piece of work than many a hard 
campaign. 
And then the surprises that were in store for us, real 
paradoxes of circumstance, when you call to mind that 
all this happened at the foot of the Hindu-kush in the 
centre of Asia! The sakuska, or ante-table of Russian 
usage, consisted of caviar, preserved meats, Swiss cheese, 
pdt^-de-fois-gras, and almost every conceivable delicacy, 
whilst for dinner we were served, amongst other courses, 
with crayfish soup, lobster mayonnaise, asparagus, and 
