698 
THROUGH ASIA 
At the close of dinner yet another surprise awaited us. 
Immediately outside the bounds of the camp a huge pile of 
faggots and other indammable materials had been built up ; 
—curiously enough, the fuel had all been fetched for the 
purpose from Kanjut on the other side of the Hindu-kush. 
As soon as dinner was over, the bonfire was lighted ; and 
its leaping flames lit up with weird effect the barren steppe 
and white tents which dotted it. Then representatives of 
the different races comprised in the English escort came 
forward one after the other and gave an exhibition of 
their several national dances. Amongst these perhaps 
the most striking was a sw’ord-dance, which produced 
a somewhat startling effect in the red light of the bonfire. 
We watched the spectacle from a semicircle of camp-chairs, 
whilst turbaned servants handed round punch and other 
refreshments. 
Early on the morning of September 13th we were all 
photographed together in one big group by the Indian 
pundits. After that came the hand-shaking and the “ good- 
byes.” The Englishmen went off towards the south, 
intending to travel to Kashmir and India via the Darkot 
pass ; whilst the Russians turned their steps towards the 
north. General Gerard, wEo was going to England across 
Russia, accompanied his Russian colleague. Lieutenant 
Miles, who was stationed m Gilgit, was likewise given 
permission to go with the Russian Commissioners as far 
as Fort Pamir. That day we only travelled 14^ miles, 
as far as the Kirghiz aul of Ak-tash. Here we pitched 
our tents, and spent another right pleasant afternoon 
together. 
General Pavalo-Shveikovsky pressed me to accompany 
him all the way to Margelan. But that I could not do ; 
it would have taken me too far away from the scene of 
my labours. Not that it would not have been especially 
interesting to travel for a whole month across the Pamirs 
under such unique circumstances, as well as to witness the 
great reception which I knew awaited the English general 
in Margelan. He was to be met outside the town by a 
bevy of maidens, clad in white, who would scatter flowers 
