SEQUEL OF MY DESERT JOURNEY 925 
But I must confess it was not with feelings of unmixecl 
pleasure that I received them back again ; for the recovery 
brought to light the fact that we had fallen amongst 
thieves and traitors. And then began the unfolding of 
a criminal romance which was as disagreeable to me as 
it was complicated in itself, to say nothing of the loss 
of time occasioned by the unravelling of it all. I will 
however tell the story succinctly, partly because it 
illustrates the character of the Mohammedan population, 
as well as the Chinese methods of administering justice. 
Seyd Akhram Bai, aksakal of the West Turkestan 
merchants in Khotan, received the Swedish revolver from 
Yussuf, the merchant who gave water to Islam Bai when 
he lay dying of thirst. Yussuf no doubt meant it as a 
bribe to secure the aksakal’s good-will and silence. But 
the aksakal had been already forewarned by Mr. 
Petrovsky, and so escaped falling into the trap. He 
subjected Yussuf to sharp examination ; and Yussuf finally 
confessed, that he had received the revolver from Togda 
Beg, chief of Tavek-kel. The aksakal gave the weapon to 
Liu Darin, and the latter sent it to the Dao Tai, who 
sent it to me. Yussuf finding that the matter awakened 
a certain amount of interest, thought it prudent to retire 
to Urumchi. Meanwhile the aksakal, hearing nothing 
more of the merchant, sent a spy to Tavek-kel, to keep an 
eye upon Togda Beg and his house. 
Clad in rags, the spy went to Tavek-kel, and played 
his part so well, that Togda Beg took him into his service, 
and put him in charge of a flock of sheep. The man 
roamed about the neighbourhood, performing his duty 
to the complete satisfaction of his new master. His 
wages were very small ; but one day when he went to 
the beg’s house to receive the little that was due to him, 
he made an important discovery. As soon as the beg 
caught sight of him in the doorway, he jumped up and 
prevented him from going in. But the man had already 
seen sufficient ; he saw how the beg, together with our 
three hunters of the Khotan - daria, namely, Ahmed 
Merghen, Kasim Akhun, and Togda Shah, as well as 
