APPENDIX. 
63 
for us, and we were treated to a repast, beginning as usual with fruit and bread, and 
ending with * pilSo * and soup. Our host was not able to join us in the meal, as it 
was fast time ; but he presented himself again afterwards, and seated himself 
with humility on the furthest edge of the carpet, nearer than which nothing could 
induce him to approach. I discovered that he also was related to the saintly 
family, to some member of which, the charge of the Shrine and of the College and 
of the landed estates attached to the Shrine, is always confided. He complained 
that the place had been sacked repeatedly by the Chinese and Kirghiz within the 
last decade, and even its library of old books destroyed. 
Opposite to where we were sitting was an old mosque with carved wooden ceiling 
and pillars, and open, as usual, in front and at one side. When the hour of after¬ 
noon prayer arrived, the Haji, our host, ran off to stop the mu’azzin who was 
going to call to prayers. When asked why he did this, he answered : “ Because I 
fear the English gentlemen may be offended by the sound.” On being assured of 
the contrary, he permitted the prayers to begin, but he could not be induced to go 
and join in them himself until I assured him that I should be pleased if he did. 
He then went up the steps of the mosque with my own Musulman attendants, hut 
between every |prostration he would look round to see whether we were showing 
no signs of displeasure, and would make signals to his pages to keep pouring us out 
more tea. 
On rising to go away I gave him a little gold compass, or “ Qibla-numa,” with 
which he was much pleased, saying that it would enable him to be more exact in 
fixing the direction of Mecca for the new mosques which he was about to build. He 
accompanied us to the outer gate where he parted from us with many salutations. 
This reception by the Chief or Guardian of the most celebrated Shrine in 
Eastern Turkistan, which one might suppose to be a refuge for the conservative 
and religious sentiment of the country, rather belies the usual idea of Musulman 
fanaticism and intolerance in Central Asia, and is of a piece with all my experience 
of Eastern Turkistan. 
