victory over a handful of hunted Tungans, I am unable to say. Here however it may be as well to place on record the incident alluded to, which took place in this valley. In the year 1896 the Tungans of the Si-ning region revolted against the Chinese, but were defeated, and large numbers of them were massacred. A considerable body however fled westwards, and of these people I saw the trail whilst journeying from Tsajdam by way of the Kökö-nor to Si-ning. Upon approaching Ja-ma-tschan they were met by a Chinese force sent from Sa-tscheo to intercept them. There was a fight, in the course of which several Tungans were killed, and others taken prisoners; they were too ill armed to have any chance of successfully resisting the Chinese. After the prisoners were seized, some 500 of the fugitives,
abandoning their dead, continued their flight towards Ku-schui-cha. Many of this body were women and children; they were accompanied by camels, horses, and mules, which they used partly as riding animals, partly as beasts of burden ; but these they were obliged to slaughter as they proceeded, for they had no other food-supply. The Chinese authorities in Tscharklik, instigated by those of Sa-tscheo, sent scouts up into the Astin-tagh, namely a Chinaman, a Tungan, and three Mussulmans — Islam Ahun, Erke Dschan, and an elder brother of Nias Baki Bek of Kum-tschapghan. These men were caught by the Tungans. Erke Dschan and the Chinaman were put to death at Ku-schui-cha, but the bones of the former were later on fetched down and buried at Kum-tschapghan. The Tungan was killed at Dschobulak and Islam Ahun at Kosch-bulak. Whilst this Tungan revolt was in progress the Chinese were fully prepared for further disturbances in East Turkestan. For instance a small garrison was stationed in the fort at Jurt-tschapghan and another at Basch-kurghan. When the 500 fugitives at length reached the latter post, they
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