our twenty-one Mongols to their home-tract in Chakhar. In addition to the wages already due to him, which were to be paid out in Kalgan, each Mongol was to receive ninety dollars, a sufficient supply of flour, tea and mutton as well as two hired camels. They were also to take five hundred dollars to ZIMMERMANN and his comrades. However, the Mongols' journey was postponed, as thirty of the caravan-owner's camels were requisitioned for twelve days' transport-service for the military. No merchant caravan is allowed to journey to the east without such a levy. But with the help of the authorities we were able to get better conditions.
I sent off a telegram informing Governor YANG of the arrival of the last column in Hami, thanked him for his hospitality and kindly interest in us and expressed my pleasure at the prospect of soon making his personal acquaintance. I also asked permission for NORIN and BERGMAN to go direct to Lop-nor. In his reply he bade us welcome to Sinkiang. As regards the Lop-nor expeditions, the question was to be settled in Urumchi. It was clear that the governor himself wished to see us before any further steps were taken.
THE MOHAMMEDAN KING
When Professor Sm and I went visiting we were escorted by six soldiers in sheep-skin coats. We went along dusty streets and lanes, between walls, trees and canals to the residence of the Mohammedan king, a palace that combines a blend of Mohammedan and Chinese architectural style and is surrounded by a high mud wall. One enters a spacious hall with rugs, tables and rows of red-upholstered chairs. On the walls hang four huge placards, on which one recognizes the symbols of bliss and of long life. These had been given to the king by the empress dowager on the occasion of his four visits to Peking.
We had scarcely been ushered into a small reception-room before the prince, SHAH MAQSUD, or as he was called by the Chinese, SuA CHING WANG, entered and greeted us most courteously. He was a rather corpulent little man of seventy, with a rubicund complexion, friendly eyes, aquiline nose and snow-white beard. He wore Chinese dress. His dynasty had had Hami as its capital ever since the sixteenth year of K'ANG-xsI (1677). His power was more illusory than real, and strictly speaking he was no more than tolerated by the Chinese. Also in Lukchun, where his son-in-law resided, and in Kucha there were similar Mohammedan »shadow-princes ». The taxes he levied upon the faithful were said to be heavier than those imposed by the Chinese, and he was therefore supposed to be unpopular among the followers of Islam.
His first question referred to Professor VON LE COQ of Berlin, celebrated on account of his epoch-making expeditions to the Turf an tract and other old Buddhist centres in Sinkiang. »Well, I should think I do know LE CoQ! He is one of
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