National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

parts and mechanics that YANG had asked for were now in Urumchi, and enquired whether he would not be satisfied with three cars, so that the fourth might be placed at the disposal of the expedition. Without even hesitating he replied that all car traffic was a monopoly of the government, and that no private persons could be permitted to possess cars. However, one car would always be kept ready for our disposal, but we must in each special case send in an application for it.

I afterwards tried this excellent plan on three separate occasions, but as the car either did not come at all, or else arrived an hour too late, I desisted from further attempts to make use of CHIN'S proposal.

From CBaN's yamen we drove to the house of the Minister for Industries, YEN, a genial and kindly old gentleman, who had sat nearest YANG at the bloody dinner of July 7th and been hit by four bullets, two of which still remained in his body. In course of time YEN became one of my special friends. Kuomintang and the new ideas were as foreign to him as to nearly all the Sinkiang officials; but the new flag waved everywhere.

DISQUIETING RUMOURS FROM THE KANSU FRONTIER

On October 17th CH'EN CHI-SHAN, the Foreign Minister, came with a letter from CHIN, in which the latter declared that Kansu troops had reached Anhsi and that two thousand men were concentrated in Tun-huang. After the Tungan revolt in Kansu, and after the defeat of the rebels at Liangchow, large numbers of armed fugitives were expected at any moment to invade the country round about Lop-nor and Charkhliq These regions had therefore been declared as war-zones, and no travellers were allowed to go there. The permit that had been granted to NORIN and HASI,UND to work in the Quruq-tagh and around Qara-shahr respectively was thus withdrawn, and they were to be recalled at once.

Three days later we had a new letter from CHIN, in which he declared categorically that Sm, Hr EL and I could not be permitted to travel in the eastern parts of Eastern Turkistan, since warlike developments were to be expected there.

We immediately betook ourselves to CH'EN, the Foreign Minister, and demanded an explanation. We showed him on the map that our plan of campaign did not include the so-called war-zone at all. He agreed with us and said he would speak with CHIN. But we found that he had not the courage to speak out openly to CHIN and that we had little to expect from him. NORIN and HASLUND, however, were to be allowed to continue with their researches. This was strange, for only a few days before we had been told that they must be recalled. It was evidently difficult to get clear answers from the authorities. Their irresolution and their shuffling tactics gave an impression of panic.

26