manner by them. A European in the employ of the Chinese heard of this, brought it to the notice of the Russian minister at Pekin, and I believe their release was obtained, but not before they had undergone the most fearful sufferings from hunger and imprisonment in foul, pest-stricken dungeons. I have often wondered whether my hearty, good-natured guest was. one of them.
Besides the native town of Hami, there is also a Chinese walled town, about six hundred yards square, with four gateways, each surmounted by a massive tower.
Sir Henry Howorth, the author of the " History of the Mongols," asked me on my return whether I had noticed. any old ruins at Hami. All the country round Hami is covered with ruins, but mostly of mud-constructed buildings, the age of which it is impossible to conjecture. I did not look out for anything special, and the only remarkable ruins I remember were those of what appeared to be an old temple with a dome of green glazed tiles.
We halted four days at Hami, and made a new start for Kashgar—the second great stage of the journey—on July 8.. It appeared that carts could be taken the whole way, so camels were no longer required, and I was fortunate in being able to effect an excellent arrangement with my " boy " Liu-san, by which he engaged to land me at Kashgar by contract on a certain date. I was to be regarded as a piece of merchandise to be carted from one place to the other, and he was to undertake the whole of the arrangement. He was to land me and my baggage at Kashgar in forty days, and was to be paid seventy taels (about ßi7 ios.) here at Hami, and thirty taels. more if we reached Kashgar in that time. He was to receive two taels extra for every day in advance of that time, and two taels would be deducted for every day more than the forty days. This arrangement fully answered my expectations. The money which was to be made for transport went into
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