Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 137 (Color Image)

0137	Among the Celestials : vol.1

CHAP. y.] DESERT CARAVANS. 109

of caravans for Turkestan. Carts, or rather

the mules or ponies which drew them, could

go no farther, so I had to discharge those I had

brought from Peking, and look out for camels.

Sallying forth to the town on the day after my

arrival, I went with Mr. Clarke to visit the

establishment of one of the great firms which

trade with Turkestan. H ere in the yards we

saw rows of neatly-bound loads of merchandise,

brick tea, cotton goods, silk, china, and iron-

mongery, all being made up ready for a caravan

which was about to start for Turkestan. Full

information about the route was now at last

forthcoming, and I looked with the profoundest

interest on men who had actually been to these

mist-like towns of Central Asia. It appeared

that there was a recognised route across the

desert, and that during the winter months

caravans start about once a month.

We did not at first succeed in finding a man

who was willing to hire out camels to go on

such a long journey with so small a party as

ours would be. Men had no objection to

travelling in large caravans, but they did not

like the idea of starting across the desert with

a party of only four. But I could not wait for

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