Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 186 (Color Image)

0186	Among the Celestials : vol.1

15o AMONG THE CELESTIALS. [CHAP. VII.

bright red cap which effectively set off their

prominent features, the appearance of the

Turki women was strikingly picturesque.

Hami I found to be a town of some five or

six thousand inhabitants, with all the bustle of

life customary to a trading centre. There were

fairly good shops and a busy bazaar where men

of many different nationalities met together

Chinese, Mongols, Kalmacs, Turkis, and others.

Large heavily-laden travelling carts come lum-

bering through the town from Turkestan, and

strings of camels from across the desert. Euro-

pean cotton goods, cloth, native manufactures,

and produce, and all the necessaries of life

were obtainable here. I even bought a bottle

of English sweetmeats.

I was looking out for a shop where it was

said Russian goods could be bought, and, on

finding it, noticed Russian characters above.

I looked behind the counter and was both

surprised and delighted to see a Russian, who

shook hands heartily with me, and asked me

to come inside. He spoke neither Chinese

nor English, but only Russian and Mongol ;

and as I could speak neither of those languages

we had to communicate with each other through

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