Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 230 (Color Image)

0230	Among the Celestials : vol.1

190 AMONG THE CELESTIALS. [CHAP. VII.

southwards, and now the Pamir Mountains,

instead of being straight in front of us, were

passed by on our right hand.

On August 29 we reached Yarkand, and

were met outside by the Kashmir Aksakal and

a large number of Indian traders, who had

heard that an English officer was coming to

Yarkand, and had come out to meet me. An

Englishman always receives a warm welcome

from natives of India in foreign countries. I

have been told that it is all because of self-

interest, and that they merely do it because

they hope to get something out of him.

Possibly this may be so, but I prefer to

think that there is also some tinge of warmth

of heart in it, and a feeling of kinship with

their rulers which attracts them in a strange

land to an Englishman. At any rate, that was

the impression produced upon me by my re-

ception in Yarkand, and I would rather retain

that than make way for the colder reasoning

which had been suggested to me.

In the best Chinese inn in the place the chief

room had been made ready for me by the

Kashmir Aksakal. Carpets, chairs, and tables

from his own house had been brought in, and

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