334 IN TIBET AND CHINESE TURKESTAN.
they are likely to be paid. Rich offenders are fined ; the poor are beaten. Sentences of imprisonment are also passed, and for murder the death sentence. The Chow- Kuan of a district where a murder has been committed has to pay a fine of eight yamboos to the Futai and four to the Taotai of Kashgar or of Kulja ; consequently, convictions of murder are comparatively rare. In the winter of 1898-99 a Beg in Yarkand was murdered by one of his sons, but the Chow-Kuan, Liu Ta-jin, excused the parricide on the ground that the accused was drunk when he committed the atrocity. The death sentence cannot be carried out till it has been confirmed at Urumtsi or Pekin. Many months elapse before the confirmation, but when this formality is complete the sentence is at once carried out, usually by decapitation.
In Yarkand I visited the prison, which is probably similar to those in other places. In was in two portions, one for men and the other for women. The portion for When consisted of three large rooms and a very small courtyard. The rooms were perfectly bare except that one of them contained a strong cage in which murderers and dangerous criminals were confined. In one corner of the courtyard was an open latrine, the odour from which was very strong and far reaching. The prisoners, according to regulations, should receive daily 14 lbs. of flour and about 2 lbs. of wood, but I was told that little or none reaches them, and that they are supported by their friends. The head gaoler, on receiving a small present for himself, consented to my giving to each of the prisoners several loaves, for which they seemed very grateful. The prisoners appeared indifferent to their surroundings, and, though clothed in mere rags, made no complaint. One little boy, said to be a thief, had a pitiably weak and starved appearance. Of the 55 prisoners, three were in irons, heavy rings round their necks being
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