Ak-su, who, cherishing a kindly recollection of my work and person from my former journey, did all he could from a distance to use the influence of his high office for smoothing my paths.
But what secured to me from the outset the benevolent disposition of the provincial administration of Chinese Turkestan was the influence exercised on my behalf by my old friend Mr. G. IVlacartney, C.I.E., for many years the representative of the Indian Government at Kashgar, and now H.M.'s Consul-General for the ' New Dominions.' Throughout that wide region his name and character are held in high respect by officials and people alike. I owe to him a heavy debt of gratitude for the most effective help which he was ever ready to extend to me from afar ; for all the hospitality and kindness I enjoyed during my stay at his residence in Kashgar ; and, last but not least, for the watchful care with which he assured the safe transit of my antiquities and my mails when distances up to a thousand miles and more lay between us.
But it was a service of quite as great importance
as any just mentioned, and one which I shall always remember most gratefully, when he recommended to me an excellent Chinese secretary in the person of Chiangssû-yeh. Since I had not been able to equip myself by a serious study of Chinese, the help of a qualified Chinese scholar was of the utmost importance for my tasks. I found in Chiang-ssû-yeh not merely a zealous teacher and secretary, but the most eager of helpmates, always cheerfully sharing labours and hardships for the sake of my scientific interests. My narrative will show how much of the success attending our work on purely Chinese ground was due to his invaluable services. How often have I longed since we parted for my ever alert and devoted Chinese comrade !
The rapid sketch given above of the aims, extent, and
IIIF Color HighRes
