National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

row are alike. Each wears a robe of different pattern, but all of the same strikingly attrac-
tive character—silk or cotton print—and all in brightest colours mixed in stark contrast.
Here is a gigantic Afghan with nut brown complexion, handsome countenance, and flowing
beard of glossy black; and next him is a fellow countryman of the same stalwart proportions,
but bowed by the weight of his grey beard and scarred cheek; both in the midst of the sub-
servient crew show in their looks the natural independence of the race, and, in defiance of
etiquette, raise their heads to survey the stranger at their leisure, and, I must record, with a
look of unmistakeable "rapprochement" too.

There sits a square-faced, flat-nosed, skew-eyed Kalmák, with cheek bones as high as his
shoulders, and a body as square as his face; his ruddy features, without a hair to ornament
them, are respectfully bowed, and wear an expression of seriousness only equalled by that of
timid submission. Next him sits a fair, full, round faced Andijáni, with short trimmed beard,
bright eyes, and an air of complacent self satisfaction supported by the stolidity with which
he plants his Dutch built frame amongst his fellows. His looks of natural confidence and
ready activity contrast strongly within the cunning mien and crouching seat of his Kirghiz
neighbour, whose angular eyes and angular cheeks and angular face—all suffused with a healthy
glow of red, and all together on one plane prolonged to a point at the chin by a short whispy
tuft of beard—present a no less strange divergence from the rotund features and form beside
him. But here a very different form interposes like a full stop in a sentence topped with a
stroke of surprise. He is our familiar black skinned and oily faced Hindustani Musalmán,
whose beard shines as bright as his eyes, and both by contrast more pronounced in colour,
whilst his obsequious smiles have grown none the less by distance, despite the disguise he
appears in. Beyond him again come forms more in consonance with their garb, at least accord-
ing to our associations, and then another type that arrests attention by its peculiar hard linea-
ments, its deep sunk eyes, narrow retreating forehead, and naked projecting jowl. It is
owned by the muddy skinned, withered, opium smoking Khitáy whose repulsive physiognomy
is the reflexion of his cowed spirit and forced servility. Like him too, but with more oblique
eyes, more prominent cheek bones, and more fleshy features is his Tungáni confrère. And
different from all, though strongly allied to the first, is the brown skinned, bewhiskered, and
gentle looking Badakhshi, with high full forehead, long arched finely carved nose, and oval face
of the true Aryan stamp. He sits with respectful pose and downcast eyes, and only looks up
to show a ready obedience on his countenance.

Such was the odd medley of garbs and grimaces that composed the guard in waiting in
this second court of the King's palace. The next, a much smaller one, is covered in and
shelters a similar guard which holds the gateway. Everywhere within the palace courts a
perfect silence prevails, so much so that even the sociable and homely sparrow shuns the
stillness and chirrups not where men dare not speak.

The population of Káshghar is almost entirely Turk and employed solely in agriculture.
They are said to be restless under control and inclined to tumult, and have a character for
neglecting those courtesies and conventionalities of society so carefully observed by their
neighbours. Further they are taxed with a want of hospitality and denounced as but poor
Musalmans considering the many priests and sacred shrines in their midst. They belong to
the Aktághlúk faction and, as their detractors are the rival Karátághlúk, perhaps they are not
so bad as they are painted. Under the lax rule of the Chinese, however, they were notorious for
indulgence in all sorts of forbidden pleasures, meats, and drinks, and amongst them flourished
whole colonies of the gay and accommodating Chanodín. All these are now strictly repressed,
and their loss is supplied by a more general resort to hemp and opium, and a most
degrading vice.

Ush Turfán.—This little division lies to the north-east of Káshghar from which it is separated
by the Balauti range. This is an irregular chain of hills which, emanating from the Tirlkti
Peak near Chádir Kol, projects eastward parallel to the Alátágh and shuts off the Ush Turfán
valley from the plain. The western half of the valley is occupied by the Kirghiz pastures of
Kákshál, through which flows the Aksáy river from Chádir Kol. Its banks, as the river
approaches Safarbáy, are studded by dense forests of poplar trees, and the road passes through