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0039 Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2
中国砂漠地帯の遺跡 : vol.2
Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2 / 39 ページ(カラー画像)

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doi: 10.20676/00000213
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CHAPTER LI

FIRST HALT AT TUN-HUANG

On the morning of March 12th, 1907, we were prepared
to make our entry into Tun-huang town. All the men had
been looking forward eagerly to our arrival. But circum-
stances seemed to combine to deprive it of all state and
even comfort. An icy gale was blowing from the east,
and cutting as it was among the trees and houses, we con-
gratulated ourselves inwardly that we had escaped it in
the open desert. But what, somehow, seemed worse was
that, though the town was said to be only some twenty
Li, or about four or five miles off, no reply whatever was
forthcoming to the elegant epistle which Chiang-ssŭ-yeh,
at the very time of our reaching the oasis, had despatched
to the Ya-mên, along with that imposing Chinese visiting-
card of mine on red paper. It had announced our arrival
within the magistrate's jurisdiction, suitably indicated my
official rank and business, and expressed a request for the
assignment of appropriate quarters. We knew from a
letter received in December from my old friend P'an
Ta-jên, Tao-t'ai at Ak-su, that he had duly recommended
me to the authorities on the westernmost border of Kan-su.

Now that we were on the soil of a truly Chinese pro-
vince, my excellent secretary seemed to feel more than
ever his responsibility and his importance in serving my
interests. He was not a little perturbed by this evident
want of official attention, and showed his chagrin freely.
In Turkestan the prompt appearance of a Beg or two from
the Ya-mên would have been a matter of course, and even
before their arrival village head-men would have shown
themselves eager to attend. But here we had evidently

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