Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2 / 41 ページ（カラー画像）

0041	Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2
中国砂漠地帯の遺跡 : vol.2

0041

Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2

中国砂漠地帯の遺跡 : vol.2

He seemed half-dozed with opium and utterly helpless;
but stung into activity by Chiang's voluble language he
served at least to establish official touch with headquarters.

I was already prospecting among gardens across the
river for some suitable camping-place when there appeared
on the scene the well-got-up 'Ta-i' of the magistrate,
riding a lively donkey, and bringing profuse apologies from
the newly installed dignitary. Local knowledge he had none
to offer, having come with his master from another part of
Kan-su. So I had to guide myself in the search. The
few gardens to be found by the left bank of the Tang Ho
were so small, and the pavilions or summer-houses adjoin-
ing them so ruinous, that I had before long to shift my
reconnaissance back to the side of the present town.

There at last, half a mile or so from its south gate, I
discovered a large orchard with a lonely house at one end
which looked as if it had seen better days. On invading
its precincts we found it still occupied, but luckily by
people who were ready to find room for so big a party as
ours. They were the widow of the late owner, apparently
a petty landholder, and her mother, along with a number
of small children. Round an inner court were grouped
several small blocks of rooms and a hall, most of them
unoccupied but for quantities of cranky ponderous furniture
such as respectable Chinese families seem ever fond of
accumulating. The cracked walls, broken paper windows,
and other abundant signs of long-continued neglect, made
a strange contrast with all the tinsel and gilding which
covered the elaborate carvings.

I had hoped that, according to the custom prevailing
in Turkestan, the women, after locking up their most
cherished possessions, would clear out of the place and
take shelter with relatives while the strange guests settled
down in their house. But there was no such affectation
of 'Purdah' on the part of our hosts. Cheerfully toddling
about on their poor little bound feet the Chinese ladies
huddled as much as they could of their household gods
into one small block of rooms, while we were welcome to
make what use we could of the rest. In a room close
to them and chock-full of furniture Chiang managed to

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