eness, if not something worse. We are glad to say, however, that
no attempt at robbery was ever discovered, although efforts at extortion
were frequent, and sometimes, as will appear, of a serious nature.

[Illustration: OUR RUSSIAN FRIEND AND MR. SACHTLEBEN LOADED WITH
ENOUGH CHINESE "CASH" TO PAY FOR A MEAL AT A KULDJA RESTAURANT.]

The blowing of the long horns and boom of the mortar cannon at the fort
awoke us at daylight on the morning of July 13. Farewells had been said
the night before. Only our good-hearted Russian host was up to put an
extra morsel in our provision-bag, for, as he said, we could get no food
until we reached the Kirghiz aouls on the high plateau of the Talki pass,
by which we were to cut across over unbeaten paths to the regular
so-called imperial highway, running from Suidun. From the Catholic
missionaries at Kuldja we had obtained very accurate information about
this route as far as the Gobi desert. The expression Tian Shan Pe-lu, or
northern Tian Shan route, in opposition to the Tian Shan Nan-lu, or
southern Tian Shan route, shows that the Chinese had fully appreciated the
importance of this historic highway, which continues the road running from
the extreme western gate of the Great Wall obliquely across Mongolian
Kan-su, through Hami and Barkul, to Urumtsi. From here the two natural
highways lead, one to the head-waters of the Black Irtish, the other to
the passes leading into the Ili valley, and other routes of the
Arolo-Caspian depression. The latter route, which is now commanded at
intervals by Chinese forts and military settlements, was recently
relinquished by Russia only when she had obtained a more permanent footing
on the former in the trading-posts of Chuguchak and Kobdo, for she very
early recognized the importance of this most natural entry to the only
feasible route across the Chinese empire. In a glowing sunset, at the end
of a hot day's climb, we looked for the last time over the Ili valley, and
at dusk, an hour later, rolled into one of the Kirghiz aouls that are here
scattered among the rich pasturage of the plateau.

[Illustration: A STREET IN THE TARANTCHI QUARTER OF KULDJA.]

Even here we found that our reputation had extended from Kuldja. The chief
advanced with _amans_ of welcome, and the heavy-matted curtains in the
kibitka doorway were raised, as we passed, in token of honor. When the
refreshing kumiss was served around the evening camp-fire, the dangers of
th