chants who first attempted to commence intercourse
with Kashgar became speedily discouraged by the dangers of the route,
and the small opening for a large remunerative trade in a country whose
wealth and population had been magnified tenfold. In a country where the
richest merchant in the chief town possessed only a capital of L8,000,
not much could be expected in the way of fortune; and although the legal
dues on all merchandise were fixed at an _ad valorem_ rate of 2-1/2 per
cent., it was soon discovered that if the ruler happened to be in want
of cash he would not scruple to take what he could from the stranger.
Both to the ruler, and to the foreign merchant, the new arrangement
contained distasteful matter. The former perceived that he had
surrendered some of his imperial rights, and that he was not to be
recompensed by his receiving more money, and the latter knew that the
treaty stipulation would not save him from having to pay excess fees.

The _Zakat_, far from showing the expected disposition to increase,
seemed rather inclined to remain stationary, if not to decrease; and
the foreign merchant had obtained some promise on the part of the ruler
of personal protection, and of assistance in the disposal of his wares.
His discontent at the stagnation in the customs soon showed itself by
his exacting excess dues, sometimes on British, sometimes on Russian,
but more often on Khokandian and Afghan merchants. Instead of increasing
his receipts, these strong measures only threw them back, and left him
in a worse plight than he was in before. He had not the patience
necessary to enable him to wait with confidence the fuller development
of trade, nor had he the perseverance or tact to place fresh inducements
in the path of merchants to renew their intercourse with him and his
state. Many visited Kashgar with merchandise a first time; but few,
indeed, repeated the visit. The ruler was off-handed in his reception of
them. They were scarcely accorded any liberty in their movements, and
the profit of their journey was greatly reduced by the payment of a due
of 5 per cent. instead of the stipulated condition of 2-1/2 per cent. It
is a pure fiction, therefore, to say that trade with Kashgar had
increased during the rule of the Athalik Ghazi through his friendly
inclination. If the amount of merchandise imported into his state had
increased, it was owing only to the necessities of its inhabitants, and
was a fact that must have ta