hip with the select caste of former sovereigns; and the
visible embodiment of temporal sovereignty in Turkestan was this very
title of Khan, which has been so much abused in its application.

It is wrong, in a strict sense, to apply the title of Khan to Yakoob
Beg, although he undoubtedly made use of it during the last three years
of his reign; but as a matter of mere convenience, it is also
misleading. On the stage of Asiatic politics there is another Yakoob
Khan, who is, by descent, a Khan, and possesses qualities not less
eminent than did his namesake in Eastern Turkestan. Confusion was often
caused by the confounding of one of these personages with the other,
whereas if each had been defined by his legitimate title, there would
have been no misunderstanding. Towards the close of the year 1873, the
Seyyid Yakoob Khan, who, by descent, could claim the title which was not
his uncle's, returned to India, where he found that the English mission
was a few days ahead of him on its journey to Kashgar.

The Indian government had, in the meanwhile, appointed Mr. T. Douglas
Forsyth as their envoy to Kashgar once more, and, during the summer of
1873, preparations were busily in progress for the important embassy
that was to counteract the adverse effects of Baron Kaulbars' treaty. As
this is the turning-point in Anglo-Kashgarian relations, it is necessary
to follow it in considerable detail. Upon Mr. Forsyth's embassy depends
the whole fabric of our policy in, and intercourse with, Eastern
Turkestan during the past four years. In fact, but for Sir Douglas
Forsyth's Report and Treaty, even Mr. Shaw's interesting volume and
intrepid journey would have failed to have preserved the vitality of our
interest in Kashgar and its ruler.

By the month of July, everything was in readiness for a forward
movement, but owing to the delay in the arrival of Seyyid Yakoob Khan,
or Hadji Torah as he was more usually termed, Mr. Forsyth still lingered
at Murree. Captains Biddulph and Trotter, and Dr. Stoliczka, in the
meanwhile set out for Leh to explore the routes between that town and
Shahidoola. These three gentlemen explored the country beyond Ladakh
very carefully, although it had already been described by Messrs. Shaw
and Hayward, and Dr. Cayley. Mr. Forsyth and the headquarters, after a
short stay at Srinagar in Cashmere, arrived at Leh on the 20th of
September. It may be useful to give here the names of those who
comprised this importan