etimes as many as a hundred, held by as many
attendants. This is a national custom, from which there is never any
deviation. It is incumbent upon the guest to break bread first, and then
present it to his host. One of their customs is refreshing to any one
who has come fresh from India, with all its troublesome caste
distinctions. "Be the host Turk or British, he and his guests eat alike
from the same dish, and hand food to the surrounding attendants, who are
troubled with no scruples of caste to interfere with their hearty
appetite."

The mission was now drawing close to Yarkand, politically and
commercially the most important city in the state, and accordingly
preparations were made for a formal entry. At a village called Zilchak a
chamberlain, or Yasawal-Bashi, came out with a party of the royal
body-guard, Yakoob Beg's favourite _jigits_, in their buff leather
uniform, to act as an escort, and the party was swollen _en route_ by
numerous influential citizens and merchants, who advanced to give an
early welcome to the new arrivals. By these additions quite an imposing
cavalcade drew nigh to the walls of Yarkand. The quarters set apart for
the Englishmen were in the fort, which lies to the north of the city, so
that Yarkand had to be ridden through before their halting place was
reached. The people who thronged to witness the sight seemed very well
disposed, and altogether there was every reason to feel well satisfied
with these mutual first impressions, which, some had asserted, would be
far from pleasant.

The following day there was an interview of ceremony with the Dadkhwah
of Yarkand, Mahomed Yunus Jan, for whose history the reader is referred
to Chapter IX., and then the visitors were permitted to go wherever they
liked. On Mr. Forsyth's former visit a similar freedom had not been
accorded him. Their first appearance in the streets was the occasion for
a great deal of bustling on the part of the curious, but of friendly
goodwill also. All the principal streets and bazaars were visited in
turn, such as the butchers' street, or market, where the varieties of
meat were clearly to be seen, and their quality tested by their tails or
heads being left untouched. It appears to be the fashion in Yarkand to
purchase the necessaries of life during the morning, and the luxuries in
the evening. There is a special evening bazaar, called Sham, where hats
and other clothes, in addition to various other articles, are put up for