"Aye," said he philosophically, "Tt sees many changes, 'The Mouth.' Tt sees men go forth hopeful and come back bare and weeping. Have I not passed it seven times and each time poorer? Once I went out in silks and otter skins, and now behold I wear @ 3-tael sheepskin. Next I shall wander into the desert yelping and naked like the wolves in winter. We dare not talk of luck, but if I were to speak after the manner of the pork-Kh'tai—heaven blight should say it is a most unlucky place to pass. Were not 400 taels of opium found in my baggage in this very gate in the 29th year of Kuang Hsu, and was I not outraged and beaten for it by order of yonder swine? (indicating the customs officer), Nay, Yoldash, when I travel again it will be to the land of the Afghan, where a king with tricoloured whiskers rules, where the streams are bedded with pure gold boulders and every man has a hundred wives. Truly! It is only 13, days from Kashgar and I know many who have been there. You don't believe me? And yet I believed you when you told of all the ancient men who have passed this gate—and that was so long ago! But it's time
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.