Wrirtes son "Tur Nonru-
Dairy New: vil The place marked on the maps of Sinkiang ay Tit is not the Chit settlement but the Russian Ruldja (Chinese Ningynen) 120 i further east, The south suburb of Lifu deserves to be called a sink of iniquity. One street is packed full of gamblers who gamble frou early morni ate at night. They sit at long tables whilst thus e aged. The Turkou ly religions people. book which has the name of God on the title page they p will gladly purchase at a good price.
Between Ilifa and Kuldja, as well all other places on the Russian border, the four-wheeled carriages with three horses, in Russian style, have won the day over the slow two-wheeled Chinese carts. Chinese and Turkomans alike are driving them. Some of these four-wheeled carriages carry a dozen persons and they travel twice ax quickly the two-wheeled Chinese carts. When I made the journey there were only four passengers, The road from lif to the Manchu city is just a mass of thick grey dust, Some of the carnages we met on the road wens x rely enveloped in these dust clouds possible to see thi they came right up to us, The wen ne rain for several week T left Hsinch'ang on August 20 after breakfast and travelled to Kuldja (Chinese Mingpnen) in a four-wheeled took six " cover ce. The carter took ame to inn the place boasted of, Tt was, however, so fall that T could' wot be accommodated, and T onlered ight tw the Was out not care to do so, He promised to find w place for me and asked me to bring my luggage alan clean room in the yanén, ists of w great-many build ings erected on aw spacious compound i us large as the military Governor's de the Manchu city. This park attached Hsinch'ang. ix a cubital place ats far as its streets are concerned, on each side of which are fis but the people by 10. means me favourably.—What opinion ed of them Manchuria, namely, that they a Iaxy, ignorant, proud and quarrels. set of people." They would steal the books Twas selling wi slight-ext _compunetion, "T complained about this to my friends in the Telegraph offi and was assured that the Munchus than this, as they ce imply robbers and wathing T saw of them in Hsinch-ang i me west unfavourably, Tu Kuldja the streets are not ax broad ax they are at Hinch'ang, neither are there any trees, but the people behave very well and they seem to be prospering in business. The Russians have built some very nice houses and both the and Turkomans are follo example Theassistant post post-office at Kuld who speaks German very well. The Russian officials never showed any desire to interfere with ly work 1 did they even seem to want to know why T was there. The Manche offi the contrary. bothered deal as they did also Hainch'ang. They wanted no sign, however, as far ax I could sec, that Russia has'any wrong intentions: in regard to Sinkiang. The Russians are very reserved and quiet in Kuldja and Urimchi. The population of Kuldja is Inger than that of any other place ited by me on this journey. The Turkomans are the but there are many Mongols Kalmmes, Kinghese, Hassas and Manchs, ax' well as people from Persia, In fact, flaunt all the tribes of Central Asia sented here, There are but comparatively speaking, ian force of character ha: impressed itself on the, weaker character like seal soft wax, yet ese etiquette and customs have powerful hold, The Chinese. speaking popul ion is scattered fur and wide among the Tarkomans, and it not an coxy task to find then out, Most of them are Mobaumedans who in plish, The spirit natural inthe large collection of buildinges, one of which Toceupied, not being able' ti find any accommodation elsewhere.
1 Septen ber3 T had wu interview the Taota, He is a Manchu named Eh me. His aged father is a very polite and kind old gentleman, very different from the small Mani officials with whom I have had to do, The ignorance ery sensible man, The Taotai's son going to Jupan next your to increase sis knowledge of foreign th 1 urged him tw learn Russian while he had such w ood opportunity to do but he prefers to ran about ding thing. It ix an interesting sight to see a Musstlman perform his devotions, pet in front of is house just opposite the one in which T was living. His wife and child sat quite close to him talking loudly with some visitors, but this least disturb the old devotions. In spite of the quite audit several Allah Allah riting of the Koran was The worshipper kowtowed and cried Allah for a while stood ise upon Ureust, after whi the conversation. His wile then went through the same perfor the same as her husband. "This. they do every morning, and evening whether there are friends with them oF not, On September 41 went to see the Russian Consul who lives outside the North Gate in a simple but pretty litre house, the door of which is guarded by two Chinese lions similar to thee at the entrance to the Taotai's yamen.
lange park with beautiful trees and flower gardens surrounds the Constl's abode. "There are also several more buildings in this park, among others the residences of the Commander of Original fr
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.