Chapter II: Part I: , which describe the nine months’ journey in deserts and oases,

in mountains and plains, have been written by my sister, while I am responsible for those dealing with the geography, history, customs and other subjects.

We are indebted to Mr. Bohlin of the Swedish Mission in Chinese Turkestan, and to _Khan Sahib_, Iftikhar Ahmad of the British Consulate-General, Kashgar, for much assistance; and also to Dr. F. W. Thomas, of the India Office, who has read through the historical sketch.

A good deal of new material will be found in the various chapters, and as far as possible the subjects so ably and exhaustively dealt with by Sir Aurel Stein have been avoided.

To my sister belongs the honour of being the first Englishwoman to cross the dangerous passes leading to and from the Pamirs and, with the exception of Mrs. Littledale, to visit Khotan.

We greatly enjoyed the nine months we spent in Chinese Turkestan and on the “Roof of the World,” and if we succeed in arousing the interest of our readers in this old-world backwater of Asia, and at the same time convey something of its distinctive charm, our ambitions will be fulfilled.

P. M. SYKES.

CONTENTS

PART I

CHAPTER I

PAGE

ACROSS THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE IN WAR TIME 3

CHAPTER II

BEYOND THE TIAN SHAN TO KASHGAR 18

CHAPTER III

LIFE AT KASHGAR 39

CHAPTER IV

ROUND ABOUT KASHGAR 66

CHAPTER V

OLLA PODRIDA 86

CHAPTER VI

ON THE WAY TO THE RUSSIAN PAMIRS 103

CHAPTER VII

THE ROOF OF THE WORLD 129

CHAPTER VIII

THE ARYANS OF SARIKOL 148

CHAPTER IX

THE ANCIENT CITY OF YARKAND 175

CHAPTER X

THROUGH THE DESERT TO KHOTAN 191

CHAPTER XI

KHOTAN THE KINGDOM OF JADE 209

PART II

CHAPTER XII

THE GEOGRAPHY, GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCE OF CHINESE
TURKESTAN 235

CHAPTER XIII

AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CHINESE TURKESTAN: THE EARLY
PERIOD 248

CHAPTER XIV

AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CHINESE TURKESTAN: THE
MEDIAEVAL AND LATER PERIODS 263

CHAPTER XV

AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CHINESE TURKESTAN: THE
MODERN PERIOD 275

CHAPTER XVI

A KASHGAR FARMER 300

CHAPTER XVII

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS IN CHINESE TURKESTAN 308