Page:From Kulja, across the Tian Shan to Lob-Nor (1879).djvu/33

14 Turkestan was in opium, which they smuggled across the Karakorum and sold for enormous profit in Yarkand and Khoten. This pernicious trade ceased entirely when the Chinese disappeared, and its place was taken by a much more healthy commerce in tea and English piece-goods.

Are we now to revert to the old state of things, shut up the export of Manchester goods and take to smuggling opium ? I trust not, indeed. The subject is one well worthy the attention of the Indian authorities.

Colonel Prejevalsky complains of the very strict surveillance to which he was subjected during his stay in the dominions of Yakub Beg. Doubtless it was very annoying, and it might be even disappointing to find after all the friendly intercourse with both Russians and English, and the exchange of treaties of friendship, that freedom of action was still denied to European travellers.

But we must not judge Asiatics as we would judge European princes. There was ancient custom to guide him, and if the Ameer knew anything of history, he might fairly plead excuse for his alarm at a too unrestricted influx of foreigners. The ancient custom to which I have referred was to keep all foreign travellers more or less in confinement, and always under the strictest surveillance. Mr. Shaw, in the very interesting account of his adventurous journey to the court of the Atalik Ghazee, tells us how he was treated