Page:From Kulja, across the Tian Shan to Lob-Nor (1879).djvu/34

Rh on the road, with the utmost kindness and hospitality, but always as a kind of state prisoner. During the whole of his stay in Yarkand and Kashgar he was not once allowed to go outside the quarters assigned to him, except on a visit to the authorities. Force was never employed, but, on the contrary, he was continually deceived by an apparent anxiety to meet his wishes for an enlargement of his confinement; but somehow or other, in a most clever manner, without giving him ground for actual quarrel, some untoward circumstance arose to prevent his breaking through his restraint. Hayward, who was more impetuous, broke through the cordon of guardians, and caused considerable trouble and apprehension in the mind of his fellow-traveller, lest by so doing he had jeopardized their lives.

When Lord Mayo despatched the first mission to Yarkand in 1870, I endeavoured to stipulate with Mirza Shadee, the Atalik's envoy, that freedom of movement should be granted to us. This he promised, though he explained that it was the unvarying custom in Central Asia to keep all envoys in confinement at the court to which they were accredited, and even to lead them blindfold through the streets. On arrival in Yarkand territory we found Mirza Shadee somewhat slow to keep his promise, and Dr. Henderson relates the state of excitement into which the envoy was thrown, on discovering that he had fallen behind