freezing point, so that our conversation became somewhat
dull, especially as what I said in English had to
be twice translated into Russian and Chinese or
Manchu, and vice versa. It gave time, however, for
meditation between the questions, and presently finding
that he had nothing to propose for my pleasure or
instruction, I asked whether I might go and see the
men building the fortress, and also visit the bazaar.
The first of these trifling requests he refused, saying
that there were workmen about, and disagreements
might arise. He asked me, therefore, not to go, but
said he would send someone with me to the bazaar.
We then rose after this formal reception, and were
dismissed with the same ceremony as when we came in,
and taken again to the antechamber. Here I offered
some Scriptures to the attendants, but they said they
did not dare take them without permission.
One of the first things that attracted my attention
in the bazaar was a street painter, whose pencil
explained to me the want of perspective, apparent in a
certain class of Chinese paintings ; for the man simply
dipped the tip of his finger in Indian ink, and rubbed
it round and round on the tablet till he made his picture,
and only then touched it up with a brush, after seeing
which I marvelled not, as I had hitherto done, at the
clumsiness of the production, but that in such a manner,
and so rapidly, the artist should have been able to produce
anything so good. I noticed on the stalls packets
of English needles, and found a few curiosities to b u y ;
and then, thinking that I should perhaps get on better
alone in distributing my few remaining Scriptures, I
intimated to our cicerone that I need not trouble him
further. But he said the Governor had told him not
to leave me, so that he was probably a spy. I
managed, however, to give a few Chinese and Mongolian
books, and then prepared to return to the
post-house.
T o this end we chartered a native conveyance, the
most uncomfortable of its kind, without exception, I
ever entered; a two-wheeled cart, without springs or
seat, and with an awning,, against which one’ s head
was constantly in danger of striking. It served us,
however, to the post-station, and we were driving out
A DUNGAN PUBLIC CONVEYANCE.
of the town when a Chinese officer and interpreter came
dashing up to our carriage, one of them carrying two
small canisters of tea, and saying that since I had so
appreciated the Governor’s tea, he sent me two canisters
for a present. His Excellency had apparently thawed
a little since our visit, or if he had suspected me as a
spy, he seemed to have by this time changed his mind.
Anyhow I thanked him for. his, gift, but was at first
inclined to look thereon as “ a white elephant,” for I
hardly relished the trouble of carrying two canisters