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88
CHAPTER VIII.
A PERILOUS DESERT JOURNEY.
I WAS now able to get a good sound sleep, for we were no
longer in a hurry. After ordering m}^ camp beside a small
natural harbour, I dismissed my excellent boatmen from
Lailik, doubling every man’s pay, so as to carry him home
free of cost, and when they said good-bye to me the tears
stood in their eyes. Parpi Bai, whom I put in charge of
the horses, at once set about building stables for them of
kamish sheaves. Turdu Bai and Faisullah, both Russian
subjects from West Turkestan, were appointed to look after
the camels. Kurban, a fine, frank, happy old boy of sixty,
hailing from Aksu, was made man-of-all-work to the Mus-
sulmans ; while Ordek, a Loplik, whom we found at the
camp, performed the coarser labour, such as carrying water
for cooking, fetching wood from the nearest forest, getting
in provisions, and so on, in which he was assisted by a
number of other Lopliks. Islam Bai was chief of the
Mussulmans. The Cossacks were my own immediate
attendants. Khalmet, an aksakal (merchant) from Korla,
an old friend of my 1896 journey, came to visit me here for
a few days. I commissioned him to buy me in Korla
mules, Mongolian felt kihitkas (tents), and silver change,
besides a quantity of provisions of all sorts.
The caravan had brought with them from Kutchar and
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