o smoke, we were brought into the presence of the head official.
Putting on his huge spectacles, he read aloud the vise written upon our
American passports by the Chinese minister in London. His wonderment was
increased when he further read that such a journey was being made on the
"foot-moved carriages," which were being curiously fingered by the
attendants. Our garments were minutely scrutinized, especially the
buttons, while our caps and dark-colored spectacles were taken from our
heads, and passed round for each to try on in turn, amid much laughter.

[Illustration: THE CHINESE MILITARY COMMANDER OF KULDJA.]

Owing to the predominant influence of Russia in these northwestern
confines, our Russian papers would have been quite sufficient to cross the
border into Kuldja. It was only beyond this point that our Chinese
passport would be found necessary, and possibly invalid. After the usual
vises had been stamped and written over, we were off on what proved to be
our six months' experience in the "Middle Kingdom or Central Empire," as
the natives call it, for to Chinamen there is a fifth point to the
compass--the center, which is China. Not far on the road we heard the
clatter of hoofs behind us. A Kalmuck was dashing toward us with a
portentous look on his features. We dismounted in apprehension. He stopped
short some twenty feet away, leaped to the ground, and, crawling up on
hands and knees, began to _chin-chin_ or knock his head on the ground
before us. This he continued for some moments, and then without a word
gazed at us in wild astonishment. Our perplexity over this performance was
increased when, at a neighboring village, a bewildered Chinaman sprang out
from the speechless crowd, and threw himself in the road before us. By a
dexterous turn we missed his head, and passed over his extended queue.

[Illustration: TWO CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES IN THE YARD OF OUR KULDJA
INN.]

Kuldja, with its Russian consul and Cossack station, still maintains a
Russian telegraph and postal service. The mail is carried from the border
in a train of three or four telegas, which rattle along over the primitive
roads in a cloud of dust, with armed Cossacks galloping before and after,
and a Russian flag carried by the herald in front. Even in the Kuldja
post-office a heavily armed picket stands guard over the money-chest. This
postal caravan we now overtook encamped by a small stream, during the
glaring heat of the afternoon. We fo