und that we had been expected several
days before, and that quarters had been prepared for us in the postal
station at the town of Suidun. Here we spent the night, and continued on
to Kuldja the following morning.

Although built by the Chinese, who call it Nin-yuan, Kuldja, with its
houses of beaten earth, strongly resembles the towns of Russian Turkestan.
Since the evacuation by the Russians the Chinese have built around the
city the usual quadrangular wall, thirty feet in height and twenty feet in
width, with parapets still in the course of construction. But the rows of
poplars, the whitewash, and the telegas were still left to remind us of
the temporary Russian occupation. For several days we were objects of
excited interest to the mixed population. The doors and windows of our
Russian quarters were besieged by crowds. In defense of our host, we gave
a public exhibition, and with the consent of the _Tootai_ made the circuit
on the top of the city walls. Fully 3000 people lined the streets and
housetops to witness the race to which we had been challenged by four
Dungan horsemen, riding below on the encircling roadway. The distance
around was two miles. The horsemen started with a rush, and at the end of
the first mile were ahead. At the third turning we overtook them, and came
to the finish two hundred yards ahead, amid great excitement. Even the
commander of the Kuldja forces was brushed aside by the chasing rabble.

[Illustration: A MORNING PROMENADE ON THE WALLS OF KULDJA.]

V

OVER THE GOBI DESERT AND THROUGH THE WESTERN GATE OF THE GREAT WALL

Russian influence, which even now predominates at Kuldja, was forcibly
indicated, the day after our arrival, during our investigations as to the
validity of our Chinese passports for the journey to Peking. The Russian
consul, whose favor we had secured in advance through letters from
Governor Ivanoff at Vernoye, had pronounced them not only good, but by far
the best that had been presented by any traveler entering China at this
point. After endeavoring to dissuade us from what he called a foolhardy
undertaking, even with the most valuable papers, he sent us, with his
interpreter, to the Kuldja Tootai for the proper vise.

That dignitary, although deeply interested, was almost amused at the
boldness of our enterprise. He said that no passport would insure success
by the method we proposed to pursue; that, before he co