too, all Yakoob Beg's skill as a
"manipulator of phrases" could not conceal the fact that his treaty with
England was a failure. It did not give him that British protection which
alone he cared for, and it did not provide, through the greater
obstacles of nature, his people with that new trade outlet which was the
sole object worth securing in their eyes. The Forsyth treaty seemed to
bring the relations of England and Kashgar to a sudden termination; and
the Kashgari were quite shrewd enough to perceive that the Athalik Ghazi
would not be buttressed by English bayonets against Russian aggression,
if that instrument was to be held, as in their eyes it could not be
otherwise than held, the only connecting link between the countries. The
consequence of this belief was a resignation to a Russian subjection at
no distant date.

Yakoob Beg's tenure of power would be morally weakened by the existence
of these causes for discontent among his people, and it was at such a
moment, when they had perhaps only slightly become clear to his eyes,
that the return of the Chinese was heralded. In the face of a great and
common danger a well-affected people would have rallied round their
head, and in the crisis have found a joint necessity to produce a better
understanding than existed before among their component parts. The
country east of Kucha, where it was inhabited at all, was inhabited by
the few survivors of the massacres ordered by Yakoob Beg's
representatives. Amongst these there could be no great amount of
affection towards his cause. The garrison of the city of Kashgar
consisted in the main of the pardoned Khitay soldiers--Yangy Mussulmans,
as they were called--and from them no stanch support could be expected
against their Buddhist countrymen (see Appendix). The Tungani of Kucha
and Aksu and the neighbourhood were the most numerous recruits in the
army, and from them at least it might have been supposed that the
Athalik Ghazi would obtain faithful service. Even among them, however,
there was discontent. They had everything to dread at the hands of the
Chinese. It was they who had massacred the helpless Khitay, a deed from
the stain of which Yakoob Beg at least was free; and it was they against
whom the wrath of China would in the first place be directed. But they
had also their grudges against the ruler. He had beaten them in the
field of battle, and had compelled more than he had induced them to join
his army. They hated the