Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-05-15

black leggings, bright smoking jack
ct, and trimmed his hat with bright
colored cloth.
The road to Chinese Turkestan from
India leads not over single mountain
range and single pass, but involves
crossing a belt of high mountains and
deep valleys about 200 miles broad,
through several major passes and
numerous minor ones. The most di-
rect route leads from Srinagar, capital
of Kashmir, as an advance base, north
by way of what is sometimes called
the Hunza Pass into the Taghdumbash
Pamir, the Chinese portion of "the
Roof of the World" This road leads
over the final barrier between British
and Chinese lands close to the point
where British. Afghan and Chinese
territory have common corner, and
Russian territory lies only about TWEEN
ty miles away. From the Chinese
Pamir, region whose valleys lie at
an altitude of from 10000 to 12,0OO
feet, the route runs down some of the
headwater streams Of the Tarim
through a rough mountainous region
and foothills, to Yarkand, metropolis
of Chinese Turkestan.
The less direct route from kashmir
to Chinese Turkestan leads first to
Leh, remote hill town of Ladakh.
about 200 miles to the east. From
Leh eastward leads an important cara
van road into Tibet, while to the north
lies the eastern route to Chinese Tur-
kestan. The Karakorum Pass, over
$4,000 feet high, the key to this route,
is about 100 miles north of Leh.
short distance beyond Chinese terri
tory is reached and the way then leads
through a rough country, following
river gorges and striking across ridges.
to the lowlands. Caravans both to
Khotan and Yarkand follow this route.
diverging in the latter stages of the
journey.
AS q traveller approaches Yarkand
after a trip through the bleak regions
to the south he is impressed by the
fertility of the oasis in which this re-
mote metropolis is situated This is
especially true If he arrives at a sea-
son when the extensive orchards OF
apples pears, peaches. apricots, null
berries and walnuts are in bloom or
fruit. The soil is deep, fertile loess
which needs only water to make it ex-
ceedingly productive.
Yarkand a Busy Place.
AtAL.-L = iorra community YarlS-
and is uninteresting. There are no
structures of architectural value. The
mosques are devoid Of beauty and
there is squat sameness to the
dwellings. The structures lining the
principal streets have sidewalks"
protected by fiat matched projections
to afford protection from the sun
Considerable business is conducted
in the bazaars at Yarkand. During
the open season IN the mountains
caravans are constantly coming in
from India, China and Russian Tur-
kestan, and leaving for those coun-
tries. The various Gases of Chinese
Turkestan each have characteristic
ilandicraft products, and selection OF
these are always available in Yark-
and: carpets, rugs, silk ard cotton
fabrics, metal work, leather goods.
Most characteristic of the country are
Jade ornaments, for the mines OF Chi
fiese Turkestan are the most prolific
source of jade known to the world.
Since conditions in China have been
u tn Voc r.
put of jade has fallen off markedly.
Khotan, being nearer to the mines, Is
the particular jade center of the coun-
try.
Kashgar. a hundred miles to the
northwest of Yarkand, has popula-
ton only about half as great as
Yarkand but its inhabitants seem
more prosperous Its bazaar is clean
er, its shops better and the streets are
wider. Kashgar is not so fortunate,
however, in the matter of fertile soil
and must import some of its food
stuffs from other GASES.
Chinese Turkestan has scientific
interest for ethnologists and a senti-
mental interest for all Westerners, for
it is the reputed early home Of the
Aryan race.
The Pamirs. which lay for centuries
almost a mystical region. became well
known during the Nineteenth century
due to Russian and British rivalry in
that part of the world, and the dis
patch by each Of surveying parties.
When this activity began the Chinese.
too, established military posts near
their borders. Almost as effectual in
clearing up the geography Of the re-
gion have been the numerous expedi-
tions of big game hunters. chiefly Brit
ish, who have gone into the region.
The world long spoke Of the Pamir re-
gion as very high plateau. Marques
Curzon of Keddleston, then an M. p.
visited the country in 1894, and was
among the first to brand this miscon-
ception, and to describe the Pamirs as
very lofty, tiat-bottomed mountain val
legs, walled in by still more lofty
peaks. In spring and summer grass