V. The Great Northern Highway to Urumchi

Trails to the Inmost Asia

The great northern highway of Hsin-chiang has been frequently described by travelers. In two easy stages we reached Faizabad—a small town with a Chinese magistrate and a small garrison of troops. The road was monotonous—everywhere sand tracts covered by salt crust, sand dunes, and jungle, groves of willows and dusty mud-built hamlets. Faizabad is the last settlement of the Kashgar Oasis. Beyond it stretch sandy tracts.