W. L. Abbott visited the northern Tarim Basin in the autumn of 1893 (Richmond 1895) and F. Ludlow collected in the northern basin between Kashi (Kashgar) and Jam near Aksu between 17 November 1929 and 13 April 1930, and again from 15 to 29 September 1930, and also documented the observations and collections of G. Sherriff (Ludlow and Kinnear 1933-1934).

And as for subjects that are not measured by national standards, like art and music and sports — fugged about it.

It was the first time a Minister ever left the country without a ceremonial goodbye and a shake hands at the airport, with the tall hats being doffed.

There were four of them, old-style petrolheads, with greasy jeans and leather jackets. Each had a rifle trained on the pair. They looked barely out of their teens.