152 CHINESE TURKESTAN 



buran) arrived, when, after a short but gallant 

 struggle, my big tent collapsed with a broken pole, 

 and I feared the small one would follow suit. The 

 air was rilled with sand, grit, and even small stones, 

 while it was as much as one could do to stand. 

 Luckily, it was all over before morning, but was 

 sufficiently unpleasant while it lasted. 



Between Utai and Takkiyongsa there is a small 

 bazaar and a picturesque temple in a grove of trees, 

 which were loaded with rooks' nests. Trees here 

 are few and far between, so the rooks have to make 

 the most of what there are, and seem pretty crowded, 

 while some of the nests are so low down as to be 

 almost within reach. 



Yninghiho is a very small village in scrubby 

 jungle. I went out on a long and, as it proved, vain 

 hunt for hwang yang, but only saw a wolf, which I 

 missed. To my surprise and disgust there were 

 a few mosquitoes already about, bloodthirsty as 

 usual. 



On April 5th we reached Djinko, a considerable 

 place, where there is an amban. The weather had 

 a relapse, and it froze sharply at night. There is a 

 short road across the hills from Kuldja to Djinko ; 

 it reduces the distance very much, but is only prac- 

 ticable in summer, and is chiefly used by salt-carriers 

 on their way to Kuldja. 



Shortly after leaving Djinko the road crosses a 

 small spur of hills, and emerges on to a sandy salt- 



