KUCHA TO KHOTAN 187 



that they were not hard to get during the calling 

 season, but that the mosquitoes then were almost 

 unbearable, which is in direct contradiction with 

 what I heard in Aksakmaral, and which I fancy is 

 probably nearer the truth. As well as mosquitoes, 

 there are scorpions, and the whole country is simply 

 infested with the largest and most active ticks I 

 have ever seen. 



The soil is very sandy, and as there is usually a 

 fresh breeze, at any rate during part of the day, the 

 result may be imagined. It is like living in a 

 bunker with a strong wind blowing, and any one of 

 the numerous army of golfers will recognise the fact 

 that such is not a desirable place of residence for 

 longer than can be helped. The wind is said to 

 blow all through the winter as well. 



The natives told us that wild camels have 

 occasionally been shot to the west of Yangi Daria, 

 and that for them winter is the best time. But on 

 the whole the country is worthless from a sports- 

 man's point, of view. 



In Khotan we camped in a pleasant garden 

 outside the town, and spent five whole days there, 

 enjoying the rest and eating immense quantities 

 of fruit and vegetables, the latter being one of 

 the things which one does not miss till one has 

 to go without them. We had a lot of horse- 

 dealing to do, as the remains of our caravan 

 were mostly unfit to go further ; but this did not 



