ASPECT OF VALLEY. 33 



taking our guns, waded towards the spot where we 

 could see the carp jumping. So intent were they 

 with their games as not to notice us, and we gene- 

 rally approached to within a few paces of them ; 

 then, watching our opportunity, we shot them as they 

 rose to the surface, and in this way secured some 

 fine fish every day. 



In the beginning of May the heat in the valley 

 was intense ; the mercury rose to 31° Cent. (88° Fahr.) 

 in the shade, whilst the water was heated only to 21° 

 Cent. (70° Fahr.), rendering bathing a pleasant relief. 

 Hardly any rain fell, and vegetation was checked 

 by the excessive heat as much as it had been by the 

 preceding cold season. The yellowish grey tint of 

 the valley at this time was particularly unattractive ; 

 only a few tufts of green grass h^d sprung up, in the 

 midst of which solitary '^o\^QX4>{TIiermopsis lanccolata, 

 Astragalus sp., Hyperoiim sp., Potentilla sp.. Iris sp.) 

 raised their heads timidly in the midst of sur- 

 rounding desolation. Wherever a white layer of 

 salt covered the soil, it had the appearance of driven 

 snow, even when you were close to it ; in such spots 

 not a blade of green could be seen — nothing but 

 withered clumps of dirisun. The whirlwinds fre- 

 quently raised columns of saline dust, which blinded 

 us and aggravated our sufferings. Only those parts 

 of the valley were a little more cheerful where last 

 year's vegetation had been completely burnt up by 

 the early spring heats, and where towards the 

 middle of May some green grass had appeared. 



In the border range vegetation was equally 

 VOL. ri. D 



