THE KARLIK TAGH 523 



the summer. Farther west, however, where the plateau 

 swept down to the lower altitude of the Tur Kul basin, 

 we found a permanent population of shepherds. Here 

 the Taghliks had adopted a semi-nomadic existence, 

 Ii\ing chiefly in yurts ; even the movable tents presented 

 a half-fixed appearance, with kraals for the herds built 

 close b}^ and hedges of scrub and grass for protection 

 from the wind. Now and then we came across large 

 flocks of sheep, which in most cases belonged to the 

 Khan. The grazing was exceptionally rich, and the 

 plateau could support a very large herd of horses and 

 sheep, but the accessibility of the region hinders it 

 from being reserved as a private pasture for the Khan 

 and his subjects ; in consequence, Chinese herdsmen 

 from Barkul use it considerably. 



The scenery of the northern side was varied by the 

 lake of Tur Kul, a small upland basin situated at a 

 height of 6,301 ft. Close by was Tomdun, a settlement 

 consisting of three yurts and two mud-houses, where we 

 rested for a few days owing to bad weather. Cold winds 

 and driving mists made us glad to get off the open plateau 

 into the warm yurts ; snow fell heavily, and when the 

 weather cleared we found that even the desert-spurs 

 of the Metshin-ola to the north were snow-clad. Tur 

 Kul was the water-table for a considerable drainage 

 from the ranges to the north and south. No water 

 from the mountains entered the lake above ground, but 

 it was margined by a wide border of soft, bogg}^ ground, 

 where much water oozed up and formed small springs 

 and streams. Large flocks of sheep and herds of cattle 

 fed on the excellent pasturage sustained by a perennial 

 watering, and many shepherd encampments were scat- 

 tered along the shores of the lake. 



