DESERT. 
85 
Dr. Cayley here rejoined us, being encamped three 
miles lower down the stream. Near the camp we saw 
a herd of kyang (wild donkeys), and the Yarkandi 
ladies at once set off on horseback in pursuit, with all 
their attendants scampering after them. 
We had now got over the desert part of our journey, 
which was by far the most trying. 
From the fact that long-sounding names have been 
given to all the halting-places between Ladak and 
Yarkand, and that they are marked on all maps, one is 
apt to suppose that there is at least a hut or other sign 
by which these places can be recognised ; but nothing 
exists to mark these places except the remains of fires 
made by previous travellers, and sometimes the semi- 
circular stone walls built by the Tibetans for shelter. 
We were fortunate in having no snow in the desert, 
for a fall of even an inch of snow completely con- 
ceals the little patches of grass, and a heavy fall 
renders it difficult or impossible to find the fuel 
plants. The Eurotia, on which we had chiefly to 
depend for fuel, grows in dense tufts six inches to a 
foot in diameter, and rises about four inches above 
the ground. Each tuft, when dug up, is found to con- 
sist of a single plant with woody roots several feet 
long, and sometimes as much as six inches in girth. 
Besides the Eurotia there is another plant sometimes 
met with — the Arenaria tnusciformis — which affects 
shady ravines. It resembles in general appearance 
an enormous moss, and grows in hemispherical 
masses of from one to two feet in diameter. This 
also has a thick woody root, and the whole plant 
makes tolerably good fuel, but has a most fetid smell 
when burning. There is great diversity of opinion 
as to whether horses or yaks are preferable baggage 
