304 
THROUGH ASIA 
plain indications of the effect wrought by the weaves under 
the influence of the south wind. The water washed up an 
even wall of sand all round the creek, leaving' also a 
belt of dry seaweed. We started out on an excursion, 
but were overtaken by such a violent north-north-westerly 
gale that we were obliged to turn back. This region 
is notorious for its winds. Those which come from the 
north and south are the most violent, as they sweep 
unhindered through the meridional valley. In accordance 
with the configuration of the country, the east winds are 
more irregular and squally, while from the west, or Pamirs, 
it seldom blows at all. 
“Yes indeed, the wfind often put our patience to the 
test ; it curtailed or prevented the carrying out of many 
plans, and the whole summer long we were very much 
dependent on the caprices of the weather. On unfavour- 
able days there was nothing for it but to sit in the yurt 
and write, or work out my sketch-maps. It was always 
refreshing to hear the monotonous sons' of the waves on 
O O 
the beach. To-day, too, the lake was greatly perturbed ; 
long white-topped waves crossed it diagonally, and cast 
up sand and seaweed on the beach, so that the water was 
muddy for ten yards or more out into the lake, before the 
fresh green-blue colour supervened again. A thick mist 
came on by degrees, enshrouding the Kara-kul, so that 
nothing except the two points on either side of our creek 
were visible, and they seemed to be much farther off than 
they were in reality. When one white crest after the 
other came rolling in from out of the mist I had the 
feeling of standing by the open sea. 
“ Along the beach, near our camp, there were two small 
lagoons, one behind the other. The outer lagoon was 
connected with the lake, whence a deep narrow channel 
conveyed water to it every time the waves broke. The 
inner lagoon was separated from the outer by a strip of 
land six or seven yards broad, intersected by a narrow but 
deep channel, so that even there the water was churned 
up by the wind. The outer lagoon was separated from 
the lake by a grass-grown wall of earth a yard in height. 
