472 
THROUGH ASIA 
former river levels were clearly distinguishable. The 
villao-ers declared that at one time the river flowed close 
past their village, although it was now situated two miles 
from it. They expressed themselves as w'ell satisfied with 
this caprice of nature, for it had allowed them to extend 
their fields over the alluvial soil of the former river-bed. 
March 14th. The wind subsided a little to-day, and 
shifted right round to the east. I noticed that the storms 
often began in the west, and later veered round by way of 
north to the east. We kept along the river in a north- 
easterly direction till we reached Lailik. For some 
distance the river bank was very much eroded, rising 
like a vertical wall to the height of thirteen feet, and 
disclosing a horizontal stratum of fine yellow soil, sand, and 
alluvium, riddled by numberless roots, which sometimes 
hung swaying over the water. The first half of the journey 
took us through a series of villages ; then the country was 
barren, until we reached the woods near Lailik, where we 
arrived just after midday, and found everything in good 
order under Johannes’ care. 
