496 
THROUGH ASIA 
From the very outset we were obliged to exercise the 
most rigid economy with our supplies of fresh water ; and 
therefore used the water from the ravine for boiling our 
eggs in, for washing the dishes, and for personal ablutions. 
Mohammed Yakub, who had followed us all the way to 
camp, brought us the very welcome present of a couple 
of copper vessels filled with fresh river-water ; so that 
every member of the caravan was able to quench his 
thirst to the full without our having to open the water- 
tanks. 
It had been a warm day ; but no sooner did the sun set 
than we felt it cool, and put on our extra coats. In the 
evening it w'as a dead calm. The tent flap was thrown 
back, but the flame from the candle never quivered. Our 
“ Desert Man ” gave us a taste of his knowledge. He 
advised us at first to keep for some days to the right bank 
of the Yarkand-daria, till we came to a mountain called 
Chackmak, and to a large lake, which was connected with 
a river that flowed to the north. To reach that place 
would take us eighteen days, and from there one day more 
would bring us to the Masar-tagh, the loftiest mountain 
in all that region. From the Masar-tagh to the Khotan- 
daria on the east was no great distance. North of Mount 
Chackmak there was a track which the gold-seekers were 
accustomed to use, and which led to a yagatch-nishan 
or sign-post. Beyond that mark the desert was known 
by the name of Kirk-kishlak or the F'orty Towns, because 
of the numerous ruins of ancient cities which it contained. 
April iith. After a quiet and refreshing night’s sleep 
I awoke before sunrise, and found the weather the reverse 
of agreeable. A violent nor’-easter whistled through the 
camp, and the air was thick with dust, so that, except 
in the immediate vicinity of the tent, the whole landscape 
was shrouded in a uniform grey haze. 
Unloading the baggage and putting up the tent took 
next to no time at all ; but to get everything loaded up 
again, and all started, required a good two hours, although 
that included the preparations for breakfast. The camels 
objected to be loaded ; but afterwards, during the re- 
