A DESPERATE MARCH 
599 
inference confirmed. I came across the trunks and 
branches of poplar trees, half buried in the ground ; I 
noticed furrows and sharply broken edges a foot high 
or more, all evidently due to the action of a running 
stream. But the sand was as dry as the sand in the 
desert dunes. The river-bed was empty, waiting for the 
summer floods to come down from the mountains. 
It was inconceivable that I should perish in the very 
bed of the river I had been so long and so desperately 
seekincT • that I could not believe. I called to mind the 
o ’ 
tendency of the Yarkand-daria to shift its channel to the 
east, and recollected the ancient river-bed we had crossed 
in the forest. Very likely the Khotan-darla obeyed the 
same tendency. Very likely its current clung by prefer- 
ence to the eastern bank ; I must therefore find it, if I 
would find the deepest places in the river - channel. I 
resolved to cross over to the other side before I gave 
up all hope. 
I now changed my course to due south-east. Why 
so? Why did I not keep on towards the east, as I had 
always done hitherto? I do not know. Perhaps the 
moon bewitched me; for she showed her silver crescent 
in that quarter of the heavens and shed down a dim, 
pale blue illumination over the silent scene. Leaning 
on the spade -shaft, I plodded away at a steady pace in 
a straight line towards the south-east, as though I were 
being led by an unseen, but irresistible, hand. At 
intervals I was seized by a traitorous desire to sleep, 
and was obliged to stop and rest. My pulse was ex- 
cessively weak ; I could scarcely discern its beats. I had 
to steel myself by the strongest effort of will to prevent 
myself from dropping off to sleep. I was afraid that 
if I did go off, I should never waken again. I walked 
with my eyes riveted upon the moon, and kept expecting 
to see its silver belt glittering on the dark waters of the 
stream. But no such sight met my eyes. The whole 
of the east quarter was enshrouded in the cold night 
mist. 
After going about a mile and a half, I was at length 
