THROUGH ASIA 
840 
On February 15th we lost our way among the sand- 
dunes, which sometimes rose to close upon 100 feet in 
height. The lee side of the dunes faced south-west, and 
the relation of the height to the distance between the 
crests of two adjacent dunes varied on an average in 
the proportion of i to 12 '8. Poplars and tamarisks were 
very rare all day long ; but towards evening we came 
across another strip of vegetation. From the spot where 
we encamped we counted forty-two live poplars. Only 
one camel-track was visible, and that an old one ; but 
tracks of hares and birds were not uncommon. Not 
far off some hunter from the Keriya-daria had put up 
several poles as a sort of signal or mark, probably to 
indicate that that was the limit of their range towards 
the north. Our well that evening was 6 ft. 3^ in. deep 
and its temperature 45°5 Fahr. (7°5i C.). The ground 
was frozen to a depth of five and a half inches ; the water- 
carrying stratum of sand rested on impervious clay. 
February i6th. We continued our slow march towards 
the north. Every day I anxiously reckoned the distance 
we had travelled, and every evening counted the probable 
distance that still separated us from the Tarim. We were 
very anxious to reach it and say adieu to the perilous 
desert. During the forenoon the sand was less high than 
the day before, and we scanned the northern horizon im- 
patiently for the first glimpse of the forest-belt of the 
Tarim. An oasis of some seventy vigorous poplars 
tempted us to halt. But Ahmed the Hunter discovered 
the track of a panther, and assured me that those 
animals seldom travel more than a day’s journey from 
water. W e therefore went on again ; for it was quite 
evident the animal had not come from the south, from 
the Keriya-daria. 
After that the sand-dunes rose again to fifty feet ; the 
region assumed its usual sterile and desolate appearance. 
We only twice saw signs of the wild camel. When the 
light began to fail, we took up our temporary abode round 
an isolated poplar, which the camels soon stripped of its 
bark. All through this part of our journey through the 
