842 
THROUGH ASIA 
river. Upon reaching a couple of poplars, where the 
ground promised water, we halted. Water we must have, 
for we had come to the end of our own supply yesterday. 
We found it at 5 ft. 4 in., and with a temperature of 
41°; Fahr. (5“4 C.). 
Februarv i8th. The water took so lonsf to run out 
that we were only able to fill one tiihun (goat-skin) before 
we started in the morning. The ground became heavier 
and heavier. One davan w'as a good 1 30 feet high ; 
however we slowly worked our way over the piled up 
sand-dunes till we at length reached the culminating point ; 
whence the northern horizon was barely visible at an 
immeasurable distance. The sand was everywhere ab- 
solutely barren, and resembled the western part of the 
Takla-makan Desert. That day we were all unusually 
silent. Ahmed the Hunter only laughed once ; that was 
when I pointed down into a yawning circular chasm 
between the wings of two sand-dunes, and asked him, 
if he would not like to slide down into the pit and fetch 
up a little water. Islam and I had been in worse case ; 
and our spirits had their effect upon the others, who were 
beginning to feel very downhearted. We rested at a 
suitable place and dug a well. At five feet deep the sand 
was moist, but not moist enough to promise water ; so 
we gave up the well. The water-supply in the goat-skin 
did for the evening and morning. The camels were 
hungry; we gave them their pack-.saddles to eat. Twice 
during the day’s march we crossed the track of a fox 
leading first a little way into the desert, and then returning 
and going due north, and this served to keep up our 
spirits. What in the world was the fox doing there? 
Looking for hares ? Probably. But it ought to have 
been able to find them nearer home. We also saw a 
raven flying in the same direction. Ahmed thought he 
had been to have a look at the two dead camels we had 
shot, and was now hastening to the Tarim to fetch his 
kindred to share in the feast. Perhaps he was ; all the 
same, the wind during the past few days had been in the 
north ! 
