THROUGH ASIA 
852 
heard them in the distance, we knew over which tree 
the first in the string would become visible. Their 
instinct of locality is amazing. But no doubt they have 
innumerable “sign-posts ” all along the road. They always 
come down nearer the earth long before they settle ; as 
though they knew the next resting-place was not far off. 
Once every year they make the extraordinary journey all 
the way from India to Siberia, and once a year back again, 
a journey which it would take a human being a couple of 
years to perform, at the cost of no small amount of trouble. 
It would be an Interesting study for an ornithologist to 
trace out the flight-routes of the wild-geese and other 
migratory birds across the Asiatic continent ; a map 
depicting their lines of flight would be invested wdth no 
ordinary value. Along the Tarim basin they almost 
certainly follow the course of the river. Lop-nor is with 
equal certainty an important rendezvous. Several flight- 
routes also intersect there ; and there the wild-geese, like 
the wild- duck and several Grallatores (waders), stay some 
time. But how do they get over the lofty mountains, 
across the stupendous plateau of Tibet? In the parts 
of Tibet which I afterwards travelled through, I only 
observed wild-geese two or three times. On the other 
hand, the Sarik-kol valley, and Lakes Rang-kul and 
Chackmakden-kul, seem to mark an important migratory 
route. Another well-known flight-route is said to coincide 
with the meridian of Kucha as far as the Tarim, and 
thence down the river to Lop-nor. 
The region through which we were then travelling was 
known by the general name of Ughen ; but each sattma, 
together with the portion of the forest and pasturage 
which belonged to it, had a separate name. As a rule, 
the houses were constructed of clay, with a flat boarden 
roof ; but in addition many of the people possessed light, 
airy summer-houses, with a projecting roof supported by 
pillars. On the whole, however, the shepherds of the 
Tarim led the same sort of nomadic life as the shepherds 
of the Khotan-daria and the Keriya-daria. But they were 
by no means so peaceful and good-natured : they often 
