THE FORESTS OF THE TARIM 853 
viewed us with jealous mistrust, and every homestead was 
guarded by half-a-dozen ferocious dogs. 
With each day we advanced, we gained a better insight 
into the complicated river-system, and understood its 
character better. The main stream does not confine itself 
to one channel ; but in its sinuous course through the 
forest often divides and re-unites. At Dung - sattma 
the Yarkand-daria (Tarim) was likewise known as the 
Yumulag-daria (the Round River), and its left-hand or 
northern branch as the Ughen-daria. But in different 
parts of the forest the river nomenclature is extremely 
confused, and it is scarcely possible to give a clear account 
of it without the aid of my detailed itinerary map. I shall 
have occasion to return to this interesting hydrographical 
problem later on. 
It was not an easy matter to make progress through the 
dense forest, nor even across the open champaign, for there 
the reeds stood ten feet high ; but luckily we had a trust- 
worthy guide in Islam Akhun from Shah-yar. 
On March 2nd we encamped on the bank of the Ughen- 
daria, at a spot where the stream was quite narrow ; and 
on the following afternoon beside the clear blue waters of 
the Inchickeh-daria (the Narrow River), which flowed with 
a scarce discernible movement at the bottom of a deep and 
confined channel. 
March 5th. We halted for the day in the forest-tract of 
Chong-tokai (the Big Forest), in order to give the camels 
a rest ; and there we bought a sheep, and I took an astro- 
nomical observation. At that place the Inchickeh-daria 
was called the Chayan, and was twenty-six feet wide and 
five feet deep. 
On March 6th we directed our march towards the north- 
east, accompanied by shepherds of Chong-tokai. The 
forest grew’ thinner and thinner, and soon became confined 
to a few scattered tamarisks and saksaul bushes, the latter 
growing on small conical mounds held together by the 
roots of the plant. The country grew’ more desolate ; 
small sand-dunes appeared at intervals ; and before w’e 
halted for the night we found ourselves in the middle of a 
