876 
THROUGH ASIA 
it, there was only an insignificant residuum of the former 
sea-like lake left close under the western shore ; it had 
become choked with the sedimentary deposits of the 
Tarim to such an extent that even the shallow dug-outs 
(canoes) of the native fishermen would not float on its 
waters. In summer that fragmentary residuum is com- 
pletely cut off from the Tarim and the Cherchen-daria, 
and in consequence the water quickly turns salt, and by 
the end of the summer has all evaporated. The site of 
the lake then becomes overgrown with luxuriant grass, 
and affords rich pasturage for the sheep and cattle of 
the people of Charkhlik. When in the end of April we 
journeyed from Abdal to Charkhlik, we travelled over a 
long stretch of alluvial ground, which, when Przhevalsky 
visited that region, was covered by the water of the lake 
Kara-buran. 
In a word, the Tarim contributes to the southern Lop- 
nor an incomparably smaller quantity of water now than 
it did at the time of Przhevalsky ’s visits. Even Prince 
Henry of Orleans observed the same thing, although he 
visited the lake only four years later than the Russian 
explorer. Thus the lake is at present undergoing a 
process of shrinkage. 
From Chegghelik-uy, where the river deflects to the 
east-north-east, its volume decreases with amazing rapidity, 
principally in consequence of the numerous small shallow 
lakes along its banks. These are in part natural, in part 
artificial, made by the fishermen of the region. But in 
either case the water which overflows into them is left to 
evaporate. Thus they maintain a continual drain upon the 
river. The subjoined table of measurements will cor- 
roborate what I have just said. I may remark that 
the distance between Chegghelik-uy and Kum-chappgan 
amounts to barely forty miles. 
Breadth of Maximum Velocity in Volume in the 
stream. depth. the second, second, 
Chegghelik-uy 50 yards 14 feet 17 feet 2530 cubic feet. 
Abdal 49 >’ ” 2145 » 
Kum-chappgan 33 „ 22^ „ '98 „ 1775 
