BOATING ON NORTHERN LOP-NOR 889 
we set fire to the dry reeds of the previous year. The 
dames spread across the lake with the rapidity of a prairie 
fire, and the smoke hovered like a light veil over the 
neighbourhood of our camp. I lay awake half the night, 
enjoying the glorious vigour of the dames, and rejoicing in 
the vengeful thought, that countless hosts of gnats were 
being wafted like chaff to the ends of the world on the 
drifting soot. At other times I had been obliged to 
protect my poor skin at night by a weapon of defence 
that was not at all nice ; namely smearing my hands and 
face with nicotine. And 1 had to smoke really very hard, 
so as not to run short of the essential juice ! I brought 
with me from Khotan sufficient tobacco to last, as I 
calculated, fifty days ; but that had all vanished long 
ago in smoke. I bought a supply of Chinese tobacco 
in Shah-yar, but that was only for use in case of urgent 
necessity. I further supplemented my store at Korla, 
by investing a threepenny piece in a barrel of the bitter, 
sour native tobacco, compared with which the aroma of 
the strongest “twist” is as pure Havana. 
Speaking of setting fire to the reeds, my guide told me, 
that on one occasion when somebody set fire to the reeds 
of Kara-koll in stormy weather, the fire burnt on for three 
summers and three winters. That is of course an un- 
commonly fine mare’s-nest, and the Asiatics do know how 
to manufacture the article, and even go the length of be- 
lieving implicitly in the products of their own facile skill ; 
still, even when allowance is made for that, it is perfectly 
clear that, once a fire has seized upon the dry reeds, it 
goes on burning for an extraordinary length of time. The 
old chief of Abdal, Kunchekkan Beg, was pleased to 
believe that, if the reeds of the southern Lop-nor were 
to be set on fire, they would burn for at least a week. In 
consequence of the strong draught sweeping through the 
dry reed-stalks close to the surface of the water, the flames 
rage and roar as though they were fanned by a gigantic 
pair of bellows. The reeds crackle and burst, and burn 
down to the water’s edge, whilst showers of sparks and 
long spiral clouds of smoke float away through the air. 
ii.-iS 
