910 
THROUGH ASIA 
consisted of moist mud impregnated with sand, 1 pre- 
ferred to sleep in the canoe. 
The next day we rowed on further across the large lake. 
Once when we stopped to take a sounding, Yolldash, 
thinking it was too warm in the canoe, made a dash over 
the side ; but after a good long swim, he came to the 
conclusion that it was too far to land, and so climbed back 
on board. The tiny pioneer canoe led the way ; then 
followed the provision boat ; and last of all the one in 
which I sat. I ate my simple breakfast of wild-ducks’ 
esfSfs and bread on the lake. Islam Bai handed the dishes 
to me by putting them in a wooden bowl, and setting 
it afloat on the water (which was perfectly smooth), 
and I caught it up as we darted past. 
A belt of gigantic reeds, each fully 25 feet in height, and 
measuring 2 ^ inches in circumference at the surface of the 
water, stretched diagonally across the lake. As the Lop- 
men seldom ventured so far as the point we had then 
reached, the chappgans were grown up again. The tiny 
pioneer canoe managed to get through pretty easily ; but 
the two bigger, heavier boats had to work their way 
through inch by inch. The boatmen laid aside their oars 
and forced the boat on with their arms, using the reeds as 
a fulcrum. We were completely shut in on all sides. Not 
a drop of water was visible ; it was entirely hidden by the 
reeds and the boat. Into that dark, close, warm tunnel 
not a gleam of sunshine penetrated. I drew a sigh of 
intense relief when we at length emerged from the watery 
defile and debouched upon the last open lake, with its 
surface crumpled by the breeze. 
At noon we reached the very extremity of the open lakes ; 
beyond that it was absolutely impossible to get through the 
reeds, either by canoe in the summer or on the ice in the 
winter. They stood as tightly packed together as the 
palings in a wooden palisade. In some places they were 
indeed so densely matted together, and so strong, that we 
actually walked along the top of the tangled mat they 
made, without for a single instant being reminded, that 
there was ten feet of water immediately under our feet. 
