THROUGH ASIA 
916 
for as far as we could see, there was nothing but a bound- 
less expanse of water, literally rent to tatters by the wind. 
The spray was dashed about our ears, the water was bodily 
driven up into the air, shivered into myriads of drops, and 
flung down again with a furious hissing and splashing. \V e 
could not however see very far ; the atmosphere was so 
thickly laden with dust, that it was actually darkened. 
During the three days and three nights that this “ black 
buran ” raged without a moment’s cessation, the tempera- 
ture never ro.sc above 59“ Fahr. (15° C.) and 64°4 Fahr. 
(18° C.), and accordingly we felt it decidedly cool. 
By the time we reached Charkhlik, a little “ town of 
about one hundred families, the storm had subsided and the 
weather was calm. But, on the other hand, our camp was 
in commotion. For the first thing, we were going to part 
with our three camels, which ever since we left Khotan had 
rendered us invaluable service. For months they had 
tramped with the endurance of Stoics through the terrible 
desert sand, had stalked with majestic gravity through 
the primeval forests of the Tarim, had forded rivers and 
morasses without showing any sign of fear, never com- 
plaining, seldom occasioning difficulties, but often quicken- 
ing our courage by their imperturbable calmness. But 
we had used their strength to the uttermost. They too 
urgently needed rest. To have taken them with us all 
the way to Khotan would have been cruel ; for in Central 
Asia, camels do no work in the summer, but enjoy the 
privilege of grazing on the mountain pastures. 
It was hardest to part with my riding-camel, a splendid 
male ten years old. The camel, as I remarked when 
speaking of the wild species, does not love men, and 
never becomes as tame as the horse ; but with this par- 
ticular animal I had always been on the very best of terms. 
Whenever the man approached him, whose duty it was to 
lead him by the rope through his nostrils, he screamed 
angrily, and snorted ; but after he found out that I never 
touched the rope, he gave me a very different reception 
He allowed me to pat his nose, and stroke his face, without 
manifesting the least resentment. Every morning I used 
