964 
THROUGH ASIA 
small dry, shallow watercourses, all about the same size. I 
concluded that, when the spring floods come dowm, the 
valley is filled from side to side with a broad but shallow 
stream. 
In proportion as the valley expanded, the view in advance 
widened out more and more. We were travelling through 
a Transitional region, like those I have already described 
as existing in the Pamirs — that is to say, a region represent- 
ing the intermediate stage between a Peripheral region and 
a Highland Plateau region. Even in its upper part the 
valley was joined by several small subsidiary glens, and 
over the head of them, on our right, we caught every now 
and again glimpses of a mighty mountain-chain, its summits 
covered with snow. It was Arka-tagh or the Further 
Mountains — further as compared with the Altun-tagh or 
Astun-tagh (generally, but incorrectly, known as the Altyn- 
tagh), on the south of Lop-nor. 
The landscape was monotonous in the extreme, a uniform 
grey, and absolutely barren, not a vestige of life, not a trace 
of even a khulan (wild ass). But then there was not a 
blade of vegetation anywhere. I saw no living creature, 
except a light-green lizard, which scuttled in amongst the 
gravel. 
About ten o’clock in the morning a little snow fell ; but 
the westerly gale continued to blow In fierce gusts all day 
long, driving clouds of dust and sand along the bed of the 
stream. Fortunately for us we had the wind right behind 
us. The drift-sand accumulated In sheltered corners be- 
hind the projecting crags, settling itself in the form of 
rudimentary dunes, though sometimes It amounted to 
nothing more than a mere yellow sprinkling of the ground. 
In those high altitudes the abrasive power of the wind 
plays a very important part. The west wind, which is 
said to be the prevailing wind, sweeps away all the finer 
materials, leaving the gravel behind and exposed ; until 
that in its turn becomes disintegrated and is swept away. 
The surface of the mountains was everywhere weathered 
and porous. It was evident there was an enormous 
difference between the temperature of the day and the 
