LAKES WITHOUT END 
1043 
Mus-tagh-ata, although they did not send off any well- 
developed ice-streams. 
September loth. Our course lay eastwards— always 
eastwards — along a flat plain, traversed by a stream 
divided into innumerable narrow channels, which flowed 
to the next lake, No. 18. Beside this last we encamped , 
and there, since there was a fair quantity of grass on 
the neighbouring hills, we also rested a day. And the 
rest came opportunely, for it was perfectly wintry weather. 
It hailed and snowed all day long, and an icy wind blew 
from every quarter. The landscape was enshrouded in 
thick mist, so that we could not get a single glimpse 
of our surroundings. 
We now took stock of our provision-chests, with the 
result that we saw it would be necessary to exercise strict 
economy for the future. We had possibly sufficient bread, 
flour, and tea to last us a month ; but there were eleven of 
us, and we did not know how far it was to the nearest 
inhabited district. We had only one sheep left; but if 
the worst came to the worst, we should have to live upon 
yak beef. It was six weeks since we left the last inhabited 
dwelling, and we were all longing to meet with human 
beings, no matter who or what they were. 
It was impossible to do any work all day. I sat on 
my bed inside the tent, wrapped in my furs, and finished 
the last sheets of my map, and read. But my fingers 
got stiff and blue with cold, so that when my tea was 
brought In, I was glad to warm them against the teapot. 
1 only felt properly warm the first hour or two after meals , 
then that everlasting wind chilled me to the bone again. 
The neighbourhood of our camp was gloomy and 
lifeless, except for the screaming of the gulls on the 
lake. Of vegetation there was not a sign, except the 
grass which already showed its autumn yellow tinge. 
The wind howled ; the hard-grained snow whistled round 
the tent ; the waves beat softly and monotonously agminst 
the shore. The shore on the opposite side was hidden 
by the driving snow, so that I easily imagined I was 
standing on the brink of the mighty ocean. Oh how 
