CHAPTER XC. 
\ 
AMONG THE MONGOLIAN LAKES 
O N October 26th we travelled the long stage of 
twenty-four and a quarter miles, and so approached 
the northern border of the basin of Tsaidam. The 
country showed no alteration of feature, and we still 
continued in the same direction. Soon after starting 
we had to face a “hog’s back” of low barren clay hills, 
thrown together in the most extraordinary shapes and 
forms, resembling towers, walls, and pyramids. Once only 
was the solemn desolation and silence of the scene broken 
by a few starveling tamarisks and saksauls ; but how they 
managed to subsist, God alone knows, for the ground was 
as dry as tinder, we never saw a single drop of water 
all day long. We crossed over an entire series of low 
clay passes. The first was marked by an obo, whilst 
the “ sign-post ” which indicated the last consisted of 
the branches and roots of saksaul lashed together in 
the shape of arches. At intervals amongst these hills 
the ground was perfectly flat, and white with salt. 
Loppsen said that after rain those places were brimming 
with water. 
On the other side of the hills we saw stretching before 
us, as far as the eye could reach, a level but barren plain, 
strewn with sand. It was however easy going for our 
tired horses, which were now urgently wanting water. 
At length we caught a glimpse of a lake. It was 
Tossun-nor, a lake embedded amid clay terraces and 
hills, which fell steeply towards the water’s edge. Here 
our path joined the road which leads from Dsun-sassak 
to Northern Tibet, and which has been described by 
Przhevalsky. 
III9 
