I 122 
THROUGH ASIA 
time, but the ground becoming unfavourable down by the 
lake, we went up on the open level terraces, strewn 
with coarse sand and gravel. The track crossed a deep 
dry ravine, which in all probability only carried water 
during the season of the summer rains. Glancing up it, 
we caught a glimpse of the Tossun-nor, as it were, through 
a gateway. Then we approached the broad funnel-shaped 
depression through which the Holuin-gol entered the lake. 
But instead of crossing it, we turned up the right bank. 
The country was however as unfavourable as it well could 
be — the same complex labyrinth of tamarisk mounds, clay 
ridges, sand-dunes, and thickets that we had to contend 
against on the east side of the old Lop-nor. The ford 
across the Holuin-gol was at Bongkim-obo, a small square 
“chapel,” containing a stone slab with the inevitable 
formula of prayer carved upon it in relief. The river was 
too feet broad, its maximum depth being not more than 
three feet, its bottom hard, and its water bright as crystal, 
so that the animals got over without wetting any of the 
baggage. 
After that the path went almost due east. On the 
right, but at some distance away, we had the northern 
shore of Tossun-nor, and on the left, i.e. towards the 
north, the blue expanse of the still larger Kurlyk-nor, 
also called Khara-nor and Hollussun-nor. The south 
side of the latter lake was bordered with a wide belt of 
yellow reeds, almost entirely concealing the place where 
the Holuin-gol ran out of the lake, to empty itself 
eventually into the Tossun-nor. On the other hand, 
the northern shore appeared to be free from reeds, the 
bare and desolate slopes of the Southern Koko-nor Range 
sloping straight down to the surface of the lake. 
It is an excellent arrangement of Nature to have 
contrived two lakes in that place instead of one. Into 
the northern lake, Kurlyk-nor, flowed the rivers Balduin- 
gol, Bayin-gol, Alikhani-gol, and several small brooks. 
The current which flowed out of it through the Holuin- 
gol was relatively sweet, so that the saline matters which 
the streams carried down with them from the mountains 
