1156 
THROUGH ASIA 
a place known as Hadeh-sachi, after doing nearly twenty- 
one miles. The evening was still and bright, the stars 
glittered brilliantly, and in the hollows of the mountains 
around we saw the pale red gleams from the camp-fires 
of the Tanguts. 
November 9th. Soon after starting, one of our horses 
gave up, and as several of the rest showed signs of 
exhaustion, we only travelled a short stage. The further 
we advanced to the east-north-east the more distinct 
grew the Koko-nor. The steppe sloped gently towards 
the shore of the lake. The Northern Koko-nor Range, 
which had an occasional peak capped with snow, was 
the only mountain-chain visible ; it lay to the north-east 
and east-north-east. The Mongol name for this range 
is simply Tsun-ula (the Northern Mountains). 
At length we heard the waves beating against the 
.shore, and immediately afterwards reached the lake 
itself, and steered our course beside it. Near the beach 
the water was not quite clear ; this was no doubt owing 
to the action of the waves. It was also much less salt 
than the water of the North Tibetan lakes. But the 
delta of the Bukhain-gol was at no great distance, and 
no doubt that river tended to keep the water fresh. 
There was no ice on the surface, and, thoug'h the tem- 
perature of the air was 35°4 Fahr. (i°9 C.), the temperature 
of the water was 44° Fahr. (6°7 C.). 
We travelled along a rampart of gravel (clay-slate), 
which the waves had built up along the shore, until 
we came to the brook Bagha-ulan, where we encamped, 
and whence I got a truly magnificent view. Right away 
to the horizon stretched the lake like the boundless sea, 
its waters a deep blue, changing to green. To right, 
to left, in the far-off distance, the mountain-chains grew 
lower and fainter, until they at last faded away into 
a veil of haze. Their two nearer extremities did not 
however touch ; a wide gap remained open in the south- 
east. It was glorious to breathe the “sea-breeze” that 
blew off the lake — glorious, refreshing, inspiring ! 
At last then we had reached the Blue Lake, the Tso- 
