8 THE TARIM RIVER.
days' supply is allowed. In the autumn however, when Jupoga has fully satisfied all its requirements, the current is allowed to flow on to Terem and Moghal; but it is then of course practically useless for the crops. In years of great scarcity the people are compelled to have recourse to o wells.
From Jupoga one road goes due north to Fajs-abad, and another south-southwest to Atschik. According to the native mode of reckoning, it is 50 jol to the former place and 4o jol to the latter, or in our reckoning 32 and 2 I kilometers respectively. * A third road runs from Jupoga to Moghal, and on through Avat to Mejnet. It was however reported to be difficult for camels by reason of the salt
* In Jakub Bek's time distance was measured in West Turkestan tascli (stones), but since the Chinese again became masters of the country, the unit of measurement is the potaj, which is reputed to consist of 10 jol (»routes»). I have calculated that the average length of a potaj is 3661 metres, or 32/3 km.; but the actual length varies greatly according to the configuration of the ground. Where the contours are heavy, the potaj is only a short distance; on level ground where the going. is good it makes a pretty long stretch. Between the longest and the shortest of the potajs I measured there was a difference of fully goo metres, so that this unit of measurement is of no value for topographical purposes. For instance, the distances 32 km. and 21 km. in the text would, on the basis of 3661 meters to the potaj, amount to only 18.3 km. and 14.6 km. respectively. Thus the real length of the potaj and of the jol is only to be ascertained by actual measurement. As a rule the natives of East Turkestan have not the faintest idea of distance, and you soon find that in practice the best thing is to confine yourself to asking how many days' journey it is to such and such a place. In this way you can usually learn, how long a time is required to traverse the distance with camels, horses, or asses, or to cover it on foot, say, between sunrise and the hour of the last prayer, or the usual supper hour.
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