IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Scientific Results of a Journey in Central Asia, 1899-1902 : vol.1 |
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| VIEW A LITTLE ABOVE THE CATARACTS OF THE KÖTÄKLIK-DARJA. |
Citation Information
THE JARKENT-DARJA FROM LAJLIK TO KURUK-ASTI. 23
amounted to 3 I.39 cub. m. ; from which we may infer how enormous is the quantity of water that still finds an outlet through the Kona-darja.
Below the island were three small cataracts, plunging down three separate thresholds athwart the current. The largest was the first, which bore the name of Schakurun, a word meaning a »waterfall» or »fall»; yet it was not more than I dm. high. It is indeed interesting to find that cataracts occur in this branch of the river, for it must be remembered, it is only four years since it was formed. They will no doubt disappear in time, when the channel grows deeper, and the thresholds or transverse ridges become worn away by the friction of the water. The locality where we encamped is called Kötäklik-ajaghi, or the Termination of the arm that carries driftwood.
Fig. 24. VIEW A LITTLE ABOVE THE CATARACTS OF THE KÖTÄKLIK-DARJA.
September 24th. During the night the river rose 3 mm. Not only the character of the river-bed, but also the aspect of the landscape we were traversing, showed plainly that we were navigating a newly formed branch. The containing banks were on the whole very low. The windings were short, and but little developed, though they turned at sharp angles; the river was still seeking a path for itself, and -was undecided which way to turn. As yet there were no alluvial deposits worthy of the name; in some places the stream was scarcely 20 M. broad. At intervals were living poplars still standing on tiny islets; others, although fallen, still had their roots fixed in the river-bottom, and thus formed obstacles against which the driftwood was beginning to collect. Occasionally, too, tamarisks and other bushes projected above the surface, and long trailing root-fibres, fast at one end, streamed on the current. Every now and again, the river, which travelled swiftly as a rule, was broken by rapids, though none were of any consequence. The vegetation on the banks consists of bushes and kamisch and solitary young poplars; there has not been time as yet for forest to grow up. Sometimes the stream divided, but soon reunited again. During the latter part of the day's journey, the river was narrow and deep, like an artificially constructed canal, and was bordered by banks as much as 0/2 m. in height. The depth amounted to 7 m. or more. On the left bank are a couple of sand-dunes, overgrown with vegetation, which bear the name of Ghorun-
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