compared with the Laschin-darja and the Ara-tarim, it appeared to be wanting in energy, as well as to be dwindling. The more noteworthy points are these: Ajtungu-sörutmasi, a loop with a rather narrow neck or »stalk». The word sörutivasi is equivalent to kötörmesu, and means a »portage»; but in this particular case the loop is so short and the portage so wide, that the expediency of hauling canoes across it is more than doubtful. At the base of the loop the sandy desert once more approaches the right bank. On the left bank is an overgrown sand-hill, with a solitary poplar, known as Jileg-uj. This day the river-banks were all along tolerably well equipped with poplars of a riper age. On the same side of the river two dry ariks lead off to a vanished village. Then on the right comes Ager-asti, and, again on the left, Schah Mansurne-osasene-basch-tam-arighi, which long name means the Canal of the Cultivated Land around Schah Mansur's Upper Clay House. Next, still on the left, we have Tajir Achune-kotane, and, farther on, the village of Kuslek or Schah Mansurne-uji, long uninhabited. On the right we note a dry atscha, leading to the lake of Ettek-köl amongst the sand; but having received no fresh accession of water, it has become converted into a daschi or »salt pool». At Asimet Beki-uji, on the right bank, there are low sand-dunes clothed with vegetation. Behind these, and between them and the high barren sand, lies the desiccated lake of Schikak-köl, connected with the river by the dry canal of Schikak.
The river is now seldom as much as 5 m. deep. We measured the depth in the middle of the stream, taking soundings once every minute for the space of an hour after leaving Asimet Beki-uji. The maximum depth was 4.8o m., obtained in three separate soundings.
On the morning of the 29th May the Acloke-kok-alasi, which conies from the Laschin-clarja, had the following dimensions: breadth, 12.0 m.; mean depth, 0.900 m.; mean velocity, 0.6648 m.; and volume, 7.18 cub.m. in the second. Thus from this point the river receives a not inconsiderable augmentation. Some years ago the Acloke-kok-alasi was the principal channel of the Tarim, that is at the time when it was beginning to desert the river-bed which we last navigated. Four years before it is said to have been still a very powerful stream, but three years ago, when the Laschin-darja was formed, it began to decrease, until now its volume was barely 7 cub.m., as compared with 13 cub.m. in the old river-bed. On the left is a strip of low dunes, with vegetation; a large poplar amongst them bears the name of Kamschuk-tiischken-toghrak. From the right a canal, now dry, leads off to the Jangi-sudake-köl, situated amongst the sand-dunes. Then comes, on the same side, the masar of Istam Begi-markati, with the graves of the beks who used to live at Jangi-su. Immediately beyond that stands a cluster of huts, Jangi-sudake-kona-uj, which were deserted six years ago in consequence of an outbreak of small-pox, the people flitting over to the left bank and building a new Jangi-su some distance lower clown. This village was said to number 22 families; while 18 other families from the older Jangi-su had settled at Mandschar-baschi beside the Tschivilik-köl. Supa Bek, the bek of Jangi-su, told me, that he had altogether 498 people subject to his authority. Opposite to the new Jangi-su, on the other side of the Tarim, there is a boldschemal, or now destroyed loop, of the river. The name of Jantak-alghutsch-
liedin, Tourney in Central Asia. 24
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