472 THE TARIM DELTA.
bare of vegetation. Trunks of trees and kamisch stubble lie rocking on the water, and where they fail to come up to the surface they constitute a danger for the canoes. The poplars hereabouts are said to be in general about 4o years old.
Fig. 415. THE ILEK A LITTLE ABOVE KUM-TSCHEKE.
After this we reached the important point where the Ilek receives, on its left or eastern bank, its tribute from the Arka-köl and the other lakes situated north of it. At its entrance into the river the mouth of the connecting canal is rather narrow, but a very little higher up it widens out, and is shut in by poplars. A little bit higher up still the river is joined by yet another though quite insignificant branch, it too hidden amongst the reeds. Thus I was at length in a position to complete my map of 1896, and at the same time to correct a serious error which had crept into it. I took it for granted that the Ilek of Kum-tscheke is derived wholly and solely from the chain of lakes consisting of the Avullu-köl, Kara-köl, Tajek-köl, and Arka-köl, and is the channel by which they discharge. But I have now ascertained, that the distribution of the water is much more complicated, and that the only discharge out of these lakes is through the two small channels I have mentioned. Where the Ilek really does come from we shall see soon.
The inhabitants of Kum-tscheke possess here a hut, Islamning-uji, on the left bank of the Ilek. Here too the river makes a pretty abrupt bend, penetrating in amongst the overgrown dunes on the left (eastern) bank. The river-bed is shallow, and
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