498 THE TARIM DELTA.
we advanced the muddier grew the water. In the lower parts of the lake it was perfectly clear, but in proportion as we penetrated the channel, which grew more and more distinctly marked, the transparency decreased, first to 0.63 and then to 0.39 m., and when we entered the Tarim-tüschken-köl, or the Lake of the Discharging River, we again encountered the muddy stream. South of this lake extends a large sheet of open water, and beyond it, in the far distance, rises a lofty mound from the top of which »a Russian tura», probably Kosloff, is said to have viewed the lake. On the right we passed the Kasan-käti-köl. Gradually the lake .merged into the lower part of the river, forming a sort of delta, just as the Ilek does in the Avullu-köl, in that it cuts broad passages through the kamisch and sedimentary deposits, while at the same time the mud-banks grow more numerous. Immediately below this mud-delta the velocity amounted to 0.65 m. The Kara-koschun however, contrary to most of the northern lakes, or rather to the first lake-link in each chain of such, does not possess any similar mud-delta, or at the most has only the rudimentary indications of one. Thus the water would appear to be relatively clearer at its entry into the Kara-koschun than it is when it enters each of the more northerly lakes. On the left bank, at the spot where the river enters the lake, stand some huts known simply as Kona-satma; these were occupied some ten or twelve years ago by the people of Kadike for two summers, before they flitted to their present abodes.
After that we travelled south-west along the lower part of the river, having dense reed-brakes on both sides of us. From the left bank issued two branches, which entered the lake of Kasan-käti west of Kona-satma. Then we turned west, and had on the south At-jegen, and on the north an extensive area of low sand, with tamarisk-mounds; and these features continued all the way to the Bos-ilek, which was half a day's journey distant from that point. A little way off there were both dead and living poplars. On the right Kara-daj, and soon afterwards a shepherd's hut; and all the way up to the tsclzong jol, or »great highway», the river is accompanied by kamisch and tamarisks. Although the stream is not especially winding, nevertheless such bends as there are, conjoined with the current, tended to retard our progress.
Next we came to the point, Arelisch, where the Jätim-tarim divides, and which we passed through on our preceding excursion (se p. 424). The attention is at once arrested by the • fact, that quite suddenly the forest becomes especially luxuriant above the bifurcation, or what amounts to the same thing, the Kuntschekisch-tarim below Arelisch is a relatively new stream. I was also told by the guides who were then accompanying me, that the whole of the Tarim used formerly to flow through the bed of the Jätim-tarim to Arghan; and even middle-aged men were able to recall the time when the branch which enters the Tschivilik-köl was formed. When that took place, the current was so strong that it was impossible to paddle against it, and communication had to be maintained by means of a couple of side-canals. Two or three such side-arms still survive. •
Judging from distinct marks the big river, the Kuntschekisch-tarim, had recently fallen 18 cm. It has thick and magnificent forests on both banks. On the left there is here a boldschemal which was abandoned two years ago; it was full of water
IIIF Color HighRes
