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0639 Scientific Results of a Journey in Central Asia, 1899-1902 : vol.1
Scientific Results of a Journey in Central Asia, 1899-1902 : vol.1 / Page 639 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

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[Figure] Fig. 440. Turkomakte-kok-alasi; May 4th.

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doi: 10.20676/00000216
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THE KUNTSCHEKISCH-TARIM AND ITS CONNECTIONS WITH THE KONTSCHE-DARJA. 505

Here an arik, though now dry, goes off to Dural, the grey square walls of which had long been in sight. But the place itself, with its huts and poor cabins, looks mean and poverty-stricken. The amban, or »Chinese governor», of Dural, by digging a canal, had attempted to drain the extremity of the loop and convert it into an orchard, but the attempt was not successful: the river refused to be turned out of its natural bed. A small canal issues also out of the adjacent little lake of Duralning-köli, which is fed from Ak-dung and Tägirmän; this was 5.6 m. broad, and had a mean depth of 0.43 m., and a volume of 0.17 cub.m. in the second. From the same sotiirce are likewise derived three ariks, of which two were however then dry, while the water in the last was stagnant. The first-named canal passes through the »town» itself, and is spanned by two bridges. The extremely small amount of water carried by these four canals from the Duralning-köli — which by the way appears to be identical with the lake of Gilang .mentioned above — is a proof of the correctness of the information given to me, namely that the Kumdan-darja has dwindled at the expense of the Laschin-darja.

Then, turning back again to Kargha-asti, just mentioned, we passed our camp of . the February expedition, and came to a canal issuing from the Kontsche-darja and called the Ägertschi-värghan-toj-bolghan-kok-alasi. This as well as the next following, Kasim-tschapghan, comes through the lake of Sap-kojdi. Both dry up during the summer, but a third emissary of the same lake, the Chodscha Kullu-tägirmän-kokalasi, always carries water. This last divides into two arms, one of which was originally dug. Next follows the largest arm, the Turkomakte-kok-alasi, which I crossed in 1896 by means of a makeshift ferry-boat. Its channel had now a breadth of 12.2 m., a mean depth of 2.627 m., a mean velocity of 0.4495 m., and a volume of 14.40 cub. m. in the second. Then, after passing yet another difficult bend, we had on the right (i. e. the south) bank the beginning of the canal of Ak-katikarik (see p. 428 above), which according to what I was told here has contained no water for many years. At that period the greater part of the Tarim is said to have travelled along the bed of the Kuntschekisch-tarim; the main channel to the west (the existing principal bed) only serving as an overflow conduit at the time of high flood. At the same date the majority of the population. dwelt beside the Kuntschekisch-tarim, where, at several places, for instance at Tschapal, we saw their deserted huts. Another indication, that the river must formerly have been very much greater and more powerful than it is now, emerges from the fact that the bottom of the Katik-arik was 2.86 m. above the level of the river, and yet this

   Fig. 440. Right. 3.6o   4.20   3.6s   2.82   1.49 = depth. Left.

40 55 56 32 41 Velocity.

   48   55   58   48   z8

Breadth = 12.2 in. Turkomakte-kok-alasi; May 4th. Scale = i : 200.

Iledin, Tourney in Central Asia.

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