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.2 |
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Citation Information
82 THE KURUK-TAGH AND THE KURUK-DARJA.
other side of it there are no mountains, but instead there are the lowlands of Lop. This last range appeared to extend 4o versts to the west, and to grow higher and more rocky as it proceeded. On the other hand, the crest from which he viewed it grew lower towards the west. Eastwards, although the range of vision was more restricted, he was nevertheless able to see for 25 versts. Both the valley and the accompanying range bent, first towards the south, then towards the north.
In the valley between these two ranges lies the spring of Burup-tu at an altitude of 3500 feet. Its oasis has an area of 2 desjatins, and possesses two springs, a northern one with salt water, a southern with fresh water. As usual it afforded tamarisks, kamisch, etc., the first named being unusually vigorous and well-developed.
Leaving this spring on the 2nd November, the traveller proceeded up the valley to the east. After a march of 15 versts he came to a spot in which the more northerly and nameless range was pierced by a meridional glen, half a verst broad, the eastern wall of which was especially steep and lofty. A torrent, which originates on the northern face of the eastern part of the nameless range, makes its way through this transverse glen, and then proceeds towards the more southerly range (Kuruk-tagh). The glen on the east side of the torrent slopes a little towards the north. The nameless range turned out to be double, and of peculiar form, in that the southern wing is moderately low, and consists of unctuous clays of a blood-red colour, whereas the northern wing rises to a relatively great height. The valley between these two divisions lies far higher than the latitudinal valley between the nameless range and the Kuruk-tagh. In the vicinity are the spring of Teschikbulak and an oasis without a name. There is also a second spring in the same locality, but the traveller did not visit it, and consequently did not see it; it bears the name of Ulan-tamanta, which, according to G. E. Grum-Grschimajlo, means the Red Dwelling-place. In reality it is the same as Olun-temen-tu.
Next he crossed the meridional torrent and travelled along the foot of the red range, and climbing over it, reached the valley between the two wings of the nameless range. The right-hand division slopes terrace-like towards the valley, and is furrowed by a number of water-channels, two feet broad and one foot deep.
As he advanced towards the east, the valley continued to rise, whereas the pass over the nameless range appeared to grow lower and lower in proportion as they approached it; and in fact he found it to be a deep-cut saddle. From its summit (3875 feet) they beheld below them on the other side an extensive oasis called Kuruk-taurak, or in Mongolian Chura-taurum, * or the Dry Place, down to which runs a dry sandy torrent-bed. By travelling up the valley that lies to the south of the nameless range one would reach Paluan-bulak, which is considered to be situated two days' journey due east, i. e. II o versts from the spot where they then were, or i 70 versts from Dga.
A more easterly route was chosen for the return journey to Iltirghan. After travelling six versts through a valley with a gravelly bottom, running between low heights, the party came to a crest, and over on the other side of it found an extensive cauldron-shaped valley. Although the mountains in that part were not high, they were yet higher on the west than on the east. To the north lay a high crest,
* But Kuruk-toghrak means the Dry Poplar, and taurak and toghrak are the same word.
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