国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

»Latitude forty twenty, longitude ninety-one forty, April loth. Topographical Lop-nor survey ordered by you completed. Mr CHEN and I started from Tunhuang oasis December 7th with four men twenty-three camels for desert-work and small hired caravan to depot at last of dry salt-crust of ancient Lop sea. December 3oth reached new Lop-nor, big open salt-water lake causing serious detour. Found fresh water and grazing at new river January 8th. Camels near breakdown after fourteen hard days without drinkable water or grazing. Single river-branches north of ruined city of Lou-lan discovered by you igoo. East of Lou-lan longitude we have mapped whole lake-system except small island-area temporarily inaccessible. As Dr NoRIN has already surveyed river to beginning of delta whole new phase of Lop-nor problem solved by our expedition. We have measured volume of water in different river courses and mapped considerable way of ancient shore line. Connecting to NoRIN's previous work studied geological development of land and lake. Neolithic and later finds plentiful all way west of lake. Returned safely to depot April 2nd. Met nobody for four months. Remain in desert for additional work as long as heat permits. Expect to call for telegrams Anhsi before June ist, mail Tun-huang. Except camels

all splendid.   HÖRNER. »

This message was the most important I had had from any member of my staff during the four and a half years of our exploring work. Every student of geography will understand the great importance of the new geographical facts and discoveries it contains.

The material secured by the geographical, geological and topographical survey made by members of our expedition will make it possible to write a more detailed and correct study of Lake Lop-nor than has ever been written.

THE ATTACK ON BEXELL's CAMP

From other members, too, we had now and then a letter or a telegram. Thus LESSING and SÖDERBOM were planning for the summer a journey up to Mongolia, a trip that they were duly able to make. MONTELL, also, journeyed up to these tracts, working there for about a month and a half.

On June i7th there was a telegram reporting a savage attack on BExELL's and JOHANSEN'S camp. According to what we later heard by letter, a dozen of MA CHUNG-YIN'S worst scum had arrived at their camp at dawn on the morning of June 6th. The camp lay at the mouth of the Pei-ta-ho at the northern foot of the Nan-shan ranges, south-west of Suchow. The servants had gone to mind the camels, followed by the dogs; and there was thus no-one guarding the camp when BEXELL and JOHANSEN were surprised in their sleep by the robbers. The

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