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0054 Archaeological Researches in Sinkiang : vol.1
Archaeological Researches in Sinkiang : vol.1 / Page 54 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000195
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ère fois en communication avec les contrées d'Occident'; on commença par envoyer un tchong-lang-tsiang qui résida à Touen-houang; ensuite on institua un hiao-wei en second qui demeura à Kiu-che (Tourfan) et qui put donc être un administrateur pour les barbares tandisqu'il empêchait les Chinois de commettre aucun empiètement à leur préjudice; c'est pourquoi les barbares étrangers s'attachèrent à lui et les Hiong-nou redoutèrent son prestige. Maintenant, le roi de Chan-chan, Yeou-houan, est un descendant des Chinois par les femmes ; si les Hiong-nou mènent à bien leurs projets, Yeou-houan mourra sûrement; or, quoique ces peuples soient semblables à des oiseaux et à des bêtes sauvages, ils savent cependant éviter ce qui leur est funeste; si nous faisons sortir (des soldats) pour constituer une colonie militaire à Leou-lan, cela suffira à nous gagner leurs coeurs. A mon humble avis, c'est une chose avantageuse'."

As we know, PAN YUNG'S proposal was only partly effected in his time. Not until about 260 was a military colony established by So MAI at Lou-lan, apparently identical with the Lou-lan station discovered by SVEN HEDIN.

2. REMARKS ON THE HYDROGRAPHY.

As the question of the hydrography of the lower Tarim is of paramount importance for the discussion of the archaeological remains in the Lop desert and the existence of the Silk Road I find it necessary to touch on this subject here.

HÖRNER has paid much attention to the hydrography of the lowermost Tarim and the new lake Lop-nor, and if I can make any statements that may constitute an addition to the present knowledge this is only thanks to HÖRNER'S unreserved readiness to communicate his observations to me, for which I am deeply indebted to him.

The lowest part of the Tarim river has a fluctuating course. The large number of place names such as Yangi-su, Yangi-köl, Yangi-darya etc. (The new water, lake, river) is a confirmation of this. The instability is due to the level ground, the strong wind erosion, and the large amount of silt carried by the water until unloaded in the changing inundation areas serving as "clearing basins".

In itself this instability is not so remarkable. River branches in many other deltas where similar natural conditions prevail show the same tendency to change their beds. The instability of the Tarim possesses a particular interest as it has caused the ruin of a flourishing local civilization, and above all because it brought on a displacement in the course of the Silk Road. The river changes also become so obvious as they cause a shifting in the position of the terminal lake. As the volume of water is insufficient to fill the whole lake basin the lake has to shift its position

1 The text is apparently incorrect here, as has been observed by Herrmann (1931, p. 93).

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