Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2 / Page 178 (Color Image)

0178	Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2

'Is DISCOVERIES BY THE ' JADE GATE' CH. LX

revealed the important chronological fact that, while east

of this transverse line the records brought to light proved

continuous occupation of the watch - stations, down to about the middle of the second century A.D., the records

found west of it stopped short with the reign of Wang

Mang, and in the case of the more remote stations with

dates considerably earlier.

I was thus gradually led to the conclusion, that in the

early decades of our era, during the troubled times of

Wang Mang's reign or very soon after, there took place a

retrenchment of the border line lying westwards. By

abandoning the outlying portion of the wall an appreciable

reduction was, no doubt, made in the difficulties about

victualling, etc., which must always have been felt most

in the case of those detachments pushed out far into the

desert. At the same time this retrogression of the

guarded frontier line would have been fully in keeping

with a contemporary change in Chinese policy. This we

know was then no longer concerned about imperial expan-

sion westwards, but until the last quarter of the first century A.D. kept strictly on the defensive. It was for the purpose

of replacing the flank protection which the lopped-off

western end of the original Limes had offered, that I

believe the transverse wall to have been built during, or

soon after, Wang Mang's usurpation.

In any case it was easy to realize that the station at

which the great caravan road passed through this wall

must have been a point of importance. In fact, from the

reasons above indicated and supplementary evidence which

cannot be set forth here in detail, I soon felt convinced

that the `Jade Gate ' of the Later Han period, roughly

corresponding to the first two centuries of our era, had to

be located at this site. So I was most eager to have the

remains on that unpretentious hillock cleared with all

expedition and thoroughness. But the day was oppres-

sively hot ; and in the afternoon a violent gale, sweeping

down from the north-east put a stop to further work,

the temperature inside my tent rising to ninety degrees

Fahrenheit.

But on the morning of April 21st I was able to start

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