Innermost Asia : vol.1 / Page 154 (Color Image)

0154	Innermost Asia : vol.1

river into the Taklamakān in the same SE.–NW. direction that those detached Marāl-bāshi hill
chains uniformly present.

Connexion
with Mazār-
tāgh on
Khotan R.

This fact in itself helped, in an important degree, to confirm the theory that the Khotan Mazār-
tāgh in its genetic character formed part of a geologically very ancient range that started at
approximately right angles from the outermost T'ien-shan between Marāl-bāshi and Kelpin
and once stretched diagonally across the Taklamakān.¹ The observations at the Bēl-tāgh and
Lāl-tāgh that are set forth above furnished a striking demonstration of the way in which those
bold island-like hills east of Marāl-bāshi have been carved out and isolated by the corrosive action
of wind-driven sand prolonged through ages. The vastly greater accumulations of drift-sand in
the desert south-eastwards would adequately explain the breaking up of the continuity of that
assumed ancient range across the Taklamakān.² But actual survey of the ground was needed to
supply definite proof.

Risks of
intended
desert
crossing.

I was under no illusions as to the serious difficulties that a march across absolutely waterless
ground covered with high dunes, to a point more than 130 miles distant, would certainly present.
Its risks were sufficiently illustrated by Dr. Hedin's experiences during the bold journey that he
undertook, starting towards the end of April, 1895, from the same ground and making his way
through the sandy wastes eastward. It had ended in the destruction of his caravan and his own
narrow escape from death by thirst and exhaustion.³ In order to guard against the dangers to
which this final disaster had apparently been largely due, I had taken care to choose a season
cooler and hence far less trying to men and camels ; to assure the provision of an adequate supply
of water and to lighten the loads of each animal as much as possible.

Prepara-
tions for
attempted
crossing.

For the latter purpose I brought from Marāl-bāshi six hired camels, all that I had been able
to secure, to act as a 'supporting party' to our own twelve fine animals on the initial stages of the
desert crossing. Nor had I overlooked the advantage of strengthening the human element in my
party. None of my men had previous experience of serious desert travel except Hassan Ākhūn,
the trusted camel-man of all my Turkestān travels, and he, I knew, would be too fully taken up
with looking after his animals to do my reconnoitring, &c. So I had been particularly pleased
when, in compliance with the summons I had previously dispatched, Kāsim Ākhūn, the hunter
from Islāmābād on the Khotan river, arrived at Kāshgar with my Keriya camels. Ever since my
expedition to Dandān-oilik in 1900 I had learned to value and trust the pluck, sense of locality, and
true desert instinct that a lifetime spent in hunting trips and other lonely wanderings in the
Taklamakān had bred in this wiry and ever resolute man (Fig. 86).⁴

March to
Yārkand-
daryā.

The three marches that brought us from Marāl-bāshi to the edge of the great drift-sand desert
do not call for a lengthy account. The first lay across the wide, level plain, covered with reeds and
scrub, that divides Marāl-bāshi cultivation from the left bank of the Yārkand river. Near Kara-ken
we passed a well-marked depression through which flood water reaches the extensive marsh NW.

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Citation Information

OCR Text

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Citation Information

OCR Text

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books