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(Map No. 35. b, c. 4), and which on a still vaster scale extend along the Bēsh-toghrak valley, that
eastern arm of the ancient Lop sea (Map Nos. 32. d. 4 ; 35. a, b. 4).

I have already indicated above the striking similarity between the route passing up the Etsin- Route up
gol from the heart of Mongolia and that ancient Chinese highway which once led through the Lop Etsin-gol
desert past Lou-lan and the Kuruk-daryā into the Tārim basin. Once the traveller had left the Mongolia.
terminal river-courses facilitating the use of both routes, the ground to be crossed by him was,
indeed, very different in essential physical features. On the ancient Lou-lan route the terrible
waterless waste of the salt-encrusted Lop sea-bed lay beyond, and with that the difficulties presented
by the route which leads north of the Gashun-nōr across the gravel plateaus and southernmost hill
ranges of the Altai, barren as these are, can bear no comparison. But apart from this difference
in the conditions prevailing farther on, everything that met my eyes in this Etsin-gol delta after
a succession of low-water seasons seemed as if meant to bring before me the appearance that the
delta of the dying Kuruk-daryā around ancient Lou-lan may have presented to those who made
their way through it before its final abandonment.

There were the river branches still ' in being ', left dry for almost all the year but yet carrying Recent
enough water below the surface to maintain fine groves of Toghraks and luxuriant scrub along reduction
their banks. But where beds had received no water for a series of years, as had happened with of grazing.
the Ovang-gol (Map No. 44. c. 4), tamarisks were growing only on cones, and many of the wild
poplars were dying. Wide stretches of ground separating the several beds retained only thin scrub,
no longer fit for grazing by sheep or herds of cattle. Much of the ground near the terminal lakes
was still covered with reeds ; but sad complaints were heard in the scattered camps of the reduction
of the pasture here owing to the inadequate floods of the last few years, and of the danger of the
same fate overtaking the grazing in the riverine jungle belts.

It seemed as if ' desiccation ' were casting its shadow ahead upon this ground, and as if the Conditions
Mongols occupying it were beginning to be conscious of it. Yet the present population of about compared
two hundred Torgut families who permanently use the grazing grounds on the Etsin-gol is with those
thin enough, considering the total extent of the area. The restriction of the available grazing ; of Lou-lan.
the civilizing influence exercised by Chinese traffic passing along the route to carry food-stuffs
to the Mongol tribes northward ; the necessity of resorting to wells and in the matter of worship
to permanent timber-built shrines,—all these influences had manifestly affected their ways of life.
We were therefore in presence of conditions here such as probably prevailed among the indigenous
population of Lou-lan, originally all hunters and herdsmen, during the centuries which elapsed
between the first opening of the trade route through that region and its final abandonment. It
seemed an impressive illustration of the fact that similar geographical conditions may bring about
similar changes in physical and human surroundings in periods of history widely separated.

Section II.—KHARA-KHOTO AND ITS REMAINS

Willing as I found the ' Beili ' of the Torguts to give such help as he could towards our pro- Start for
posed work at the ruins of Khara-khoto, the raising of a minimum number of Mongols to help in Khara-
the expected excavations was a matter of difficulty. Their camps were widely scattered, and such khoto.
men as could be spared from looking after flocks and herds were by no means anxious to forsake
their ease for work in the heat of the sun, generous as was the pay I offered. However, by the morning
of May 26th a dozen young fellows turned up (Fig. 239) ; and as camels had also been secured
to carry our impedimenta and the needful supply of water, we were able to start for the site.

Our Mongols found it convenient first to take us back to Dzusulun-tsakha, and there spare
supplies, &c., were left behind. We then crossed the Umne-gol bed, here about 300 yards wide,
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