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The heart of a continent : vol.1 |
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eyes as you kneel to drive in the pegs; and to add to it all, it
was pitch dark, and heavy spurts of rain would come driving
down at intervals. Tents with walls are not fit for this hard
work, as the walls offer too much resistance to the wind.
*May* 18.—A fearful wind blew the whole day, with sand
and occasional bursts of rain. Two Mongols encamped with
us. They slept in a makeshift tent of felts supported by sticks,
leaving just room enough for the men to lie down with a fire
between them.
The guide wanted to halt on account of the wind, but I
objected, and we started at 6.30 p.m., travelling on towards
the range of hills in a westerly direction. The wind subsided
at sunset, and it was a fine night; but the sand had been blown
over the track, so that we lost our way and were compelled to
halt at 11.30 p.m. in the middle of the plain, without sign of
water.
*May* 19.—Luckily we had brought a little water in our
water-casks, and so had enough for breakfast; but we had to
start afterwards, as we could not remain without water.
We started at 11 a.m., and soon found the track, as we had
the range to guide us, and at five miles reached a well; but
after watering the camels we pushed on for the next well,
gradually ascending the range, which I now found to be the
eastern extremity of the Hurku Hills, the highest part of which
was 700 feet above the plain, the track crossing it at 630 feet.
We can realize how deceptive the distances are here. Some
days ago we first saw this range, and I thought that we should
reach it at the end of that march, but we have taken four days
to do so. We passed over a plateau at the top of the range
for three and a half miles, and then descended very gradually
to the plain again, camping at 7.10 p.m. near a well.
The hills are very barren, but have a few low bushes
scattered over their surface, which serve as food for the camels
which roam among them. They present a jagged outline, the
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