National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.1 |
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CH. XXXIV INDO-SCYTHIAN SOLDIERS 401
residence, presumably the site itself, was distinct from the locality meant by Lou-lan. Above I have already indicated the antiquarian reasons derived from the Chinese Annals which point to the oases of Charklik and Miran as the most likely positions for the seat of the old native chiefs of the ` Lou-lan kingdom.' So, if after the usual Eastern fashion the writer of that report meant by ` Lou-lan ' the chief place of the whole Lop-nor tract, we can account without any difficulty for the way in which the local reference is introduced.
Since the above notes were written M. Chavannes' translation of the Chinese records on paper has also be-
come available. Most of them have proved to be private letters, some complete and occasionally throwing curious side-lights on the conditions of life prevailing along the line of these small Chinese garrisons. But considerations of space forbid here the addition of details.
Perhaps it was fortunate that my complete want of
Sinologist training saved me from occupying my mind at the time with the many knotty points of detail which
arise in the interpretation of these records ; for there was
more than enough work to keep body and mind busy during those bitterly cold days. Even in the evenings,
when I could seek shelter in my little tent from that
unceasing icy north-east wind, the hours available before the ink would freeze in my pen barely sufficed for writing
up notes and cleaning, numbering, and storing away ` finds.'
I was pushing on the excavation of all traceable ruins as hard as I could ; for our ice-supply was diminishing
rapidly, and the report of the Surveyor, who had mean-
while returned from the western group of ruins, had shown me that there, too, work for several days was awaiting us.
My anxiety about retaining an adequate margin of time for
it increased considerably when on December 22nd Tokhta Akhun, who had taken the camels to the springs south of
Altmish-bulak, arrived with the information that the water
there was so salt that practically no ice had as yet formed. For the same reason the poor camels, even with the thirst
of ten days, had refused to touch it. With the hoped-for supply of ice from the springs failing, I could not feel
VOL. I 2 D
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