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0140 Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2
中国砂漠地帯の遺跡 : vol.2
Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2 / 140 ページ(カラー画像)

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doi: 10.20676/00000213
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CHAPTER LVIII

FIRST EXCAVATIONS ALONG THE WESTERN LIMES

At first the extent of the line to be explored was far from
giving assurance. The party of labourers I had managed
to bring along, even when reinforced by the contingent
from Nan-hu, looked disproportionately small for the task,
and the loss of the two missing men had still further
weakened it. I had every reason to husband my time;
for the mid-day heat of the last few days showed me that
work on this desolate border was bound before long to
become very trying. It was important to make the most
of my resources. So, while the Surveyor was to move
westwards and trace the line of towers as far as it might
extend from the bend previously noticed near Toghrak-
bulak, Ts'ao Ta-lao-ye, the officer of the Tun-huang levies
whom Lin Ta-jên had attached to my camp, was hastily
despatched to headquarters to bring up more labourers
and supplies.

I thought it best myself to commence excavations on
that part of the line which, owing to its distance from any
suitable camping-ground, was likely to give most trouble.
From Toghrak-bulak to our first lake camp the road had
lain throughout over a gravel plateau destitute of water
and fuel, and over these sixteen miles the old agger could
be traced almost unbroken. About half-way I had then
noticed some posts protruding from the pebble-covered
slope of what looked like a small natural mound. Its
position close to the inner side of the wall suggested,
however, a ruin, and a little hurried digging had then
shown that some structure was buried beneath. It was
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