Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - IX.—In the Heart of the Desert-Ocean
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
104 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
glittering gold, but their underside was the same dirty yellow
as the sand-dunes. During the night the temperature
dropped to —5°. 8 Fahr., and when we awoke in the morning
the east wind was again blowing, the sky full of leaden
clouds and the atmosphere thick with dust. Nor was
there any lightening of the sky to show where the sun was.
We were in the country of perpetual winter twilight. The
sand accumulations, although in reality quite close to us,
loomed faintly through the haze like mountain-ranges a
great many miles off. I was chilled to the bone by the
never-resting icy wind, and preferred to get off and walk
and lead my horse, even where the ground was hard and
level.
Upon reaching the thirty-third depression, I was led to
hasten my steps by seeing a black object. It was the first
tamarisk bush. It still retained a feeble glimmer of life ;
but round about it were scattered the branches of other
bushes long since dead and shrivelled ; but they made a
welcome addition to our supply of fuel. A little farther on
I found a kamish thicket, which afforded a certain amount
of shelter against the blast ; there I stopped, and, tethering
my horse, set to work and made a lire.
The caravan did not turn up before dusk, and when they
arrived I could only count six camels ; the seventh had
given up and been left behind. After supper Islam and
Turdu Bai went back to fetch him, but found him dead,
with his mouth open and his eyes half closed. The other
six were in excellent condition, although this was our ninth
day in the desert. On our Takla-makan journey, it was on
the ninth day that I lost two men, most of my remaining
camels, and all my baggage. But whereas we were then
overwhelmed with thirst and heat, we were now chilled to
the bone by an icy wind, and had any quantity of water.
Next morning, after securing the pack-saddle of the dead
camel, we continued our weary march. At night when we
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
