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ACROSS THE DESERT OF LOP. 141
procession, and it was not until well on in the afternoon
that our energies woke up again. That afternoon we at
length beheld, from a hill-top, quite close to our feet the
vast expanse of the marsh of the Kara-koshun, with its
perfectly fresh water and girdle of thick reeds. We were
saved—delivered from the ban of the desert.
No traveller crossing the desert could dream of a more
delightful view than that which presented itself from the
opening of my tent close at the water’s edge. The evening
breeze, which came across the immense open expanse of
the lake, made the tent canvas flutter with a most pleasant
sound. The ripple of the water against the shore was
the sweetest of music to my ear, and I could not take my
eyes off the flocks of wild-duck and wild-geese which
rocked far out on the rippling wavelets of the lake. But
just then they led our minds to other thoughts, for we
were ravenously hungry, reduced to nothing but skin
and bone.
The 3rd April broke with a hard tempest from the north-
east. The surface of the lake was covered with foam-
crested waves, which drove straight across towards my
tent on the south-west shore. The sight of them inspired
me with a crazy idea. My lungs were so full of sand and
dust that I felt I could not withstand the temptation
they offered. Cost what it would, I must out upon the
bright water. But where were we to get a boat from,
for we had none, and the shores of the lake were uninhabited.
But where there’s a will there’s a way. Round the shores
there was plenty of dry wood, but it was so heavily charged
with drift-sand that, when I tried it, it sank. Well, never
mind, here are six empty goat-skins and the wooden frames
with which they were fastened on the camels’ backs.
Carrying these materials round to the north-east end of
the lake, v/e inflated the goat-skins, tied them fast to two
of the frames, and, behold ! our vessel was ready. When
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