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EXCURSIONS ON THE STORMY LAKES. 153
only foot by foot. All this took, it is true, a good deal of
time ; but it was delightful, although close, in the watery
avenue. The gadflies, however, were an intolerable nuisance,
filling the air in perfect crowds, and swarming all over the
sheet of the map I was at work upon.
When the reeds grew so thick that spades and axes were
no longer any use we set fire to them. And even though
the sun was shining brightly, this marsh fire made a
magnificent spectacle. The flames spread with alarming
rapidity. The dry kamish stalks crackled and exploded,
and when the flames came in contact with the water they
made it hiss and boil and steam. The fire spread through
the reed-brakes like flowing lava, while clouds of pitch-
black smoke hung like a pall above the marsh. Two or
three times the fire began to run in the direction of the
ferry-boat, and I feared that she too would fall a victim
to its rapacity. It was like adventuring upon a burning
lake. The device proved, however, successful, and we
eventually encamped at the village of Jekkenlik-ui, or the
House of Sedges, situated on an island.
On 25th May, accompanied by Shagdur and two or
three trusty canoe-men in two canoes, I made an excursion
to the large lake of Begelik-kol situated in the sandy
desert. Old Kirgui Pavan also went with us. After crossing
over the Yakanlik-kol, we dragged the canoes over a tongue
of land and launched them upon the long narrow canal-
arm which leads into the lake we were bound for.
The air was perfectly still, not a leaf of the reeds moved,
and not a sound was heard except the occasional quacking
of a duck. The immense lake was as bright and as motion-
less as glass ; it was a shame to disturb its limpid purity.
The reflection of the chain of dunes on the water was as
clear and sharp-cut as the original ; in fact it was confusing,
for we had one scene above us, another below us, and both
alike presented the same features of yellow desolation and
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