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has in fact never continued so long in any one locality as to acquire permanent salinity; and this in face of the fact that the entire subsoil of the district is saturated with salt.
Naturally, as the ultimate receptacle of the entire drainage of the Tarim system, we might expect the level of the Lop district to rise from century to century. Dr. Hedin's researches show that this has not been the case, the former bed of the lake, as indicated by the site of the town discovered by the traveller, having on the contrary been eroded several feet since the erec. tion of the buildings on the site. This afforded the explanation of the oscillatory movements of the lake. As long as the muddy river flows into it the lake-bottom rises, while at the same time the former lake bed is eroded by the con- stant westerly gales which mark the winter and spring. As soon as by this double process the
relative levels of the new and old beds have been reversed the lake again takes up its original position, and so oscillates between the Kurrak and Altyn Taghs, without any permanent rise in the surface of the plain ocenrring.
In opposition to a certain eolian theory-that of Baron F. von Richthofen-which for a time became famous, we now learn that the
surfaces of the loess-clad steppes of Nor rth China and Eastern Turkestan are undergoing rapid denudation by the combined action of air and water. Anyone who has had experience of Northern China. even so far east as Pechili and Shantung, where for six months in the year moving dust, the effect of the eolic erosion of the loess, forms an atmospheric pall over the land, can have no difficulty in recognising that. independent of the water-courses of these two provinces, the amount of soil carried yearly by the winds to subside in the Gulf of Pechili may be estimated by millions of tons.
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(April 18, 1904 Charkheik, some 200 miles N.E. of Chenchen, where in pleasant quarters, he and his entire caravan stayed some six weeks recruiting after the long winter journeys, and preparing to make a final start for what was to prove the most interesting and most dangerous portion of the journey, the march through the centre of Tibet to the town of Leh, on the borders of Kashmir, to which this Western portion of Tibet proper forms an appanage.
sent occupying a considerable space in men's minds. Captains Wellby and Deasy. Messrs. Bonvalot and Littledale, and along their northern slopes the late Colonel Prejeval sky, as well as Dr. Hedin himself in his previous explorations, have thrown much light on these doubly inhospitable regions, where not only Nature assumes its most unfriendly aspect, but is aided by the exclusiveness of man. From ancient Parthia as far east as the Pacific coasts of Japan, the exclusion of their fellow men has The plan devised was to march with the entire ever been the political creed of Asiatic king-caravan as far as the Tangla mountains in Lat. doms. In the times of the Roman Empire 33 degrees. There Dr. Hedin intended to halt Parthia offered an effectual barrier. which the caravan, and taking one or two of his neither the Chinese Hans from the east, nor the Cossacks, as well as a Lama whom he had Roman and Greek traders from the west, were induced to accompany him, and who followed able to surmount. The maritime commerce of him faithfully through all the adventures of this those early days further east than the Gulf of latter journey. to make a dash for Lhassa. Cutch and Ceylon at all events was in the hands The plan was well conceived; but, scantily populat- of the Arabians of Sabaza, who equally threw ed as is the entire of northern Tibet, the hierarchy obstacles in the way of "opening" the Far East. at Lhassa seemed to have been well informed. The removal of these obstacles has been the of all the movements of the caravan. On cherished work of the nineteenth century just arriving at the boundary of the Lhassa district elapsed, and it may be said that practically but they were met by the governor of the Nakkchu one, that offered by Tibet, has survived the province with a high lama, who politely century.
informed them that express orders had come from the Dalai Lama that they were to be escorted back under guard by the road they had come. The travellers did their best by trying to magnify the strength of the caravan, and throwing out hints of political complications to act on the fears of the governor, but in vain. The Tibetans had received reports of the progress of the caravan, and though they had no complaints to make of misconduct, still they had to carry out their instructions. It must be confessed that the governor proved himself an adept in diplomacy. He was perfectly open and straightforward, was willing to give and accept hospitality, and never uttered ап uncom - plimentary or unfriendly remark. Dr. Hedin's attempts to make him lose his temper even for an instant were quietly parried, so after a couple of days useless discussion there was nothing to be done except yield to the force majeure, and accept the indignity of being marched out of the district under escort.
Naturally a dependent of British India, which by the force of circumstances has become para monnt in the ancient state of Kashmir the Government of Calcutta was well enough disposed to permit Lhassa to maintain its cherished exclusiveness. In the 17th century Lhassa had been so far conquered by China that it was compelled to receive a Chinese Resident. but this entailed little in- terference with its internal affairs, and with regard to its external. Lhassa was left to its own devices. Although, then. China was willing enough to negotiate with Great Britain a treaty for the opening of Tibet. when Lhassa refused to open the passes to British_trade, the Chinese Government, willing enough to see England baulked, declared its inability to go further.
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surveyed by Littledale and Bower, while Captain Deasy's explorations were left altogether to the north. Except where he crossed the actual steps of his predecessors his route survey, covering 16 degrees of longitude, is thus absolutely new- no mean undertaking when it is remembered that the greater part of the journey was accom- plished at elevations higher than the summit of Mont Blanc.
Dr. Hedin's work of exploration, though the elucidation of the Lop Nor problem, which for so many ages has baffled research, might fairly have been considered as sufficient for one So matters might have rested without any journey of exploration. by no means ended with very serious attempt to interfere with the his circuit of the entire lake depression of the status quo, but that Russia. ever ambitions of Gobi. Setting out from Stockholm on Mid-causing uneasiness amongst her neighbours, summer's Day 1899, he arrived at Kashgar of commenced to intrigue af Lhassa; the opportu Whenever in passing from one province to the 16th August. This fact alone emphasises nity being taken of certain Buriat Lamas who another Dr. Hedin attempted to make more the surprising political changes which have owed spiritual allegiance to Lhassa visiting southing than his escort desired, the same made what less than fifty years ago was reckoned that city to suggest that in Russia they would tactics were repeated. Inconvenient and some- in the case of Vambery to have been an act on find a friend, who for certain considerations what ignominions as this treatment seemed, it heroic devotion, a matter of plain every-day would support them in their exclusion of yet had its bright side. The caravan voyaging.
Nor does our author claim any England. The challenge thus thrown down provided with horses, yaks, and provisions, and special adventure, beyond the fact of his having the Indian Government found it necessary indeed it is difficult to see how, had it not been been the first to undertake it, in his voyage by to take up. and the result has heen the for this opportune assistance, the long winter boat down the Tarim. which represents in recent Younghusband Mission. At the journey at heights never less than 13,000 and Eastern Turkestan the combined flow of the same time, in the interests of science Dr. often as much as 17,000 feet over sea-level, Oxus and Jaxartes in the West. Curiously Sven Hedin was planning his second explora- | could have been accomplished. Dr. Hedin enough, when he least expected it he was within tion in these wild regions. It is not neces-avoided in this long journey the routes previously measurable distance of the echoes of the great sary to point out that Dr. Hedin in no way Boxer upheaval in North China, having been. sought to be involved in the political questions whilst the Legations were besieged in Peking, at issue, while at the same time he was not unnat- within a couple of days' journey of the horder urally ambitious of being the first European to fortress of Shachow in the extreme west of enter the forbidden city. The Tsar openly Kansu. Amongst the many Chinese officials took a personal interest in the scientific results whom he met in the New Dominion, and of of the journey, as did likewise King Oscar of many of whom he speaks in high terms, not one Sweden and the Viceroy of India. himself an made the slightest allusion to the current of old explorer in Central Asia. The expedition events in the East, of which they must have into Tibet thus started under the most favour- had direct information. His journey able auspices, whilst its leader took every op- for the first twelve months had been portunity to divest it of every political feature, confined to the hydrographic exploration of With a people like the Tibetans, jealous to an the great basin of Eastern Turkestan, and one extreme of all western influence whatever. the in reading his pages knows not whether to plea of Dr. Hedin that he was a Swede and had admire the singleness of purpose which directed no leanings, Russian or English, did not seem all his energies to this one end. or to regret consistent. Russia they knew. and England that he did not now and then unbend himself to they knew, but of Sweden they had no know study as side-lights to the narrative the interest- ledge whatever. All they recognised was that ing objects which presented themselves in the certain outsiders were desirous of entering the natural history, the geology, and the archeology holy city of Lhassa, and that they were deter- of the hitherto unknown districts visited. The mined to prevent by any means within their facts noted in the work will be, however, of the power. Meanwhile Dr. Hedin had traversed greater importance that they are mentioned the northern ranges as far as 34 degree N. incidentally and not as the outcome of any pre- Lat. Not being prepared to winter in the country conceived theories; and doubtless when his fuller he turned back, rejoined his caravan, and set out notes are worked out will afford the basis for a eastwards on a tour of exploration as far as the Sartang Mongols on the border of Tsaidam Thence he started north, leaving to the right the Chinese frontier town of Shachow. He then returned westward, having crossed the whole of the Lake Lop desert, and finally crossing his former line explored more in detail the Kara Koshun, as the present extremity of the Lop lakes is locally called. It was on this expedition that he made a cursory examination of the ruins already spoken of. At last, on the 8th April, 1901. he arrived at the little town of
scientific thesis of almost equal importance with the present work.
After spending his first year, almost to a day, in the hydrographic exploration of the great basin of the Tarim, on the 30th June, 1900, Dr. Hedin commenced his topographical explora- tion of the equally remarkable highland plateau of North-western Tibet. And here the narra- tive has in addition to its scientific value an interest from the light it throws on the political conditions of these regions, at pre-
When winter set in on this lofty plateau the sufferings of the caravan became aggravated, and four of the men who had started with Dr. Hedin succumbed to the climate and the wear and tear. The leader himself on more than one occasion found himself nearly at death's door, and only his indomitable pluck and resolution prevented the death roll from being vastly increased. Of thirty-nine camels that started from Chankhlik but nine arrived at their des tination at Leh, and the loss of life amongst the horses and mules was much greater. Ás a test of physical endurance, independent of the im. portant issues obtained, the journey is probably without precedent, yet notwithstanding the hardships and privations of the journey the daily observations and map-making were never for a single day interrupted, and so carefully were the instruments guarded that all arrived safe at the end of the journey
Crossing the interminable ranges of Central Tibet one of the principal characteristics noted was the constant succession of gales, always from the west. These not only increased the diffi culties and dangers of the journey a thousand- fold, but are instrumental in changing the surface of the land. Wind-erosion in fact here takes the place of water-denudation else- where. From the same cause the surface-levels
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