The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-01-19
CITIES BURIED IN SANDS.
Only Bare Hill0cks Where Busy
Capitals FlOurished.
GF-om the LONDON Ma.

an ancient city not far from Ki-ia, and
five marches distant from Khotan, which
had been buried in the sand for centur-
les, and from which gold and silver or
naments and even bricks of tea were dug
up. Little information as to these an
cient cities could be gathered during the
first visit to Yarkum in 1870, but more
searching inquiry was made on the occa-
sion of the second visit three years lat
er, and Marco Polo is placed at the head
of list of authorities which had been
previously consulted. Khotan, which is
supposed by some to be the limit of
Darius's conquest. "was in early ages IN
habited by political exiles from India,
so that the Hindoo religion fourished
there, and have some gold ornaments
found there, which are exactly the same
as those worn by the Hindoo women Of
the present day. In Remusat's history
we read how the King of Khotan took |
an army across the Snowy mountains
and attacked the King of kashmir, and |
how peace was made between the two |
countries, and the result was that certain
Rahaus or Ascetics brought tne Budd-
hist religion into the country, and in
the 'Tar;khi Rash;di' we read how
Christian Queen, wife of Koshluk, ruled
in the land and made proselytes to her
religion"
The shifting sands beneath which ma
ny cities are buried, are thus spoken of
by Col. Preievalsky: "The sands are
succession of hillocks, 40, so, rarely 100
feet high, lying side by side, and COM
posed of yellow sand. The upper stra-
tum of this sand, when disturbed By
the wind blowing on either side Of the
hills, forms loose drifts. The effect of
these bare hillocks is most dreary and
depressing when you are among them,
and can see nothing but the sky and the
sand; not plant, not an animal is visi-
BILE, with the single exception of yellow
ish- gray Lizards, which trail their bod
les over the loose soil, and mark it with
the patterns of their tracks. A dull
heaviness oppresses the senses in this in
animate sea of sand. No sounds are
heard, not even the chirping of the
grasshopper, the silence of the tomb
surrounds you. No wonder that the To-
cal Monguls relate some marvellous
stories about these frightful Deserts
They tell you that this was the scene Of
the principal exploits of two heroes
n Gissar Khan and Chinghiz Khan-and
}. how here these warriors fought agains
IS the Chinese and slew countless numbers
n whose bodies God eaured tha-Sina t.
{, cover with sand from the desert. T,
j. this day the Monguls relate with sup
# perstitious awe how cries and groan
a may be heard in the sands of fKugupchl
l. which proceed from the spirits of tn
q departed; and that every now and the
n the winds which stir up the sand expos
'e to view different treasures, such as sil
to yer dishes, which, although conspicuou
e. above the surface, may not be take
lg away, because death would immediatel
AZ overtake the bold man who ventured t
Sc touch them"
ne In the course of his journey Sir Dot
OF glas Forsyth passed various post stage
Fo deserted owing to the advancing sand
and tenements, still occupied, at Oo
ho dunn Padshah, although in course
oe submergence, while the roofs of neigl
- boring buildings had been crushed in
~ the sand. "The process of submergen'
is usually very gradual one, until IL
i. symmetry of the dune is so broken
"A the obstructing object that its loo
:. materials subside and overwhelm Il
~ obstruction. The sand dunes are form,
,n by the action of the periodical nor
:. and northwest winds which blow ov
mo- the plain during the spring months. !"
bis The rate of progress it was impossible
of determine, but the phenomenon as sc
hit in course of operation explained t
Of manner in which great cities, such
,od Lop, Katak, and others in the same t.
90 ritory had been destroyed in food
,dv sand. Frequently the inhabitants
h. houses, in the desire to stay by tn
e., homes till the last hour, are enclosed
:, living tombs. That this did actua
oe occur at Katak in many instances is
I'd idenced by the skeletons and desiccat
49, bodies which are still occasionally Sc
- in unearthed houses, with their appa
and furniture intact and uninjured, a
,a1, told with apparent truth by the sh
, of neiu' ""o 'o"D' '"A' 'p0' f~'
nh day.
A. The shrine of Oordum Padehah is
self buried in the sand, and poles tut
with yaks' tails mark the spot of
n, grave. But the monastery and SC
,,o almshouses around are built on su
clear places on the plain, which app
here and there among the heaps of sa
wall and form as it were lanes, running in
New direction of the march of the sand du
ham The confident faith of the vener;
J he sheikh who presides over the monas
we're remains unshaken by the ruins wi
in surround him. "The blessed shrine
eral survived the vicissitudes of eight
eat turies," he said, in reply to our forel
lone ings Of the danger threatening its e,
ploit ence; "and, please God, it will sur
| re- to the end of the world" Pundit,
not was of Sir Douglas Forsy:he's pa
visited the ruin near the Kiria
brought him two figures which had
says dug up, one an image of Buddha,
It'll a the other clay figure of Hunoor
but the monkey god. Another man, no
tba, Ram Chund, who was deputed to
lwav Khotan, brought back gold finger-I
n the and nose rings, iron coins apparent
"a at Harmeus, the last King of Bactri
the first century B. c., and several
coins of the reign Of Constans IL,
9 fol- Pogonatus, Justinius, Autima'
ICE to and, Theodosius. "The buried
leces- proper are at a distance many ma