New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-29

1
most valuable contribution 70 the knovled.. :.
Central Asia, especially Of its geography -.
| geology, that has ever been made
II Is. however In the chapters that dea, NJ,
the two remarkable journeys across the r.,,.
Makan Desert, in Eastern Turkestan thu, a.
lay reader VIII find the most fascinatin, go
sodes Of the story. The tale of the first I,
fact. one Of the most thrilling in all the rec.,,
Of adventure. The desert fills the greater 10.
OF the wide depression above described betoa,.
the Kuen-Lun and the Tan-Shan ranges A.
its entire western and northern boundaries ~.
the Yarkand-Daria and It's continuation ~.
Tarim. From the heights Of the Kuen-Lun in ~
south. two other streams. the Khotan. Dar,a an,
the Keriya Daria, descend and start direcsh
across the desert to join the Tarim. but gradn.,
ly run out into parched water-courses Excem
for the vegetation kept alive by the yas,
which traverse these river beds in time OF eoos
or are left behind in occasional pools this resio.
is one Of utter desolation. II IS literally q,
Of sand-sand continually drifting with the vi,a
heaping itself up in an endless succession
Dunes sometimes over two hundred feet 4,
height. which move slowly over the surface o.
the desert like waves Of the ocean, and ThIA
along its borders. have overwhelmed wide 81
panses Of fertile land and ancient and popu,ou
cities. OF the wonders Of the TAXA Nakan-I,
mysterious cities and buried treasures-ts.
legends of the native tribes are full, and D,
Hedin was eager to explore it. Guide howeys,
he could find none. for no one had ever penA
trated to the heart OF the TAXA Makan-an
returned incidentally there was a geograpbL
mountain chain. the Masar-Tagh. drawn .
PrZheyalskys map Obquely across the deser.
but which was found not % exist south Of d.
Yarkand Crossing this stream with fov
attendants and a wel-equipped caravan h
advanced along its banks until the Masr
Tagh matter was settled. and then srui
eastward across the sand toward the Khn
tan-Dara AS they advanced the dunes IN.
creased and vegetation disappeared. "Ther
was not a blade. not a leaf to be seen: nothing
but sand. sand. sand-fne yellow sand-whoA
mountains OF it. stretching over boundas
spaces az far as the eye, With the field glass ..
help IT, was able 70 reach On they plodsa
through sandstorms and up and down the dues
till the smashing Of the water in the tanks Led
to the discovery that they had only two days
supply left. The order had been to ill them for
ten days use and they had been filled for FOUR
| Thinking. mistakenly that the KhotanDara
was nearer than the Yarkand they pushed On
and their advance soon became a desperate raa
for life. One after another the cames broa
down and were abandoned, and then came tn
turn OF the men Two yielded to weakness and
deirium. and were left 70 die the others fell IL
by nd srg tly T)r Eve led
reached the Khotan-Daria alone and found
nothing but an empty watercourse But nib
further on there came suddenly the sound Ofs
splash and of the flight Of a frightened duck
and he stood upon the edge Of pool Of pun
cool water. The dramatic narrative is a strik
ing testimony not only 70 the physical endur
ance and moral strength IF the explorer. but
also TO his literary capacity. II Is typical. asa
Of the class OF heroes Of science % which he b
longs. that during all these days u suffering X
never omitted TO take the bearings Of the com
pass and to count the number Of PAGES who
he took in each direction,
The second journey across the desert which
followed the course Of the keriya-Daria ana
the Tarim. was fruitful IN archaeological Us
coyeries Of the remains ~ An ancient ciyilEs
ton, and it also settled the 'Lob-Nor question
The latter. which is Of interest only to geOsr
piers. was raised by Baron y0n Richthofen WIN
expressed doubts as to certain discoveries VIE
regard to the location " the axe and the iress
ness Of its waters reported by Przhevalsky. !"
solving Of this problem was one Of the ene
objects that DR.. Hedin placed before hlHsh
The archaeological finds were of eNtraord'naD
interest. Everywhere about Khotan we're fou"
remains of great antiquity -co''N
bronzes and the ike-sh0wing the presence
influence Of Indian civilization and. remotely"
Greek art. 1t is very probable that the terra
Gotta objects which are found al Borasan lneA
khOtan) date from the time when Alexanoo'
successors were founding their Kingdoms on :"
northern frontiers Of India" BUT the mos' "
markable discovery was that Of two pu'"'
Buddhist cities in the midst u The desert 0'H