The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-08-18
EXPLORING CENTRAL ASIA
INTERESTING DISCOyERJES NJ
mn. SVEN HEDIN IN THIBET.
Problem Of the Lob Ner Lake sea,ed and
valuable Relies obtained Many
Hsrtships Endured ny the Exped,-
ton Explorer Coming Home.

4, the Ttrnes. The former letters ~ tho
great explorer. to which reference II mad.
In the opening paragraph. appeared IN
January Of this year, and were noted In
Tvs SuN:
IL will he remembered that DIR. Hedin
travelled down tho Yarksnd and Tarim
rivers TO the Lob Nor region, In which he
made many excursions Of tho greatest
value to geographical science. But what
delighted him most was the very important
discovery he made OF an ancient lake bed
which strongly confirmed the theory he
advanced after his fret journey In Central
A.ia that the ancient Lob Nor lake was
~, Identical with the lake which com
monty bears hat name at tho present day
Writing from Tiumen Temirlik) at the end
Of last October DIR. Hedin announced his
Intention Of making two more Journeys
before he set out on tho long march home.
one among the mountains TO the west Of
1emirlik. tho other To the ancient lake bed
h. had discovered Inc the kars-Koshun
lake. which he Identified with Prevail
.ky's Lob Nor II h with thc-e two OK
teditions that his latest letters deal.
starting on ths first journey, TO the
great or westerly kum-kul. early ia No
venber. DR.. Sven Hcdin crossed and meas
ured these mountains on three lines. He
passed through absolutely unknown coun-
try. but the excursion Vas a comparatively
short one. lasting only a month. and by
De- /? he was ready for the more important
march On this he had with him nine
mon with eleven camels and ten horses.
khan-ambal was the first point for which
b. made. and this he reached by a rather
difficult mountain road, lying 10 the south
81 lLttledale's road. which was struck at
khan-ambal. After making a %circuls
man to Stirling. u the magnificent
Anlmhar-ula. and back to khan-ambal.
~ sven Hcdin proceeded across the desert
Straight To the north. and passed through
the mountainous region which constitutes
tho western continuation Of the Kurruk
1agh. He was able 90 mar the whole 81
his route from Temerlik. and found that
tho existing maps were quite incorrect.
During the latter part Of he march the
little company Of travellers had a very
trying experience. For twelve long and
srduous days. during which they pushed
forward as rapidly aS possible and cov-
ered. In spite OF the slow rate % travelling
ners-sitated by the careful observations
which DIR. Sven Hedin was continually
taking. about twenty miles a day. not a
drop Of water was found. Fortunately,
on The third day the travellers came across
90 at out until water was rearhed: other |
wise they must Inevitably have succumtsd.
Amer this DIR. Hedin. with tho aid OF the
map he had compiled In March. 1910. when
he made hts great discovery la connection
will the Lob Nor problem. was able to
Altimishbuluk quite easily, and from
there To proceed with all his cara van 20
tho ruins on the northern shore of the an
ci-nt lake bed. The csmel= were hea willy
with ice, and after they had been
hack To the 'bulak.' DR. Hedin was
able 10 STAY among the rIins for a week. |
During this time he was busiiy engaged
mans and plans. taking photo
gathering together collections Of
Various kinds and making excavations
among the ruins. The discoveries he made |
were both numerous ana important. hut
l" thinks hat perhaps his most curious
'frd- Vas some twelve complete letters
y 'itfen on paper In Chinese. They were
iu a marvellous state Of preservation, |
every sign being perfectly distinct and
I"Eihle. Among other cnriositie- that DR.
sven HCdin will bring home are thirty
L. pieces 81 wood. which, - far a. I've
Judge az present, must have been used
o. soIne kind OF ticket. Each ono has
ir.crihed on II tho name Of some Emperor. /
tl" veal of his reign, the month. and even
very day. 4 -Eiah who haS read sorne
~ hem tolls DR.. Hedin that they are NO
y-lrs old. hut the latter fees that he can
Dot form a definite opinion until he has
them translated on his return.
tmong the ruins DIR. Hedin found a
oguifl Buddhist temple. In which he
some most artistic wood carving.
~ tho representations was "A large
i,-', md in this connection he mentions
hat one housa contained n number 81
lpncS which were evidently the remains
NJ h-h exactly similar 10 those found to-
.lay len tho kara-koshun Lake 10 the south.
l0o-s facts Or. Sven Hedin considers inn
uHrtan' a. ~irengt hening his claim 10 ave
iFund q laSe led which was actually flled
rui - MANY vear- agu. and which il the
.-e -" of tho Lob Nor Of the sncients.
IN 10" temple Dr. Hedin further found a
iludtha carved IN wood. and he Also men
IONS A. one 81 his -fnds" a piece of wood
hich "" DESERVES a. being about half
Nv" Si1e ~ the sheet 81 notepaper he was
writing On, IN which there Wa writing In
lhii-tan characters. In one % the Chinese
%lr'ier-, 10 which reference has already
'een made, the place " callei Io-lan,
md Their" - alSo mention II the grrat road
Nh'rh " viii 10 rcmemhcr.d Dr. Sven
'ntin tpund running along the northern
,.,pr~ ~ the lake hcd. which ~ said 90 join
'-lan g. Sa-dSchco Dr. Hedin brought
SIT him specimens 81 tho various
~ w~opdcarNing. and ,udentE in
nr'pc Will Gag 'rly await the sight 20 thc--
h. Vel a. ~ the photographs % the ruins.
. ~ ~. 1911 NNN"A ~ - 80 IAEN III \
'uiing and of which he speaks in the most
'n'husa~iic terms.
~ tho full Importance q his DISCOVERIES
'u'ng tho runs II l.. h. sayS, impo~~ihle
IN give ~ pr-snt any adequate idea. bus
b" states that ". has gathered together
fpf a hulky volume on IN. Lob
prrhhrm alrn.. He v particularly
'l"a~~d that. IN having the ruins. he vas
'n take observations which have en-
.hi-d him 10 draw tho leVelltng' hns h-- f,
'ern the northern show ~ th. ancient
abe I'D and the northern show ~ IAke
Nara-koshun, az. In Other words. To A--r-
am tho variations In ieVei hctwsen tbs--
Tpints Th.-e ot~rrVattons, be- is
..rViuc-i. hav. afortssd him the is-t 4,
.rglW-nt he could po~sahly hav~ 20 sho~ 4,
si p. hss found III. tr1s solution ~ the I
30 NJ p~fui,l-fn. To found that iho
ans un tho nurthern shnr- e tho aDcisnt I
I'D N.fe situated a. q trNyl s..fs usrtfss
ghrr thGn that - tho surfac- II iAkc
ara ho-hun. br that tho lowc-i I-ani I
' ffs iak. I'D Law aisuuf - much lrlnw
r same slrfaru kHNssn "a. lake I'D I
1 thr iah. tho ds-u n-~ a. a Isant
"a hlrhrf thsn Nr uIifs IN
% Nrln staias tlaI hls uls-HNatluus
'"nfH hlm tn a%ffeFruiue 49, ouiy u- I
nrusulsia1ss m ut. ODD lAk- i-st I
alsH uS hs"s of dfIah u BE-. tust :
UHHIintsd utai uHn lssvr hal ~ thr
HI laAr lssi s soccer usan to- rurisu
fHr hnfa haahan lakf snd D. tiHsim .
ffl taaf Co. sair m tlH lsifu b. tee Z
ga = fasaarH fH Co. aia iaasn NlfH I.
o. uHH msAaHg BE- tkFaursIlaals Z