The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-18
DISCOVERS TRAIL
DEAD 1000 YEARS
Sir Aurcl stein Finds Copper
Coins and Writing Of Pre-
christian Era.
IN CHINESE ~TURkESTAN
sn,ct1i correspo ndence 10 Tur STU.

sp,ciai Correspondence to TuE suN.
'cSpuN. June I5.-Sir Aurel Stein. the
,,clorcr. has returned to England after
q tourney Of two and a half years
,.roush eastern Turkestsn. western
China. the ramirs. Russian Turkestan
and along the Perso-Afghan border. The
,rip WI. undertaken by order OF the
Government OF India aud included the
cross.r. of Darcl and Tangier. "a terri
,orv ~ the Hindu Koosh never before
visited 10y Europeans.
Describing the work Of the expedi-
ton tho DdiiD Chronicle says
Tile visit was made possible By the
chance that l'akhtum Wall. an exiled
tni,f from Chitral. who mad carved out
Tor himself "A new Kingdom there, was
then c~udeavoring TO consolidate IL by
getting into friendly relations with the
Government This was on groupd Of
hs .orItal Importance In ancient times,
which had been visited by the old BUD
dhiSt pilgrims from China.
After crossing into Chinese Tuikes-
tan sir Aurel made his way as rapidly
as possible toward the desert vund the
dried up Lob Nor Lake Lopb, visiting
On he way a sand buried old site In the
Taklamikan desert. He discovered many
ancient writings on wood and Ia an early
irdian lsIr-udse dating from the third
century \. u.
Among other discoveries at the same
desert site was a large ancient orchard,
still showing with uncanny clearness the
elaborate arrangement OF fruit trees and
Vines carried over t%rellis, all dead. The
1Al -
seventeen hundred years ago. and tho
river which once carried water to IL now
ioses Itself in the sand at a very great
distance.
IN = W~aterless Trail.
THE explorer followed up through the
Lop desert the earliest route by which
the chinese carried trade and influence
into Central Asia from the end of the
SECOND century before Christ.
For over twenty marches the route
was now quite waterless. a terrible
wilderness of salt and wind and eroded
Clay. and ice sufficient to assure at least
ore months supply of water for the
idrtN which, including excavation
laborers. counted thirty-fve people) had
10 be carried. Perhaps his most i'm
pprtant discovery was the tracing Of this
ancient route and of the numerous ruins
aIois that part OF it which lay through
a aired up ancient delta.
II was by this route that the ancient
.Niiese conveyed all their silk to CEN
trAl Asia and the far of Mediterranean.
The numerous pieces Of exquisite Chi.
heSe silks and brocades found in the
cemeteries will open up n new chapter
Ill the history OF textile art.
IN that part OF the desert which was
waierless in ancient times for a distance
OF soIne $50 miles Sir Aurel was able
with accuracy to trace the route OF the
ancient caravans by fnds OF coins and
ether small objects accidentally dropped.
Finds Coins 1900 Years Old.
"ln one place the direction IN which a
convoy had moved was clearly marked
nN hundreds OF copper coins strewing
tho salt-encrus,ed ground. They had
probably dropped from a load during n
aight march. and had remained IN
touched for at least 1900 years. as he
route had since that period been wholly
~aoandoned. Ancient ammunition in the
shape or bronze arrowheads, probably
from some arsenal. also strewed IN,
track In the salt desert near that point.
During another portion OF his travels
Sir Aurel explored for "A distance OF $50
.'"es q iurther section or the armed
fortified border line by which the Chi
rese had endesvored to protect their
Nesterrmost marches in kansu against
ancient Hun raids. From the ruins Ct
watch towers found in continuous sue.
eesSion along the wall he recovered in
"a : numerous written records on wood
dating from the first century before ami
after Christ.
"Sr Aurel's ravels involved over H.
goo miles OF marching over mountain
and desert. The explorer spent some
three and a half months among the
mountains north Of the Oxus. in Russian
'erritory, and spoke in high terms Of his
treatment by Col. Yagello. the COM
mandant Of he Pamirs division. n OF
tho ready assistance given by the Rus
can authorities on every occasion"