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CHAPTER VI.
AT RACING SPEED DOWN THE GREAT AND LONELY TARIM.
After passing, on 30th October, the mouth of the Khotan-
daria, we left the last of the great tributaries of the Tarim
behind us. The mouth of the tributary just mentioned
was at that time dry ; but that its bed does contain water,
sometimes flowing, sometimes stationary, I had the very
best reason in the world for knowing, for on 5th May, 1895,
it had saved me from the horrible fate of dying from
thirst.
Next day we had not gone very far when a furious tem-
pest sprang up in the east. The river was perfectly straight,
broad, and open, and the wind, driving up it unimpeded,
churned the water into foam-tipped waves, which struck
with great force against the bow of our vessel, making her
timbers quiver from end to end. A yellowish-grey haze
swept above both banks, while a mass of fine dust hid the
forest from our view. My tent threatened to blow away
bodily, and for several hours we stood perfectly still,
marking time, while the tempest howled above us.
At last the gale grew so bad that we thought it better to
lie up under the shelter of the forest, and wait until the
weather improved. Although it was broad daylight the
forest was as dark as twilight. We made up a huge lire
amongst the trees and most welcome it was, for the air
was decidedly cool. I had been sitting for weeks on end
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