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252 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
stony wilderness of the Kurnk-tagh, or the Dry Mountains,
nobody had ever ventured.
I was now desperate, and determined I would keep on
until I did find water. I tramped doggedly, doggedly on,
and kept at it without stopping. Soon I left the echo of
the caravan-bells far behind me. The new boots with
which I had started at Temirlik would now hardly hold
together after the i8o miles tramp, and my feet were sore
and blistered. The day, the 19th of February, has more
than once played an important part in my life. It was on
the 19th February, 1896, that I found water after struggling
across the perilous desert of the Takla-makan. The 19th
February was also my birthday ; and somehow I had got it
into my head that I should meet with a happy surprise
before the day was done.
The farther I advanced to the west the greater grew the
number of camel-tracks ; I came across them every two
minutes, or less. This quickened my hopes. At last I
reached a low spur of the mountains, which turned me to
the south-west along a dry water-course, and in it I found
the tracks of 30 camels. Shortly afterwards I came upon
a tamarisk, and observed the footprints of hares and ante-
lopes. I stopped. These animals are not able to live very
far away from water. Wliilst I was reflecting up came
Shagdur. We discussed the situation together. A little
way to the south we perceived several tamarisks ; we walked
towards them. The ground round about them was very
moist, but coated with a thick layer of salt. We waited
until the caravan came up, and then dug a w^ell. The
water was intensely, bitterly salt ! On, therefore, again
towards the south-west. But as the tempest was now
behind us, marching was easier work.
Taking Shagdur with me, I once more hurried on, leaving
my white horse to follow me, which it did of its own accord
like a dog, while Yoldash was running about hunting and
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