Page:From Kulja, across the Tian Shan to Lob-Nor (1879).djvu/106

Rh very scarce, and owing to the ill success of our shooting parties we could not obtain a sufficient supply of fresh meat, and had to live on hares for some days. At the halting-places, the loose, saline, clayey soil pulverized instantly, and covered everything in our tent with a layer of dust. We ourselves had been unable to wash for a whole week, and could not endure our dirty condition, our clothes too became saturated with dust, and our linen of a dirty chocolate colour. In fact, we were experiencing a repetition of last winter's sufferings in Northern Tibet. After a week's halt near Chaglyk spring, and fixing its latitude and longitude, we decided on returning to Lob-nor to observe the flight of birds, which would soon take place. Two of our guides were to return once more to the mountains to seek for wild camel, as it was indispensable that we should procure a specimen at any cost. As an additional incentive I offered a reward of 100 roubles for a male and female, being fifty times the price usually obtained for them by the native hunters.