Page:From Kulja, across the Tian Shan to Lob-Nor (1879).djvu/116

Rh point finally it will be of importance to compare the skulls of the two varieties.

In the first days of February we returned to Lob-nor, of which with the Lower Tarim we will now speak.

After uniting near Airilgan ferry with the Kiok-ala-daria, the Tarim, as we have already said, flows for about seventy versts nearly due south, and then falls into, or rather forms by its discharge. Lake Kara-buran. This name signifies "black storm," and has been given to the lake by the natives on account of the great waves which rise on its surface during a storm; and also because with a wind from the east or north-east (most frequent in spring) the Kara-buran inundates the salt marshes for a great distance towards the south-west, so much so as to interrupt for a time the communications between the Tarim and the village of Chargalyk.

Lake Kara-buran itself is from thirty to thirty-five versts long, and ten to twelve versts wide. Its area, however, depends a good deal upon the quantity of water in the Tarim; with high water the flat shores of the lake are flooded for some distance, whilst with low water the salt marshes on its borders are uncovered. Lake Kara-buran is not above three to four feet deep, and in places even less than this, although occasional deep pools occur, and the open space free from reeds is