Page:From Kulja, across the Tian Shan to Lob-Nor (1879).djvu/42

Rh from the Yulduz valley, spreads over the southern portion of this basin, and forms the Baghrash Kol or lake, which is described as a long sheet of water, five days' journey in length, and covered with floating islands of tall reeds, amidst which the river flows in the western end of the lake only. It is separated from the Lob district to the south by the Kurugh Tagh, a wide range of sandy and gravelly ridges, amongst the hollows of which the wild horse and wild camel breed. There is a road between the lake and this range, seven days' journey from Korla to Ush Aktal, and there is another along its southern side, between it and Lob, seven days' journey from Kara Koshun to Turfan. The city of Karashahr stands near the left bank of the river, to the north of the lake. Fifty miles north-east of this city is Ush Aktal, and twenty miles beyond it, and about the same distance from Gumish Akma, where the road enters the hills, there are the ruins of an ancient city, called Kara Kizil, which are supposed to be the remains of the ancient Jalish or Chalish.

Colonel Prejevalsky's actual observations at Lake Lob are exceedingly interesting, as they corroborate much that appeared doubtful in the accounts received from former travellers. As Marco Polo in former times, and Colonel Yule at the present day, are the great authorities on all matters connected with the geography, and to a