Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 2 (1876).djvu/53

Rh taking our guns, waded towards the spot where we could see the carp jumping. So intent were they with their games as not to notice us, and we generally approached to within a few paces of them; then, watching our opportunity, we shot them as they rose to the surface, and in this way secured some fine fish every day.

In the beginning of May the heat in the valley was intense; the mercury rose to 31° Cent. (88° Fahr.) in the shade, whilst the water was heated only to 21° Cent. (70° Fahr.), rendering bathing a pleasant relief. Hardly any rain fell, and vegetation was checked by the excessive heat as much as it had been by the preceding cold season. The yellowish grey tint of the valley at this time was particularly unattractive; only a few tufts of green grass hąd sprung up, in the midst of which solitary flowers (Thermopsis lanceolata, Astragalus sp., Hyperoum sp., Potentilla sp., Iris sp.) raised their heads tinidly in the midst of surrounding desolation. Wherever a white layer of salt covered the soil, it had the appearance of driven snow, even when you were close to it; in such spots not a blade of green could be seen — nothing but withered clumps of dirisun. The whirlwinds frequently raised columns of saline dust, which blinded us and aggravated our sufferings. Only those parts of the valley were a little more cheerful where last year's vegetation had been completely burnt up by the early spring heats, and where towards the middle of May some green grass had appeared.

In the border range vegetation was equally