A Boat Excursion On The Northern Lop-Nor

On April 4^th  , 1896 we arrived in the northern region of Lop-Nor known by the locals as Avullu-koll. For 3 days we travelled along its eastern shore following the Tarim and the Kara-khosan
 rivers and their many series of lakes. This was a particularly arduous journey made all the more difficult by massive sand dunes towering over 50 feet in height and plunging down into the shore of the lake at an angle of 33 degrees. At certain places the relentless sand retreated in order to make space for a dense poplar forest that emerged in patches along the edge of the lakes. This forest was so dense at certain places that it was easier to take our chances with the sand dunes than attempt to push onwards through the brush.

We carried on this manner until the 6^th of April when due to sheer exhaustion the camels refused to carry on any further and we were forced to give them a day’s rest. We camped out in the open air atop a majestic sand dune dotted with a few poplar trees who provided us with vital and much needed shade. From atop of our newly made camp we could see far across the region. Despite the near stifling heat, we were tormented relentlessly by swarms of gnats whose sole goal in life seems to be the torment of human beings! Even during the cool of the night, the gnats were relentless! They must have numbered in the millions! Our only way to get a reprieve from the hordes of stinging gnats was to surround our campsite with a ring of fire, which combined with the already unbearable heat to resemble a scene that must have resembled one straight out of hell. We rested but a day before carrying on to the basin of Kara-koll where I came up with a most ingenious form of retaliation against the gnats. We simply set fire to the to dry reed beds from the previous year. These reed beds would catch fire almost instantaneously and spread across the lake bed with the rapidity of a massive prairie fire and produced a massive amount of smoke that successfully kept the gnats at bay. On evenings when I found my self unable to light the shore a flame I was forced to smear my faces and hands with foul smelling nicotine juice. It was good thing that I had brought 50 days worth of tobacco from Khotan on this leg of my expedition but even then, my tobacco supply quickly ran dry and I was forced to purchase a barrel of the bitter sour native tobacco despite its unpleasant taste.

On April 9^th we arrived at the small fishing village of Kum-chekkeh. This village consisted of just 3 tiny huts where the families of 3 local fishermen resided. It was here that I was struck with the most brilliant of ideas, why not send the caravan along ahead in the company of me trusted assistant Isam- Bai while I employed these fishermen to take me via canoe to the south shore of Lop-nor known locally as Karkoshun. This excursion lasted for approximately 8 days, with days of rest not included. But what a wonderful 8 days it was! No paddling or trekking for me, just pure relaxation completely free from those pesky gnats that had so tormented me in the days prior.

These fisher men who called them selves Loplik which translates to Lop-men operated out a form of dug out canoe known kemi. These boats varied greatly in size. The largest one I observed was over 26 feet long and 2.5 feet wide. The one I had the luxury of travelling in was a modest 20 feet long and barely 1.5 feet wide. 3 men working hard can produce a canoe of this manner out of a poplar tree in approximately 5 days.  A most incredible sight and achievement! These boats are not propelled by sails but are always rowed using a thing broad bladed oar known as gedyack. Each boat is typically propelled by two men one in the front and the other in the back. The man in the front typically kneels down while his companion in the back will stand up in order to see over the front of the boat.

We had started out on the water on April 11^th,   with 2 rowers one in the bow and the other in the stern with me seated comfortably in the middle upon a pile of felts and cushions with my compass and note book in hand. My most important travel companion of course was my Chinese dog Yolldash the 3^{rd whom} I had acquired during a stay in Korla as a tiny puppy. Yolldash quickly became my most trusted and dear travel companion for the rest of my journeying in Asia.

We carried on in this manner stopping periodically to measure the depth of the water. At one point I recorded a depth of over 31 feet! An extraordinary feet for a river of this caliber and location. Eventually we arrived at the village of Sadak-koll where numerous families dwelled in simple reed huts. These villagers received me with the most wonderous of hospitality. Freshly cooked fish was quickly produced along with an assortment of wild duck eggs and as well as Kamish reed shoots and bread. I eagerly consumed this tasty yet simple supper. I quickly came to realize that most these inhabitants were unclothed, not just the males but also the females as well! It was only later that I realized that these people had never seen a European and they were quite perplexed my meager appearance as it resembled nothing of the rich, well off and powerful description of Europeans they had heard from neighbouring tribes and villages.

I was forced to take shelter from an incoming storm in this village and it was during that I learnt that the average life span of a dugout canoe in these parts if approximately 10 years provided they were able to keep the boats damp and moist to prevent any type of cracking caused by the intense heat of this part of the world. It was also through a conversation with the village chieftain that I learnt that a caravan had been spotted in the near by village of Shirgheh-chappgan located along the shore of lake Niaz-koll that resembled my own personal caravan left in the care and company of my good friend Islam Bai. The decision was then made to depart at first light the following in attempt to rendezvous with the rest of my men. 

Source

Hedin, Sven Anders, and J. T. Bealby. 1899. Through Asia. New York and London: Harper and Bros. This book is Sven Hedin’s first-hand account of what is known as his first large expedition throughout Central Asia. The chapter used for this entry is chapter Chapter LXXI "A Excursion On The Northern Lop-Nor".