The soil is formed of alluvial beds extending up to the environs of Merv.

I must get accustomed to this monotony of the journey which will last up to the frontier of Turkestan.

Oasis and desert, desert and oasis.

As we approach the Pamir the scenery will change a little.

There are picturesque bits of landscape in that orographic knot which the Russians have had to cut as Alexander cut the gordian knot that was worth something to the Macedonian conqueror of Asia.