Ruins of Desert Cathay 286 - Shahyar labourers slaking their thirst after reaching ice of Keriya river end. These fellows were well paid but nevertheless impressed by their local head-men into service for which they were not merely reluctant but terrified of being lost in the desert. They wanted to turn back repeatedly (which would for sure been their end) so Stein set an armed rear guard of his Indian associates to keep them in line.When they were discharged at Keriya they still had to wend their way back around the western end of the Taklamakan to reach Shahyar.