RELATIONS OF AIR AND WATER TO TEMPERATURE AND LIFE. 273 

 MOUNTAINS OF ASIA. 



In Asia we liave the largest continent, the highest mountains, the 

 most elevated plateaus, and tlie greatest extent of desert land in the 

 world. 



The Pamir, or ''roof of the world" — " the abode of the Gods, " as it 

 was called by the inhabitants — is a vast plateau of .30,000 square 

 miles area, with a north and soutli extension of about 400 miles, and 

 with a mean elevation of 12,000 feet. It is traversed by a high range 

 of mountains, culminating in the Taghama, 25,500 feet in height. The 

 Pamir was the only barrier Alexander could not pass. Now, the 

 English, theRussians, and the Chinese meet on this plateau and struggle 

 for the control of Asia. From it branch all the great mountain ranges 

 of Asia. 



The Hindu Kush range runs west through Afghanistan, between 

 Persia and Turkestan, along the southern shore of the Caspian Sea, 

 culminating in Blount Ararat, thence as the Caucasus Mountains to 

 the Black Sea, while a spur of this chain follows the southern shores of 

 the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. The Himalayas run a little south 

 of east from the southern part of the Pamir for 1,500 miles, separating- 

 India from Tibet and China. 



The Kuen Luen range, sometimes considered as an extension of the 

 Hindu Kush, runs from the middle of the Pamir through western and 

 part of central China for 2,700 miles. The Thian Shan runs from the 

 northern end of the Pamir northeast, separating Tarim and Mongolia 

 from Siberia. As it approaches the ocean it turns toward the north 

 and ends in Kamchatka, forming the great divide between the waters 

 of the Arctic and Paciflc oceans. Between these mountain ranges are 

 elevated plateaus, and the former dominate the rainfall and tempera- 

 ture of the continent. 



The steeper slope of the mountains of Asia is toward the Indian 

 Ocean. Between the Himalayas and Kuen Luen ranges and running 

 from the Pamir east is the highest and longest plateau in the world, 

 varying from 17,000 to 10,000 feet, its lowest elevation. 



Above this plain the mountains tower from 4,000 to 1S,000 feet. 

 Their summits are covered with everlasting snow from 8,000 to 10,000 

 feet below their crests. Here is truly the " abode of the snow. " This 

 plateau, from its height and position between two ranges of mountains, 

 is cold in winter and hot in summer. This is Tibet, the land of the 

 Llama. Here all the great rivers that empty into the Pacific and Indian 

 oceans, excei^ting the Yukon, the Columl)ia, the Colorado, and the 

 Zambesi, have their source. 



In the western part of Tibet the Indus and Brahmaputra rise, one 

 running west through a pass 14,000 feet in height into India; the other 

 running east, through passes thus far inaccessible and unknown into 

 India; east of the head waters of these two rivers rise the rivers of 

 Siam and farther India. 

 SM 93 18 



