THE MOUNTAIN CHAINS OF ASIA. 63 



an elevation of 1188 feet. It is most earnestly to be desired, 

 that all doubt regarding the elevation of the plateaux of 

 Central Asia, south of 45 north latitude, should finally be re- 

 moved by direct barometrical measurements, or by determi- 

 nations of the boiling point of water, conducted with greater 

 care than is usual in these cases. All our calculations of the 

 difference between the limits of perpetual snow and the 

 maximum elevation of vine cultivation in different climates, 

 rest at present on too complex and uncertain elements. 



In order as briefly as possible to rectify that which has been 

 advanced in the former edition of the present work, regard- 

 ing the great mountain systems which intersect the interior 

 of Asia, I subjoin the following general review: We begin 

 with the four parallel chains, which run, with tolerable regu- 

 larity, from east to west, and are connected together by means 

 of a few detached transverse lines. Differences of direction 

 indicate, as in the Alps of Western Europe, a difference in the 

 epoch of elevation. After the four parallel chains (the Altai, 

 the Thian-schan, the Kuen-lun, and the Himalaya] we must 

 consider as following the direction of meridian, the Ural, the 

 Bolor, the Khingan, and the Chinese chains, which, with the 

 great inflection of the Thibetianand Assam-Birmese Dzangbo- 

 tschu incline from north to south. The Ural divides a de- 

 pressed portion of Europe from a similarly low portion of 

 Asia. The latter was called by Herodotus,* and even earlier 

 by Pherecydes of Syros, Scythian or Siberian Europe, and 

 comprised all the countries to the north of the Caspian and of 

 the laxartes, which flows from east to west, and may therefore 

 be regarded as a continuation of our Europe, "as it now exists, 

 extending lengthwise across the continent of Asia." 



1. The great mountain system of the Altai (the "gold 

 mountains" of Menander of Byzantium, an historical writer 

 of the seventh century ; the Altai-alin of the Moguls, and the 

 Kin-schan of the Chinese) forms the southern boundary of the 

 great Siberian lowlands, and running between 50 and 52 J 

 north latitude, extends from the rich silver mines of the 

 Snake Mountains, and the confluence of the Uba and the 

 Irtysch, to the meridian of Lake Baikal. The divisions and 

 names of the " Great" and the " Little Altai," taken from 

 an obscure passage of Abulghasi, should be wholly avoided.f 



* Ed. Sckweighaiiser, t. v. p. 204. f Asie centrale, t. i. p. 247. 



