WATER AND OVERLAND COMMUNICATION 237 



necessary good orgauization, nor possesses any great commercial importance. In the latter re- 

 spect, a certain interest is presented by two routes leading from Western Siberia through the 

 Altai into Mongolia. Of these the Chuisk tract, serving as the chief artery for the commer- 

 cial traffic between Western Siberia and Mongolia, proceeds from Biisk by the valley of the 

 river Chuya near the Imperial frontier to Kobdo and Ulyasutai, and for a distance of 240 versts, 

 from Biisk to Angoudai, offers a pretty fair carriage read, while beyond this point to Kosh- 

 Agach, 220 versts, it is only available for the passage of beasts of burden. The second or 

 Bukhtarminsk tract, also terminating at Kobdo, leads from the territory of Semipalatinsk 

 through the Bukhtarminsk camp, the Ulan-Daba pass and Khongo. This road from Ust-Kamen- 

 nogorsk to the settlement of Urylsk, a distance of 382 versls, is available for wheeled traffic, 

 its continuation beiug a mere track for pack-animals. 



<6><^- 



