May 4, 1876] 



NATURE 



greatly cultivated in Germany, and the instruments con- 

 nected with it (whose nomenclature, by the way, seems 

 unusually bristling and difficult) oflfer many novel points 

 for consideration. The mechanism of circulation and 

 respiration in the animal subject is studied by means of 

 a variety of delicate apparatus, and we note also some 

 good schematic representations in which the movements 

 are reproduced mechanically. The anatomist and histo- 

 logist will find many beautifully prepared specimens from 

 animal ard plant life. 



Leaving the biological section we enter that of geogra- 

 phy, geology, and the allied sciences. Here the instru- 

 ments used by the late Dr. Livingstone in his last journey 

 possess a melancholy interest ; they comprise a pocket 

 chronometer, a sextant, hypsometrical boiling apparatus, 

 and three thermometers. Specimens are shown of the 

 dredging, sounding, and other apparatus that have been 

 used on board the Challenger, the Porcnpine, and other 

 exploring vessels. The collection of maps is a large 

 one ; in it will be found a selection designed to illustrate 

 the progress of cartography and surveying in India, the 

 maps of the Geological Survey of this country, &c. ; also 

 the MS. maps of Livingstone, Burton and Speke, Baker, 

 Stanley, and others. In a glass case may be observed 

 several open log-books. One is Capt. Cook's log of the 

 Endeavour in his voyage round the world (1768-71), 

 another is that of one of his later voyages ; another, the 

 log of the proceedings of the Bounty, including an account 

 of the mutiny. The subject of geology is largely illus- 

 trated by sections, maps, models, and specimens. We 

 only note here the illustrations of the recent Sub-Wealden 

 boring. There are numerous fine models in illustration 

 of crystallography, and one of the goniometers exhibited 

 is that of the Abbd Hauy. Among the objects connected 

 with mining may be noted the apparatus constructed by 

 Sir Humphrey Davy in his researches on the safety lamp. 



The section of Applied Mechanics, which we have left 

 to the last, might well claim a separate paper or a series 

 of such. We can do no more than briefly refer to the 

 collection of James Watt's models, which indicate, e.g., 

 the progress of his thoughtful labour in connection with 

 the idea of separate condensers, and the expansive work- 

 ing of steam. In Watt's first engine great difficulty was 

 experienced in fitting the piston accurately to the cylinder. 

 Such difficulties exist no longer ; and a remarkable ex- 

 ample of the skill now attained in metallic constructions 

 is afforded in the fine surface plate lent by Sir J. Whit- 

 worth ; this is probably the closest approximation to an 

 absolutely plane surface that has yet been realised. 

 Finally, the old " Rocket " constructed by Stephenson in 

 1829, and the original engine of Henry Bell's steamboat, 

 appear in this collection, the venerable quondam pre- 

 cursors of a great social revolution. 



PREJEVALSKY'S MONGOLIA 



MoTigolia, the Tangut Country, and the Solitudes of 

 Northern Tibet. By Lieut.- Colonel N. Prejevalsky, 

 Translated by E. Delmar Morgan, F.R.G.S. With 

 Introduction and Notes by Colonel Henry Yule, C.B. 

 (Sampson Low and Co., 1876.) 



WE have had occasion once or twice to refer briefly 

 to Col. Prejevalsky's travels in Eastern High 

 Asia, and some of our readers may have seen more or 



less detailed notices of his journey in the German and 

 English geographical journals. These have been suffi- 

 cient to show that the narrative of the Rus sian officer is 

 of unusual value, and we are therefore thankful that not 

 much time has been lost in making it accessible to the 

 English public, to which Russian is practically an un- 

 known tongue. The two volumes before us, however 

 contain only Col. Prejevalsky's general account of his 

 expedition ; and we regret that there seems to be no 

 intention of making the special scientific results acces- 

 sible to English readers. Judging from what is contained 

 in the two volumes before us, these must be of the highest 

 importance, and we hope that by some means they will 

 be made known to English men of science. 



The present translation has been brought out with 

 great care. Mr. Delmar Morgan has put the narrative 

 into clear and idiomatic English, which, we have reason 

 to believe, faithfully represents the original Russian. He 

 has, moreover, added to the value of the narrative for 

 English readers by numerous supplementary and foot 

 notes. We consider that both Col. Prejevalsky and the 

 English reader are particularly fortunate in having the 

 advantage of Col. Yule's knowledge to supplement and 

 correct the original narrative. In an introduction he 

 connects the journey of the Russian officer with those of 

 previous explorers in Central and Eastern Asia, and 

 especially with that of the well-known Hue and his com- 

 panion Gabet. Considerable discredit has been thrown 

 on the narrative of Hue, but Col. Yule shows that in the 

 main it may be regarded as trustworthy, allowance 

 being made for the missionary's love of exaggeration and 

 his desire to produce effect. Prejevalsky's journey from 

 Pekin to the south-west into Tibet coincided to some 

 extent with that of Hue, and the former on several occa- 

 sions impugns the accuracy, if not the veracity, of the 

 latter. Those who are familiar with the old Abbd's de- 

 lightful narrative will be glad to know that so great an 

 authority as Col. Yule thinks that after all he is in the 

 main trustworthy. Col. Yule's numerous notes will, more- 

 over, be found to add much to the value of the work, both 

 as supplementary to the main narrative and as corrective 

 of occasional statements by Col. Prejevalsky arising from 

 imperfect knowledge or rashness. This narrative Col. 

 Yule shows, is an additional confirmation of the remark- 

 able accuracy of that of Marco Polo. 



The starting-point of Col. Prejevalsky's expedition was 

 the town of Kiakhta, on the border of Siberia and 

 Northern Mongolia, from which the small party set out in 

 November, 1870, and returned to it after having done 

 three years' hard and fruitful work, in October, 1873. The 

 expedition seems to have been essentially a Government 

 one, sent out at the instigation of the Russian Geographi- 

 cal Society. It is, therefore, difficult to understand how 

 Col. Prejevalsky should have been so seriously hampered 

 from want of sufficient funds. Yet so it was ; the re- 

 sources at the leader's command were a mere pittance as 

 compared with the magnitude of the undertaking. The entire 

 party consisted only of the Colonel, a companion, and two 

 Cossacks, and the instrumental equipment was the most 

 meagre possible. All things considered, it is marvellous 

 that the resuhs achieved were so many and so valuable. 

 From Kiakhta the party went by Urga across the desert 

 of Gobi, probably the dreariest desert in the world, to 



