NATURE 



\May 4, 1876 



Kalgan, and hence to Pekin. From Pekin a preliminary 

 tour was made to the north, to Lake Dalai-nor, one object 

 being to observe the spring flight of the birds of passage. 

 This is a subject in which Col. Prejevalsky takes great 

 interest, and throughout the whole extent of his journey 

 he continued to make observations on the migrations of 

 birds, and the present volumes contain many valuable 

 notes on the subject. Lake Dalai-nor, which like many 

 other lakes in this region, is salt, is described as a great 

 rendezvous for migratory birds. The flight and habits of 

 these birds are described fully in the more strictly scien- 

 tific part of Col. Prejevalsky's account of the expedition, 

 v/hich is not included in the present translation. There 

 is, however, a list of the various birds observed at this 

 lake. In this, as in subsequent parts of his journey, Col. 

 Prejevalsky noted as far as possible all the important 

 features and products of the country as he proceeded. 

 Surveying, however, was attended with many difficulties, 

 on account of the suspicions of the natives, Chinese and 

 Mongols, and it was only by stealth and by resorting 

 to various artifices that Col. Prejevalsky could make use 



of his note-books. Another cause of difficulty and espe- 

 cially of delay was the insurrection of the Chinese 

 Mohammedans, who had overrun and devastated much 

 of the country through which Col. Prejevalsky's expedi- 

 tion passed. 



On returning to Kalgan the expedition commenced the 

 serious part of the undertaking, proceeding westwards 

 by the In-shan Mountains, and crossing the Hoang-ho at 

 Bauta, near the centre of its great northern bend. Pro- 

 ceeding along the left bank of the river through the 

 country of the Ordos, the party recrossed the Hoang-ho 

 at Ding-hu, into the Ala-shan country, and were well 

 received by the prince at Din-yuan-ing. A number of 

 days were spent here hunting and exploring among the 

 Ala-shan mountains ; but want of funds compelled the 

 expedition to return to Kalgan. The return route was 

 along the left side of the northern bend of the Hoang- 

 ho, through the Khara-narin-ula mountains, where the 

 cold experienced was quite Arctic. After staying a 

 couple of months at Kalgan, the party again set out, this 

 time fortunately much better equipped. They followed 



Fig. I. — The Gobi Plateau. 



pretty much the same route as on their return, until they 

 again reached Din-yuan-ing, where their reception was 

 by no means so hospitable as on the previous occasion. 

 Fortunately they fell in here with a caravan of Tangutans 

 bound for the Lama Monastery of Chobsen, within a 

 short distance of Lake Koko-nor, the great goal of Col. 

 Prejevalsky's efforts. After many attempts to prevent it 

 on the part of the prince of Din-yuan-ing, the party set 

 out with the Tangutan caravan, and, notwithstanding the 

 country being overrun with the Dungans or Moham- 

 medan rebels, Chobsen was safely reached. This monas- 

 tery is about forty miles north of Sining-fu, on the south- 

 western slope of the mountains bordering on the Tatung 

 river, which lie to the north-east of Lake Koko-nor, and 

 form part of the southern boundary of the Desert of Gobi. 

 Among these mountains a considerable time was spent in 

 hunting and making collections in natural history. The 

 party " also investigated, de visu, for the first time it is 

 believed in modern history, the famous rhubarb plant in 

 its native region." The inadequacy of his means com- 

 pelled Col. Prejevalsky reluctantly to give up the idea of 



penetrating as far as Lhassa. The basin of Lake Koko- 

 nor was, however, explored, and the travellers pushed on 

 to the south-west, through the region of Tsaidam, which 

 is described as a vast salt-marsh covered with reeds, as 

 if recently the bed of a great lake, and is said by the 

 Chinese to stretch west and north to Lake Lob. Col, 

 Prejevalsky proceeded as far as the lofty and uninhabited 

 desert of Northern Tibet, turning at the upper stream of 

 the great Yang-tse-Kiang, here called by the Mongols 

 the Murui-ussu. 



The party retraced their steps leisurely as far as Din- 

 yuan-ing, where they arrived in a most worn and ragged 

 condition. After a rest here they set out to attempt 

 what was probably the most arduous part of their under- 

 taking, the crossing of the heart of the great desert of 

 Gobi from south to north, a feat never before attempted 

 by any European. *' This desert is so terrible, that in 

 comparison with it the desert of Northern Tibet may 

 be called fruitful. There, at all events, you may find 

 water and good pasture-land in the valleys ; here there is 

 neither the one nor the other, not even a single oasis ; 



