76 STEPPES AND DESERTS. 



Ladak, Gertop, and H'lassa, (the seat of the Great Lama,) 720 geo- 

 graphical miles; between Hami in the Celestial Mountains, and 

 the great bend of the Hoang-ho near the In-schan chain, hardly 

 480; and in the north, between the Khanggai, where the great city 

 of Karakhorum once stood, and the chain of Khin-gan-Petscha, 

 which runs north and south (in the part of the Gobi traversed 

 in travelling from Kiachta by Urga to Pekin) 760 geogra- 

 phical miles. The whole extent of this swelling ground, which 

 must be carefully distinguished from the far more elevated mountain 

 range to the east, may be approximately estimated, taking its in- 

 flections into account, at about three times the area of France. The 

 map of the mountain ranges and volcanoes of Central Asia (Carte 

 der Bergketten und Vulkane von Central- Asien), constructed by 

 me in 1839, but not published until 1843, shows in the clearest 

 manner the hypsometric relations between the mountain ranges and 

 the Gobi plateau. It was founded on the critical employment of all 

 the astronomical determinations accessible to me, and on a vast 

 amount of orographic description, in which Chinese literature is 

 beyond measure rich, examined at my request by Klaproth and 

 Stanislas Julien. My map marks the mean direction and the 

 height of the mountain chains, and represents the leading features 

 of the interior of the continent of Asia, from 30 to 60 of north 

 latitude, and between the meridians of Kherson and Pekin. It 

 differs materially from any previously published map. 



The Chinese have enjoyed a threefold advantage towards the 

 collection of so great an amount of orographic data in the highlands 

 of Asia, and more especially in the regions (hitherto so little known 

 in the west) north and south of the Celestial mountains, between 

 the In-schan, the mountain lake Khuku-noor, and the banks of the 

 Hi and the Tarim. The three advantages I allude to are, the 

 military expeditions towards the west, (under the dynasties of Han 

 and Thang, 122 years before our era, and again in the ninth century 

 when conquerors advanced as far as Ferghana and to the borders of 

 the Caspian,) together with the more peaceful conquests of Budd- 

 histic pilgrims; the religious interest attaching to certain lofty 

 mountain summits on account of sacrifices to be periodically offered 

 there; and the early and general use of the compass in giving the 



