INTRODUCTION. 



THE second Danish Pamir Expedition initiated and con- 

 ducted by Professor O. OLUFSEN, at that time lieutenant 

 in the Danish army, left Copenhagen in March 1898. After 

 an unavoidable delay at St. Petersburg the expedition pro- 

 ceeded by rail southwards through Russia, then by steamer 

 across the Caspian and on the 23 rd of April we, for the first 

 time, set foot on Asiatic soil in Krasnowodsk. 



The expedition spent a couple of months in the Trans- 

 caspian lowlands visiting Tshardshui, Buchara, Samarkand, 

 Tashkent, Kokand, Andidshan and Osh, generally travelling 

 by rail. In the middle of June we left Osh and went to 

 Pamir, whence we returned in April 1899. The spring and 

 summer of 1899 were passed in Ferghana and the Trans- 

 caspian lowlands, most of the time in Buchara and Chiwa. 

 The journey to Chiwa was made by boat from Tshardshui 

 down the Amu Darya (Oxus) and botanically this was one 

 of the most interesting parts of the journey, as it afforded a 

 good opportunity of studying the deserts of the river banks 

 and the Gallery forests. The Chiwa journey lasted from 

 the middle of June till the end of August when we returned 

 to Tshardshui. Here I was fortunate enough to make the 

 acquaintance of Mr. V. PALEZKIJ, inspector of the plantations 

 along the Transcaspian railroad, who with the greatest 

 kindness showed me these plantations. 



From Tshardshui we returned westward to the Caspian 

 Sea. September and October were spent in Persia, whence 

 the expedition returned, through Russia, to Copenhagen, 

 where we arrived in November 1899. 



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