ITS PHYSICAL FEATURES. 7 



The district between Klakhta and Urga may be 

 generally described as hilly, but the elevations are 

 not great, and most of the hills are round. The 

 ranges have an easterly and westerly direction, and 

 are totally devoid of lofty peaks and steep bluffs ; the 

 passes are, therefore, not high, and the ascents and 

 descents are orradual. 



Three of these ranges following the road to 

 Urga are distinguished from the rest by their 

 greater elevation : one on the north bank of the 

 river Iro ; a second, the Manhadai, in the centre ; and 

 third, the Mukhur, close to Urga. The only steep 

 and lofty pass across these mountains is the Man- 

 hadai, which may be avoided by taking a more 

 circuitous road to the east. 



The district we are describing Is plentifully 

 watered ; its chief rivers are the Iro and Kara-gol, 

 flowing into the Orkhon, a tributary of the Selenga. 

 The soil is mostly black earth or loam, well adapted 

 for tillage ; but agriculture has not yet been Intro- 

 duced Into this region, and only a few acres, about 

 100 miles from Klakhta, have been cultivated by 

 Chinese settlers. 



The hilly belt of country between Klakhta and 

 Urga is well wooded. But the trees, which chiefly 

 grow on the northern slopes of the hills, are far 

 inferior In size, shape, and variety to the Siberian 

 timber. The prevailing kinds are fir, larch, and 

 \vhlte birch, interspersed with a few cedars, ash, and 

 black birch. The hill-sides are occasionally dotted 

 with sparse clumps of wild peach and acacia, and the 



