MUNNl-ULA MOUNTAINS. 159 



bold belt of mountains about seventeen miles wide. 

 The highest peaks are upwards of 8,000/ perhaps 

 as much as 9,000 feet, above sea-level, but nowhere 

 attain the limit of perpetual snow. The main axis 

 runs almost through the centre of the width, the des- 

 cents on either side being steep, and indented with 

 rugged gorges and narrow valleys. The whole 

 range is rocky and of a bold alpine character, espe- 

 cially on its southern side. The rocks ^ are for the 

 most part syenitic granite, common gneiss, horn- 

 blende, granolite, porphyry, and the later volcanic 

 formations. The borders are devoid of trees, and 

 only dotted with occasional clumps of wild peach, 

 hazel, and yellow honeysuckle, the same as those 

 we found in the Shara-hada and Suma-hada ranges. 

 As we ascended, however, the bushes grew thicker, 

 and single trees began to appear, as for instance 

 the Scotch pine {Pinus sylvest74s), and a low kind 

 of elm {Ulmus sp.). About six miles from the 

 outer edge of the range on the northern side (but 

 not more than a mile-and-a-half on the southern 

 side), at an elevation of nearly 5,300 feet, the forests 

 begin,^ increasing in size and density as you ascend. 

 Here too the trees grow mostly in valleys having a 



^ The highest peak of the Munni-ula is considered to be Mount 

 Shara-oroi, near the western extremity of the range ; we could not 

 measure its height, not having been in that part of the mountains. The 

 peaks I measured in the centre of the Munni-ula were 7,400 feet 

 above sea-level. Mount Shara-oroi is certainly 1,000 feet higher than 

 any of them. It should be mentioned that there are two peaks of that 

 name, — one not far from our route, but that also I could not measure. 



^ Of the Munni-ula as well as of the Sirun-bulik. 



^ Probably lower on the southern slopes. 



