ARBUS-ULA RANGE. DING-HU. 221 



the town of Ding-hu they culminate in a lofty rocky 

 ridge called the Arbus-ula. This range runs almost 

 parallel with the Hoang-ho, continually approaching 

 it till at length it closes in upon the very bank of 

 the river at a place opposite to which on the other 

 side of the Yellow River rises the ereat ranee of 

 the Ala-shan mountains. According to a Mongol 

 tradition, one of the rocky peaks of the Arbus-ula, 

 which has the shape of a table, served as a forge 

 for Chinghiz- Khan's smithy. His blacksmith is re 

 presented to be a man of such gigantic stature, that 

 although seated on the ground he was much higher 

 than the hill, and forged different arms and accoutre- 

 ments on it for the o-reat warrior. ^ 



о 



On the 14th of September we arrived at the town 

 of Ding-hu, situated on the western bank of the 

 Hoang-ho, to which we were obliged to cross in 

 order to continue our journey in Ala-shan. Our 

 adventures at Ding-hu were even more unpleasant 

 than those at Bautu. 



While we were still a few miles from the town 

 the Chinese noticed our caravan, and climbed on to 

 the town wall in crowds to get a better view of us in 

 the distance. Hardly had we arrived opposite to 

 the town, than a boat with twenty-five soldiers put 

 off from it, and these as soon as they had landed on 

 our side demanded our passports. 



Our tent was pitched on the bank of the 



' Chinghiz himself was represented in traditions which found their 

 way even to Europe as a blacksmith. This seems to have originated 

 in a connection (whether real or imaginary) between his name Tonit- 

 jm, and the Turkish Tcmiirji, an ' iron-smith.' — V. 



