2 ILLNESS OF PYLTSEFF. LAKE-BED. ] 



We had now a long' and difficult journey before 

 us, the distance from Din-yuan-ing to Kalgan 

 (through Mongolia) being reckoned about 800 miles, 

 which we had to perform without a break. Mean- 

 while the approach of winter was heralded by sharp 

 frosts and winds, prevalent in Mongolia at this 

 season of the year. To make matters worse my 

 travelling companion, Michail Alexandrovitch Pylt- j 

 seff, fell ill with typhoid fever soon after we left 

 Din-yuan-ing, a circumstance which detained us nine 

 days, near the spring of Kara-moriteh in the north- , 

 ern part of Ala-shan. 1 



The state of my companion's health was rendered 

 more critical owing to the want of medical assistance, I 

 for although we had a few drugs with us I had not 

 sufficient confidence in my skill as a practitioner to 

 administer them. Happily his youth pulled him 

 through, and Michail Alexandrovitch, in spite of 

 continued weakness, was able to sit on a horse, 

 although he fell off more than once in a fainting fit. 

 However, we hurried on, marching from sunrise to 

 sunset every day. 



Desirous of becoming acquainted with the 

 country on the left bank of the Yellow River, and 

 the mountains which border this part of the valley, 

 I determined on crossing the country of the Urutes, 

 луЬ1сЬ is conterminous with Ala-shan. In the north- 

 ern part of the latter region, 63 miles from Din-yuan- 

 ing, we came to an immense lake-bed of sedimentary 

 salt, called by the Mongols Djaratai-dabas. This 

 lake-bed occupies the lowest part of the whole of 



