6o ROAD OVER THE MOUNTAINS. 



perpetual snow. Although only twenty-seven miles 

 distant from the desert of Ala-shan, the soil was 

 remarkably fertile, and the humidity of the climate 

 ensured abundance of water. The flora and fauna 

 also marvellously changed ; a profusion of rich 

 grass clothed the plains and valleys ; dense forests 

 darkened the steep slopes, and animal life appeared 

 in great variety. But to return to our narrative. 



As is the case with other mountain-chains of 

 the Mongolian plateau, this marginal range in Kan-su 

 shows its full development only on the side of the 

 Ala-shan plain ; whilst on the other face the declivity 

 is short and easy. Even the snow-capped peaks 

 of Ku-liang and Liang-chu, about thirty miles to 

 the right of our road, apparently do not rise much 

 above the plateau, and their southern slopes are 

 only marked with occasional patches of snow. The 

 ascent is by a ravine hemmed in by precipitous rocks 

 of schistous clay ; the road is tolerably good, and 

 even practicable for wheeled conveyances. On 

 either side are lofty rugged mountains, abounding in 

 excellent pasturage for cattle ; forests grow near the 

 axis of the range, but at some distance from the road. 



After crossing the pass (nineteen miles from the 

 entrance to the mountains), луе came to the small 

 Chinese town of Ta-yi-gu, destroyed by the Dun- 

 gans, but at this time garrisoned by i,ooo Chinese 

 soldiers. Its height is 8,600 feet, while Ta-jing is 

 only 5,900 feet above sea-level.^ 



^ On entering Kan-su, our aneroid got out of order; all further hy- 

 psometrical observations were, therefore, made with boiling-water. 



