UPPER WATERS OF HOANG-HO. 63 



the man's life had been spared, and that he would be 

 set at liberty in the morning. 



After crossing the Chagrin-gol, a good-sized 

 stream flowing in a south-westerly direction to the 

 town of Djung-ling/ we again entered mountains, 

 which now form no part of the border range, but 

 are piled up on the lofty plateau of Kan-su. This 

 chain runs parallel with the largest of the tributaries 

 of the upper Hoang-ho, viz. the Tetung-gol or 

 Tatung-ho, flowing from the north ; another equally 

 gigantic range rises on its southern bank. I Avill 

 presently describe the orography of this region, but 

 now continue the narrative of our journey to the 

 temple of Chobsen. 



From the Chagrin-gol we ascended the valley of 

 the Yarlin-gol ^ by a road practicable for wheeled 

 carriages, although it has been much neglected since 

 the Dungan insurrection. No inhabitants were to 

 be seen. We passed several abandoned gold-wash- 

 ings ; all the streams in these mountains are said to 

 abound in the precious ore. Water is everywhere 

 plentiful, and the character of the scenery thoroughly 

 alpine. Like the Munni-ula, the Ala-shan range, 

 and most of the mountains of Mongolia, the outer 

 slopes are the wildest ; towards the passes the scenery 

 becomes tamer. Some towering peaks, however, are 

 visible even here, as for instance, Mount Gadjur, Avhich 



' This town is situated on the Chagrin-gol, twenty-three miles 

 below the spot where we crossed this stream, which is apparently a 

 branch of the Tatung. 



'^ This stream flows into the Chagrin-gol : we saw in its valley an 

 image of Maidari, fourteen feet high, cut out of the rock. 



