THE UPPER TATUNC. КО КО- NOR. 107 



continuing to be distinctly defined on either bank, 

 while some lateral spurs of the southern range form 

 the watershed between some tributaries of the 

 Tatung and the streams flowing into the Siling-gol 

 and Koko-nor ; the largest we crossed was the 

 Buguk-gol, a tributary of the Siling, flowing through 

 a beautiful valley. ^ The northern range makes a 

 sudden bend to the north, near the town of Yunan- 

 chen, towards the sources of the river Etsina, 

 where the mountains are higher and more rocky, 

 culminating in the snowy peak of Konkir, one of the 

 sacred mountains of the Tangutans. 



The southern range between Chobsen and Mur- 

 zasak is covered with dense underwood on its north- 

 ern slopes, Avith an occasional spruce fir in the 

 valley of the Buguk-gol ; the southern slopes abound 

 in rich pasture land. Beyond Mur-zasak, in the 

 direction of the sources of the Tatuno; and after 

 crossing the watershed between the basin of this 

 river and Koko-nor, the character of the scenery 

 changes ; the mountains are lower (excepting those 

 in the main range) less steep and rocky, and the 

 valleys marshy. The only shrub is the yellow kurile 

 tea, in some places covering large areas. In fact, 

 everything betokens the approach to the steppes 

 of Koko-nor, which we entered on the 24th of Oct., 

 and the following day we pitched our tent on the 

 shore of the lake. 



The dream of my life was accomplished, and the 



' It is of interest to see this name Hiling applied appareml) to the 

 river running by Sining-fu. See Supplementary Note. — V. 



