BAIAN-KARA-ULA RANGE. iSi 



kara-ula,' and by the Tangutans Yegrai-vola-daktsi \ 

 they are situated on the left bank of the headwaters 

 of the Blue River, called by the Mongols Murui-ussu,'"^ 

 and from the watershed between its basin and that 

 of the sources of the Hoang-ho. 



The general direction of this range is from east to 

 west, but it is known by different names in its several 

 parts. In this way its western extremity, as far as 

 the N^apcJiitai-idan-murcn'^ is called K7iku-shili\ its 

 central part is the Baian-kara-2ila proper, beyond 

 these again are the Daktsi, and on the extreme east 

 the Soloma mountains. The Mongols informed us 

 that no part of the range attained the limits of 

 perpetual snow. The Kuku-shili is about seventy 

 miles long, the other three chains together upwards 

 of 260 miles in extent, giving a total of about 450 

 miles for the length of the entire range. Its central 

 portion follows the course of the Blue River, while 

 on the east and west it diverges from it. 



The Baian-kara range is distinguished from the 

 Burkhan Buddha and Shuga mountains by its softer 

 outline and comparatively lower elevation. On its 

 northern side (at all events where we saw it) the 

 range rises only 1,000 feet above the base, but the 

 counter slope facing the south presents a bold pre- 

 cipitous front to the valley of the Murui-ussu, Avhere 



' The meaning of this name is ' rich black mountains.' 



'^ [The ' Bhie River,' as already observed, is the Yangtse-kiang. — 



Y.] 



•' This river flows from the snowy mountains of Tsaga?i->iir, and 



after a course of about 230 miles falls into the Murui-ussu. The width 



of its lower channel in winter is from 210 to 280 ft. ; it is remarkable 



that its water is brackish to the taste. 



