FROM THE ALTAI TO THE ILI 411 



group ^ we beheld, spread out to the west, a wonderful ex- 

 panse of steppes and of lakes, shimmering as in a mirage, 

 giving strange contrasts of blue and of yellow, and 

 stretching in endless succession as far as the eye could 

 reach towards the distant plains of Northern Turkestan. 

 On the east the Barlik ranges rose to an altitude of 

 9,500 ft., and, far away in the dim distance, the loftier 

 snows of the Ala-tau lifted themselves into the blue ; 

 but, separating us from them, was a break in the moun- 

 tain-wall, — a deep-cut depression dividing the Siberian 

 plains from the Dzungarian deserts, and lying between 

 the ramparts of the Ala-tau on the west and those of 

 the Barlik on the east. 



We had frequently heard of the terrors, dangers, and 

 winds of the Dzungarian Gate. We had read the records 

 of such early travellers as Carpini and Rubruck, both 

 of whom mentioned that " there blows nearly continu- 

 ously such a wind through this valley, that persons 

 cross it with great danger, lest the wind should carry 

 them into the sea." We therefore approached this 

 remarkable geological phenomenon both with interest 

 and a certain amount of anxiety, for the weather was 

 unusually unsettled, snow-clouds were threatening us, 

 and we were unwilling our caravan should be " blown 

 away into the sea." 



Even at a distance, with the Dzungarian Gate lying 

 before us — unseen, we instinctively became aware of its 

 presence ; for when we came within sight of Ala Kul, 

 whilst crossing the open foot-hills of the Barlik Range 



^ The Barlik proper overlooks the Dzungarian Gate on the east. 

 We found the natives using BarUk for the whole mountain-group to the 

 east. I use the term, therefore, to include the Chagan-oba, the Dzusau> 

 and the Maili ranges. 



