464 SOUTHERN DZUNGARIA 



distance of Mu-li-kho; then, turning east, we traversed 

 the region between this point and Ta-shih-tu, following 

 a chain of farms which are to be found in the mouths of 

 the valleys some ten to fifteen miles to the south of the 

 road. Farther into the hills we could not go, owing to 

 deep snow and lack of inhabitants ; but even these 

 few daj^s on the foot-hills gave us a clearer insight into 

 the nature of the eastern Bogdo-ola and its varied in- 

 habitants, the region appearing to be a sort of Tom 

 Tiddler's ground. 



A wide expanse of out-lying foot-hills shut off from 

 the high road the main Bogdo-ola and all signs 

 of existing habitation ; but, on crossing the first spurs, 

 pleasantly situated settlements and farmsteads came 

 into sight. We first visited Bain-kho, a small Chinese 

 village where we found a little cultivation, and later 

 in the same day we reached Borstan — a few scattered 

 farms belonging to Chantos and Chinese. The Chantos 

 were emigrants from Turf an ; but, as nobody would 

 emigrate of choice to this region in preference to a life 

 in Turf an, we asked an old Turfanlik what brought him 

 to these parts. The old man replied that he had lost his 

 land in Turfan through a Chinese money-lender, into whose 

 clutches he had fallen during a bad season. He bewailed 

 the fate of having to live in a country more or less 

 dependent upon rain, whereas in the Turfan there was a 

 constant supply of water from wells and kariz. Yet the 

 rainfall on this portion of the Bogdo-ola must be consider- 

 able, for the forest-zone continues in a broad belt along 

 the main ridge half a day's journey to the south. The 

 water-courses, however, had the appearance of being full 

 only at spring-flood. Ice formed the winter's water-supply, 

 in order to accumulate which the farmers led off water 



