THE PLATEAU OF GOBI. 47 



north-eastern shore of the Sea of Azov, stretches to the foot of 

 Caucasus, between the Black and Caspian Seas, and is thence prolonged 

 beyond the Ural range, to the north and south of the metaliferous 

 Altai ; but mainly between the latter and the Thian-Shian mountains, 

 to the seas of Okhotsk and Jesso. 



The word Steppe, supposed to be of Tartar origin, primarily sig- 

 nifies an uncultivated plain, a prairie. 



The Steppes, in short, are ordinarily plains of very considerable 

 extent interrupted at intervals by chains of hills or mountains ; but, 

 on the whole, of a level, monotonous character, and with a consider- 

 able part below the level of the ocean. Their area may be roughly 

 computed at 4,200,000 square miles. 



Occasionally, in traversing them, we meet with lakes or brackish 

 ponds, with forests of pines, even with patches of cultivated ground. 

 Sometimes they form lofty and extensive plateaux, as in. the case of 

 the plateau of Gobi, also called, but most inappropriately, Scha-mo, 

 or the Sandy Desert, and Scha-ho, or the Sandy River. 



The Gobi begins upon the confines of Chinese Tartary, and thence 

 extends over thousands of leagues in a vast expanse of sterile wilder- 

 ness towards the coast of the Pacific. It chiefly consists of bare rock, 

 shingle, and loose sand, alternating with firm sand, sparsely clothed 

 with vegetation. But a large portion of the country, though not 

 less leafless and monotonous, assumes in the spring season the appear- 

 ance of an undulating ocean of grass, supplying pasturage to the 

 flocks and herds of the Mongolian nomades, who wander at will over 

 its vast prairie grounds, and encamp wherever they find a stream of 

 water or sheltering crag. The general elevation above the sea is 

 probably not less than 3500 feet. The Gobi was crossed by Mr. 

 Grant, in 1863, and, soon afterwards, by Mr. Bishop, a correspondent 

 of the Times. 



Though their general aspect is chill and dreary, the Steppes are 

 not without their romantic landscapes, and their vegetation is more 

 varied as well as more abundant than is generally believed. You 

 may find among them wide meads with a soil of sufficient fertility to 



