De 
tously on the south than on the north side is presumably 
due to the same causes as the differences in the acclivity 
and vegetation of the mountains. The slopes with a southern 
exposure are heated by the sun. This causes great disinte- 
gration and lack of vegetation, (the latter may also in part 
be due to disintegration), and from these barren disintegrated 
mountain slopes great masses slide down into the lake. 
Thus the mountains become constantly steeper while the 
bottom of the lake slopes. The mountain sides with a nor- 
thern exposure disintegrate far more slowly, and furnish a 
good locality for plant growth. Practically no landslides 
occur here and the bottom of the lake is comparatively 
precipitous, while the mountains slope more gently. 
These south-coast mountains are higher than those on 
the north, their snow-covered summits tower 5—6000 mètres 
high, and the torrents rushing down to Jashil Kul seem never 
to dry up. 
South of the eastern end of Jashil Kul lies the little 
shallow lake, Bulung Kul. It is located in a plain sloping 
gently toward the north, which is watered by the little 
stream Koi tesek. 
Our expedition spent about a month at Jashil Kul. We 
camped first east of the mouth of the great. Mardjanaj on 
the northern shore of the lake; later on on the eastern shore, 
and finally near Bulung Kul (see the map). 
It was a marvellous experience, a constant succession of 
sunny days in majestic surroundings which we learned to 
love. When, after climbing high, high up, one’s gaze roamed 
over this huge silent landscape, — the long, yellowish-green 
sheet of water nestling shining and still among the lofty 
brown mountains, crowned with summits of snow, — it 
seemed as if life no longer existed. Yet nature here was 
far from dead. The vegetation which I shall soon describe 
was both beautiful and characteristic. Animal life abounded. 
A strange tickling sensation comes over one, when for the 
first time and alone on an excursion, one sees the den of a 
bear, even though the bear is absent. We had indeed one 
vain bear-hunt after a huge yellowish-white specimen. There 
