518 TRANSACTIONS OF S&CTION #. 
putra, the Indus, and the Sutlej, and in the course of his journeys he 
accumulated a mass of geographical and other scientific information. 
Next comes Dr. Stein’s expedition to Chinese Turkestan, by which he 
has made a most noteworthy contribution to geographical knowledge and 
antiquarian research. 
Dr. Stein, accompanied by that capable surveyor Rai Ram Singh, who 
was later on relieved by that equally skilful and energetic surveyor Rai Sahib 
Lal Singh, travelled from India via Chitral and Kashgar. He commenced 
survey work in the eastern part of the Mustagh-ata range, and carried it 
along the Kun Lun Mountains, skirting the southern side of the Takla 
Makan Desert and the Lob Nor Desert to Suchou and Kan-chou. He 
surveyed a large area of the mountainous region lying westward of Kan- 
chou, then crossing the desert from Anshi to Hami he returned north of 
the Tarim River, skirting the southern slopes of the Tian Shan range, to 
Kashgar. During this very long journey Dr. Stein came across the 
ancient frontier wall, built about the second century z.c. He traced it 
west of Suchou, till lost in the desert, for some 250 miles, and he made 
various incursions into and across the desert, making discoveries of the 
greatest antiquarian interest. 
After his return to Kashgar he surveyed the last unexplored portion of 
the Kun Lun mountains and the country containing the sources of the 
Khotan or Yurungkash River, which proved to be flanked on the south 
by a magnificent range of snowy peaks rising to over 23,000 feet; thence 
passing the sources of the Keriya River he skirted the southern slopes of 
this snowy range and finished by connecting this survey with that to 
the north of this range. The privations and hardships undergone by 
Dr. Stein and his party were very great, and, just as he completed his 
last bit of survey, he was unfortunate enough to get his foot badly frost- 
bitten, and had to hasten to more civilised parts for medical treatment. 
Dr. Stein, during his expedition, displayed all the best qualities of an 
explorer—enthusiasm, determination, skill, and tact. The modest account 
he has so far given us of his travels, which gives a mere outline of his 
work, shows that the geographical as well as the archeological results of 
his expedition are of the greatest value. 
The last completed exploration I propose to mention is Lieut. Shackle- 
ton’s great journey in the Antarctic Circle, which has raised him to a high 
position among the gallant explorers of the Polar regions. 
Lieut. Shackleton personally arranged and supervised all arrange- 
ments for the expedition, his experience in the British Antarctic expe- 
dition under Capt. Scott standing him in good stead. 
Having landed in McMurdo Sound, a party consisting of Lieut. 
Adams, Prof. David, and others ascended Mount Erebus, which is over 
13,000 feet high, all above snow level. 
Later on Lieut. Shackleton and a sledge-party set off southward, and 
after an arduous journey succeeded in reaching 88° 33’ south latitude, 
over six degrees nearer the Pole than any previous explorer. His party 
travelled altogether about 1700 miles, including relays, in 126 days, a 
splendid performance in a rough and difficult country under very trying 
climatic conditions. Soon after passing 83° 33/ south latitude they lost 
their last pony, and from this point they had to drag their sledges 
themselves, although their journey involved the ascent of a plateau 10,000 
feet high. They only turned back when their diminishing stock of pro- 
visions rendered it imperatively necessary to do so. They were for a 
considerable time on short rations, and found several times that they had 
expended their food supplies before reaching their next depét. Had they 
missed one of these depdts—no unlikely contingency in such a country— 
they must have perished by starvation. Altogether the sledge journey was 
a great feat of pluck and endurance. 
