SINO-MONGOLIAN FRONTIER 



A wide expanse of sand, thickly studded with 

 trees gave promise of better things in store. 



On the following day, April 11, we lost no time 

 in leaving behind us the miserable town of Ching- 

 pien, and for some miles travelled northward 

 through a country that grew more promising with 

 each succeeding step. Flocks of stately cranes 

 fed on the stretches of reddish sand, while in- 

 numerable trees, chiefly willows, arranged in long 

 rows, relieved our eyes, after the days of barren 

 wastes we had endured. 



In crossing a deep ravine, just after leaving 

 Ching-pien, we nearly lost one of our mules with 

 its precious burden, comprising our only stores, 

 in some deadly quicksands. It was only a miracle 

 that saved the animal. As it was much of our 

 food got wet, and some of it was rendered use- 

 less. 



That evening we reached the end of the broad 

 belt of trees, and put up at a small farmstead 

 named Ning-t'ieh-liao, which we were surprised 

 to find was owned by Chinese. 



We learnt that the Chinese here, and elsewhere 

 along the Ordos border, are gradually pushing 

 further and further into the Mongol territory. 



By planting rows of trees they prevent the 

 drifting and piling up into dunes of the loose 

 shifting sand. They manage thus to grow crops 

 of millet, such areas as they do not cultivate 

 producing a coarse grass. This with the leaves 



17 c 



