TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 145 
it difficult to account for their formation. I shall therefore commence abruptly with 
an account of a singular geological phenomenon—the evident trace of the sudden dis- 
ruption of a mountain lake by a fearful earthquake at some distant period. Travelling 
along the steppe, near the foot of the Alatou mountains, I came to the brink of one 
of the dry river-beds frequently found in these regions, This was a large one, being 
not less than a mile anda half in width, and 130 feet deep, and the banks being nearly 
perpendicular. We succeeded in descending down a track made by deer and other 
animals. All the party, save two, had reached the bottom. As we stood watching 
these, the sand suddenly gave way under the feet of the last horse, and both man and 
animal rolled to the bottom, clear of each other, from a height of about 40 feet. We 
thought both were killed, but, on hastening to their aid, they rose to their feet; the horse 
gave himself a shake and began to kick and plunge furiously, and the man burst into 
a fit of laughter. All hope of returning by this track was now at an end, and we 
rode on, making vain guesses as to what had become of the torrents which had scooped 
out this formidable hollow. Sand and pebbles covered the greater part of the surface ; 
near the middle we found several pools of fresh water, surrounded by beds of fine 
sand, on which were the footprints of many animals of the deer tribe, and among 
them the huge paws of the tiger. A little further we found a broad bed covered with 
large stones, over which a stream was running rapidly, rendering it difficult to ford. 
The opposite bank proved as high and as abrupt as the one we had descended, and 
gave us much trouble. 
After riding about eight miles along the steppe, we reached the great ravine; having 
passed some rocky masses, the rugged mountain jaws burst upon us in all their 
grandeur. This was a terrific rent; the dark purple slate rocks had been riven 
asunder by the granite, and heaped up into craggy precipices of enormous height. In 
some parts the rocks were broken into sharp points, in others they were piled up like 
huge towers, overhanging the base of these mighty cliffs. To add to the wildness of 
the view, three large eagles were soaring far above our heads, and several others were 
perched on the crags. Far up in this pass we found that part of a tribe had pitched 
their yourts on some grassy slopes, at a point where the gorge branched off in two 
directions. We slept here, and darkness prevented me seeing the objects around. 
On turning out in the morning, I stood gazing.in silent wonder at the scene before 
me. Immediately opposite, and about 300 yards from me, rose up a mighty mass 
of dark basaltic rocks to a much greater height than the distance from me to them. 
They were pillared and split into most curious forms—some of them like watch-towers 
guarding the pass. These rocks divide the gorge, which branches off to the south and 
east. Looking up the southern branch, the eye rested on the snowy peaks near the 
source of the Actou, and up the other were seen the dazzling peaks among which the 
Bascan has its source; while near me shrubs and flowers were hanging from the 
clefts, showing that spring was adorning these rugged forms in all her beauty. 
I found difficulties in the way of obtaining a guide; the danger that beset the route 
I proposed to take were so great that the only man who knew the country refused to 
accompany me, but on showing him as a reward a flask of gunpowder and a few balls, 
his eyes sparkled with delight and his objections vanished. Shortly all were pre- 
pared, and we rode up the southern branch, passing the base of the basaltic cliffs, from 
whence the view down the gorge was savagely grand. After riding two hours we 
arrived at a part of the pass so abrupt that we could not ascend on horseback; even 
on foot it was difficult to scramble up. At last we reached a level space about 20 
yards long and 4 yards in width, A scene was now before us that few could look 
down upon without a shudder. We were standing on the brink of a precipice, and 
looking into a fearful chasm. The rocks were dark purple slate, with a few shrubs 
hanging from the clefts ; yellow and green moss covered the ledges, and at the bottom 
was a small lake, the water appearing of inky blackness, while to the south the 
mountain was so steep that it seemed impossible to ascend. 
We began our ascent, going in slanting lines, gaining but little at each tack, and 
turning our horses with difficulty. As we ascended higher, each turning gave us a 
deeper view into the terrible abyss, with nothing to stop either man or horse should 
either slip. After great toil and no little anxiety, we reached the top. Our ride was 
along a rocky ridge for several miles, from whence we obtained a splendid view of the 
snowy chain of the Actou stretching to the east and west, Its vast glaciers and high 
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