iy PREFACE. 



near the great N. E. bend of the Hwang Ho, returning to Peking by a route south 

 of the plateau and within the Great Wall; and finally, part of the journey homeward, 

 from China across the plateau and the Gobi desert to Siberia. 



With the exception of the itinerary in Yesso, which was made while in the ser- 

 vice of the Japanese Government, and the description of the coal basin west of 

 Peking, Avhich was examined at the request of the Chinese Government, all the 

 material was collected on journeys made at my expense. 



Ignorance of the Chinese and Mongolian languages, the difficulty of making- 

 observations in western China, owing to the hostility of the people at the time, the 

 intense cold of the winter journey across the plateau into Siberia, and the fact that 

 the enterprise was a private one, will, it is hoped, serve as excuses for asking the 

 indulgence of the reader in view of the incompleteness of the work. 



I have attempted throughout to keep the generalizations separate from the record 

 of observations and other data on which they rest. 



I have followed, generally, the orthography of Dr. S. W. Williams for Chinese 

 proper names, and that of Klaproth for Mongolian names, whei-e these could be 

 found on his great map of Central Asia, but in many instances they are written from 

 the pronunciation of the Tartar guides. In giving Japanese and Aino names I have 

 followed very closely the Japanese spelling. 



For assistance in preparing the present work I am indebted to Dr. J. S. Newberry 

 for undertaking the description of the fossil plants, and to Mr. Arthur Mead Edwards 

 for the examination of infusorial earths, etc., under the microscope, and to Prof. G. 

 J. Brush and Mr. James A. Macdonald for analyses of coals. 



A considerable amount of valuable material consisting mainly of Paleozoic, Ter- 

 tiary, and Post-tertiary shells, and of rocks, has not yet been worked up. 



I would return thanks to Prof J. D. Whitney both for many valuable hints, and 

 for the use of his excellent library. 



I am deeply indebted to Dr. W. Lockhart, Mr. C. Murray, and Dr. S. W. 

 Williams, and Rev. Mr. Edkins, of Peking, for valuable assistance in making re- 

 searches in Chinese geographical literature. 



The diagrams in the text, and the plates, I. to VIII., at the» end, are executed in 

 copper relief engraving by Messrs. E. E.. Jewett & Co. of Buffalo ; plate IX. is cut 

 in wood by Mr. C. Murry, of New York. 



E. P. 



New York, Aug. 1, 1866. 



