Trof. Milne — Across Europe and Asia. 33 



It was the 9tli of December before I started. After passing 

 Miamachin, wbicb I may remark is the cleanest town in China, we 

 were soon in the open country and upon a sandy tract between low 

 smooth hills. Towards evening we entered a flattish plain, after 

 crossing which we were again among some hills. Owing to the 

 slipperiness of the road, we had great difficulty in getting our 

 camels up the steeper slopes. It was now bitterly cold, the tempera- 

 ture varying between — 18° and — 21° E. ; sometimes it was rather 

 less, and often more. During this portion of our journey we took 

 advantage of the moonlight nights. Starting at 10 a.bi. we generally 

 travelled continuously until 7 or 8 p.m., when we rested half an 

 hour for tea, after which we continued until 2 a.m. before finally 

 resting for the night. 



On the morning of the 11th we passed near the valley of the 

 Eiver Sharinkol, where there were some fir-trees on the hills, and in 

 the afternoon we passed along a valley bounded on either side by a 

 series of low peaks. The only birds we saw were ravens, magpies, 

 a small finch, and some sparrows. We met with the former of 

 these along the whole of our route across the desert. They were 

 very bold, and in spite of our best endeavours they continually 

 settled on the backs of our camels, to tear open the provision bags. 



At many points along this portion of the route the growth of 

 trees upon the northern slope of the hills, while the southern side 

 was barren, was very noticeable. As a consequence of this, these - 

 southern slopes, being destitute of any covering which could prevent 

 the percolating water and other denuding agencies from carrying 

 material away, were steep and scarp-like ; whilst the northern slopes, 

 with their protective covering of vegetation, were more gentle 

 in their inclination. 



It might of course be argued that it was the gentle slope which 

 produced the trees ; but I hardly think that this could have been the 

 case, as I saw examples of gentle slopes towards the south which 

 were as equally destitute of any covering as the steeper ones. In 

 many of the valleys I saw sections of a sandy drift something 

 like that around Kiachta, which must in certain cases have been 

 more than forty feet in thickness. In the upper parts of this I 

 observed many fragments of granitic rocks. 



On the night of the 11th, about 12 p.m. we entered a steep pass 

 called the Makatah, and it was not until 2 p.m. next day, after 27 

 hours of continuous travelling, that we could consider ourselves 

 to be fairly through it. 



At about midnight on the 13th Dec. we crossed the Olindowa Pass, 

 and at 7 a.bi. the Gutinawa Pass, reaching Urga on the afternoon of 

 the same day. The approach to the town is down a broad flat 

 valley, bounded on either side by steep hills. At right angles to the. 

 end of this valley there is a high range of hills, beneath which, at 

 the confluence, so to speak, of three openings in the range Urga is 

 situated. 



Up to this point, all that I saw were a few granitic rocks, and a 

 considerable covering of alluvium. 



DECADE II. — "VOL. V. — NO. I. 3 



