180 ACROSS MONGOLIAN PLAINS 



can be easily solved. At the present time it rests upon 

 camel caravans, ox and pony carts and upon automo- 

 biles for passengers. Camel traffic begins in September 

 and is virtually ended by the first of June. Then their 

 places on the trail are taken by ox- and pony carts. 

 Camels make the journey from Kalgan to Urga in from 

 thirty to fifty days, but the carts require twice as long. 

 They travel slowly, at best, and the animals must be 

 given time to graze and rest. Of course, they cannot 

 cross the desert when the grass is dry, so that transpor- 

 tation is divided by the season — camels in winter and 

 carts in summer. Each camel carries from four hundred 

 and fifty to five hundred pounds, and the charges for 

 the journey from Kalgan to Urga vary with conditions 

 at from five to fifteen cents (silver) per cattle (one and 

 one- third pounds). Thus, by the time goods have 

 reached Urga, their value has increased tremendously. 



I can see no reason why motor trucks could not make 

 the trip and am intending to use them on my next expe- 

 dition. Between Panj-kiang and Turin, the first and 

 third telegraph stations, there is some bad going in 

 spots, but a well made truck with a broad wheel base 

 and a powerful engine certainly could negotiate the 

 sand areas without difficulty. After Turin, where the 

 Gobi may be said to end, the road is like a boulevard. 



The motor service for passengers which the Chinese 

 Government maintains between Kalgan and Urga is a 

 branch of the Peking-Suiyuan Railway and has proved 

 successful after some initial difficulties due to careless 

 and inexperienced chauffeurs. Although the service 



