8 4 



The National Geographic Magazine 



" Through Asia " ior Dr Hedin. The 

 translation is admirably done, and reads 

 as smoothly as if originally written in 

 English, while ai the same time it pre- 

 serves the fanciful diction of the au- 

 thor. The English edition of the work 

 is dedicated, with the gratitude and ad- 

 miration of the author, to Lord Curzon. 



It is possible to mention here only a 

 few of Dr Hedin's more notable achieve- 

 ments during the last journey : His 

 navigation of 1500 miles in a ferry-boat 

 down the River Tarim, the greatest in- 

 land river of Asia ; his discoveries of 

 the remains of populous cities dating 

 from the 3d century A. D., with transla- 

 tions of Chinese manuscripts, there un- 

 earthed ; his crossing of the mountains 

 of Tibet with the largest and strongest 

 caravan which has ever traversed that 

 country ; his extraordinary journey in 

 disguise towards Lhasa ; his discovery 

 of Tibetan spies warned of his intention 

 to enter Lhasa ; his captivity and escort 

 by 500 Tibetans ; his conflicts with 

 them, and his voyage in an English 

 folding boat over twelve Tibetan lakes. 



Dr Hedin's descriptions throughout 

 are most graphic which adds immensely 

 to the interest and value of his book. 

 One of the best is his account of a sand 

 storm in the desert. 



' ' It drove right into my face with 

 terrific violence, smothering rne with 

 sand and fine reddish-yellow powdery 

 dust. I could not see a single glimpse 

 of the caravan. It was like wading 

 against running water or liquid mud, 

 and despite my most desperate efforts, 

 I was unable to make headway. My 

 previous footprints were entirely ob- 

 literated — obscured the instant I lifted 

 my foot. 



"The camels knelt in a long row, 

 with their necks stretched out flat on 

 the ground in the direction in which 

 the tempest was blowing. Close to the 

 earth the wind had a velocity of 40^ 

 miles an hour ; but on the top of an ad- 

 jacent mound, only 6 or 7 feet high, it 

 was some 18 miles an hour more, or 



58^2 miles in all, and I was only able 

 to keep my balance when I knelt. The 

 storm came from the northeast, and its 

 violence enabled me to form some idea 

 of the inconceivable quantities of sand 

 and dust which are transported by this 

 mighty agent towards the regions of 

 the west and southwest. When we 

 stooped down we were well nigh choked 

 by the swirling cloud, which careered 

 along the ground like a cataract, mak- 

 ing little eddies of dust as it swept on. 

 Branches, tufts of grass, grains of sand 

 as big as peas were whirled into our 

 faces with stinging force. ' ' 



When Dr Hedin reached his tent 

 after the storm he found that showers 

 of fine sand had penetrated through the 

 canvas and smothered everything in 

 the interior. 



Climbs and Explorations in the Canadian 

 Rockies. By Hugh E. M. Stutfield 

 and J. Norman Collie. With many 

 illustrations and map. Pp.342. 5^ 

 by 9 inches. New York: Longmans, 

 Green & Co. 1903. $4.00 net. 

 This is an interesting narrative of 

 travels in the mountains of Canada. It 

 truthfully portrays the difficulties of the 

 traveler and climber in reaching his goal 

 when situated at such a distance from the 

 base of supplies. The chapter giving an 

 outline history of the region is interest- 

 ing in its list of names, ranking with our 

 own pioneers, Lewis and Clarke. 



The details of conditions met with are 

 of value to those visiting the region as 

 prospective climbers. 



The work done in correcting existing 

 maps is laudable, very few persons on 

 a pleasure outing taking any care of the 

 possibilities in this line. 



To one interested in exploratory work 

 there is much that holds him. There is 

 practically no account of the geology of 

 the region. Compared with the Swiss 

 Alps, the authors say the climbs are 

 easier, and 



" Last, but by no means least, in the 

 free, wild life of the backwoods can be 



