1866.] Proceedings of tlie Asiatic Society. 183 



plains in comparison with the rugged ranges of the Himalayas, for 

 they have a greater extent of level than of hilly ground, and the hills 

 are low, and have such easy slopes that a horse may he galloped over 

 them everywhere." These plains are at an elevation of from 15,300 

 to 17,300 ft. and extend up to the foot of the Kfun Lun. To the east 

 and south-east, the author noticed other plains of considerable extent, 

 which are believed to merge into the Changthang plains of Rudok. 

 To the west there were no plains, but- a series of deep valleys, in which 

 are the sources of one of the principal affluents of the Karakash river. 

 Proceeding northwards from the plains abovementioned, the author 

 struck the Karakash river at a point six miles west of the Gr. 

 T. station on the Kiun Lun, E. 57, (lat. 35° 53' 36" ; long. 79° 

 28' 32", height 21,767 ft.) and 25 miles to the N. W. of its source ; 

 which is in a spur of the Kiun Lun, separating the valley of the 

 Karakash from the plains crossed by the travellers. The author 

 learnt from native information, that the Kiun Lun stretches in an 

 easterly direction for about 100 miles from the source of the Karakash, 

 and then terminates in an extensive plain, which communicates with 

 the Chang-thang plain : further, that by skirting the Kiun Lun 

 range, wheeled conveyances might be taken easily from Ilchi to the 

 Changchenmo valley near Leh. 



After a stay of some days on the Karakash, which the author em- 

 ployed in visiting several peaks and fixing points for the continuation 

 of his survey across the Kiun Lun, he proceeded, on the invitation of 

 the Khan of Khotan, to Ilchi, a journey of 16 days due north, and 

 by very difficult roads. The whole country of Khotan north of the 

 Kiun Lun range, including seven pergunnahs of Yarkand, which had 

 submitted to the Khan of Khotan during the author's stay in Ilchi, 

 is an immense plain, sloping gently downwards to Aksu, fifteen long 

 marches north of Ilchi. The entire plain is watered by numerous 

 streams and some large rivers, w T hich are the principal affluents of the 

 Tarim or Argol river, which in its turn disembogues irrto the great 

 Lake of Lob Nur. The whole country is irrigated by canals from 

 these rivers. Six miles north of Ilchi is the great desert of Takla 

 Makan (Gobi), the shifting sands of which are said to have buried 

 360 cities in the space of 24 hours. Brick tea is dug out of one of 

 these cities in large quantities, and finds a ready sale in Khotan, now 

 that all trade with China is stopped. 



