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THl fcTHNOtOOT OF SOUTH EAIT1KW AHA. 



ISCT.S. Inner, Middle and Outer wr Ocennic Division*. Their inff tones m 



etknic movements in different eras. The present distribution of the rate* 

 inhabiting thetru Influence of the region on physical and mental *bfiract&r 

 and civilisation. Intermixture with surrounding races. 



For ethnographical arrangement the Hoangho-Grangetic region 

 may, itf'accordance with the differences in climate and aspect 

 which we have before indicated, be divided into certain district! 

 marked oat by strong physical characteristics, The first is the 

 inner or central division, the mountainous plateau of Tibet, 

 including a portion of the western margin of China. This division 

 is about 4,000 feet above the level of the sea in its northern part 

 where it joins the great Asiatic plateau. In the south where the 

 swelling of the Himalaya begins to be felt, it is 11,000 to 12,000 

 feet in height At its western extremity, where the Zangbo basin 

 meets that of the Indus and its trans-Himalayan tributaries in the 

 locality of the sacred lakes, it rises to 17,000 feet. The most 

 fertile and accessible part of the region is the narrow southern 

 depression included between the Himalaya on the S, and the Kara 

 Koram and Zang chains on the N., descending on both sides so as 

 to form the upper basin of the Zangbo on the east and that of the 

 Indus on the west The middle part of this division consists of 

 dreary plateaus, at some places 10,000 feet above the sea, inclosed 

 between mountain chains rising 3,000 to 4,000 feet above them* 

 The W, and N, portion between the Karakorum~Zang chain and 

 the Kuen Inn, is very little known. The north eastern portion or 

 the upper basin of the Hoang-ho, between the ranges of Bain 

 Kfiara Oola and Kilian-shan, is also traversed by lofty mountain* 

 but they are separated by plateaus of considerable extent. With 

 the exception or some portions of the basin of the Zangpo, the 

 whole region is dreary and inhospitable in the extreme. The 

 south eastern portion of the division also contains plateaus, but 

 as we advance to the east and south east, the mountain chains 

 converge till the whole country becomes a vast and lofty highland, 

 consisting of great chains running to the 8. E., the deep central 

 rallies between which give an outlet to all the rivers of the region 

 save the Hoang-ho. 



Between this portion of the second or middle division and the 

 inner one there is no well defined demarcation. The eastern part 

 is a great arc of mountainous country, extending from the northern 

 line of the Hoang-ho nearly to Ava, and embracing S. E. Tibet, die 

 eastern part of the province of Kansuh, the western part of Shensi, 

 the greater part of Szechuen, all Yuuan and the northern part of 

 B arm ah. From the upper basin of the Hoan^ho to the southern 

 extremity of Yunnan, it is above 700 miles in length and about 

 240 miles in breadth. Amongst the western chains is the Mangli 



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