CHAPTER I. 
resume of central ASIAN EXPLORATION 
/\ era is approaching in the historical develop- 
i X ment of geographical discovery. The pioneers will 
soon have played their part; the “white patches” on 
the maps of the continents are gradually decreasing ; our 
knowledge of the physical conditions of the ocean is 
every year becoming more complete. The pioneers of 
the past, who cleared the way through increasing danger 
tind difficulty, have been followed by the explorers of the 
present day, examining in detail the surface of the earth 
and its restless life, always finding new gaps to fill, new 
problems to solve. 
Although many regions have already been the object 
of detailed investigation, there are several still remaining 
ni which the pioneer has not yet finished his work. This 
IS particularly the case with the interior of Asia, which 
as long been neglected. Immense areas of the almost 
inaccessible Desert of Gobi, and endless wastes in the 
ighlands of Tibet, are to this day as little known as 
the Polar Regions. 
It was with the view of contributing my little to the 
'knowledge of the geography of Central Asia that 1 set 
out on the journey which this book describes. I had 
prepared myself for it by years of work in my study ; 
in 1890-91 I made a reconnaissance into Russian 
urkestan and Kashgar, in order to examine the suitability 
n those territories as a base of operations for exploring 
unknown country. 
After my return from Kashgar, my chief concern was 
to procure the necessary means for carrying out my under- 
