THE GORGE OF TENGHI-TAR 265 
upon which it fell brown and yellow ; nevertheless luxu- 
riant green grass and other vegetation grew only a little 
way lower down. A column of steam rose above the 
springs, the water having a temperature of 127° Fahr. 
(52°8 C.) at the point where it emerged. The torrent, 
which raced down the glen, passed within eight yards 
of the spring.s. Ten yards above them its water was 
54°5 (i 2°5 C.); but ten yards below them as much as 
66°2 (19° C.). 
Tw’o minutes further up the glen we discovered another 
hot spring, very similar to the first, except that it was 
much smaller and its temperature I25°(5i°7 C.). Above 
this spring the temperature of the glen torrent was only 
54° Fahr. (i2°2 C.). My reason for quoting these trivial 
details of varying temperature in the stream is this. In 
winter the torrent never freezes below the hot springs all 
the way to Yam-bulak; w'hilst above them it always freezes. 
Above the hot springs the glen contracted still more, 
and at length became a veritable ravine, only a few yards 
wide, the air cold and clammy as in a cellar, the rocky 
sides peiqjendicular, the stream filling up nearly its entire 
width, dashing itself against the boulders, dashing up 
above them in spray, plunging down small waterfalls. 
Near the entrance to the gorge lay the carcass of a dead 
horse, a warning to us to keep a watchful eye upon our 
own animals. And indeed there was need of it ; for the 
ascent was painfully steep. But, as some compensation 
for that, the scenery was grand and wdld. When we 
shouted, and we had to shout pretty loud to make our- 
selves heard, the echoes were dashed from side to sidt: 
against the hollow cliffs. Above our heads there was 
only a narrow' strip of sky visible. Every minute almost 
the gorge appeared as if it would come to a sudden stop, 
the cliffs seemed to meet and join. But no ; it was only 
a fresh bend in the glen. We turned the corner, and lo ! 
another splendid prospect opening itself out before us. 
•^nd so this remarkably picturesque gorge went winding 
on, a narrow sinuous gap excavated through the granite 
nnd quartzite rocks by the furious little torrent. 
