The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-23
THE CHINESE IoAM-DWELLE

Science has found something fresh and in
tcrestng even in so old a land IA China. The
FIRST volume OF n great work on that country
has lately appeared in tho German language Mt
Berlin. 1t is written by the Baron Ferdinand
Won Richthofen. q geologist Of established Eu-
ropean reputation. In 1867 and 1868 he was
attached to the State Geological Survey Of Cali
forna. Before this. he had travelled extensively
in the East Indies. and he subsequently spent
tho greater part OF four years in China. There
arc eighteen provinces in tho Chinese empire:
Of these he visited fourteen. making seven long
Journeys in tho course OF his explorations. The
results Of his researches upon the geography.
geology. climate. population, and productions
OF China are to be presented To- tho public in
the four volumes Of the large and sumptuous
work we have mentioned.
His labors In Asiatic geography alone. says
the Geographical Magazine tLondonl. entitle
him to rank AZ the Cuvier Of geography. But
the greatest interest attaches TO the geological
problem which he discusses in the first volume.
This interest is heightened by the recent notice
which his views have received from two Ameri-
can biologists OF distinction-Prof. J. d. Whit
ney OF the California Survey. writing in the
American Naturalist. and Prof. james d. Dana
OF Yale College in the American Journal Of
Science and Arts.
A remarkable geological deposit covers al
most tho whole OF northern China. II consists
Of clayey material. closely resembling loan.
and perhaps hest described as loan which has
become sufficiently developed as n geological
formation to be something more than a mere
surface deposit This loamy material is known
to biologists rs locss or loss, from the name Of
n similar deposit in tho valley Of the Rhine be-
tween Switzerland and the low countries The
German loess differs from that OF China. how
ever. in having almost unquestionably been de-
posted by the action Of water. In China II Is n
brownish yellow earthly substance. very fine
and porous, and containing small proportion
Of carbonate Of lime. Although OF considerable
consistency. IN its natural location. II is soft
and easily pulverised when dry. The great
Hoang Ho yellow riverl Of China derives its
color. and therefore its name from this yellow
loan. continuous region as large as Ger
many IL stated to be occupied by this deposit;
and the aggregate area which the detached por-
tions cover il said to be half as large again. II
occurs Mt varying attitudes from about the level
Of the ocean to upward Of 5000 feet. and it,
thickness ranges from few hundred feet 10
more than two thousand in some places.
Owing to the softncss Of this loan. it is easily
worn away. II also has a tendency to crack in
straight lines from top to bottom. So that what
@'"'pe' '"ll itS Vl'HNuRe II N'ru'"l' II" re-
suit is that rivers and roads wear their way far
down into the earth. leaving perpendicular
walls on each side. Prof. whitney compares
these walls to the cahons Of Colorado. hut the
sides of the chasms on our western plateau.
though very steep. are not truly vertical So far
below the general surface OF the loess country
is the level Of the roads which run through il.
that the view OF the traveller is exceedingly re-
stricted and IL In only by climbing to some
emincnce that an extended prospect can be OBJ
tanned The means OF access from the high
ways To the normal level Of the region is usually
through the loan itself The bluffs on the side
OF the road are found In many places to be
honeycombed. IA II were. by human habita-
tions Hundreds OF thousands. and. 1t is be-
lieved millions OF people dwell in the loamy
caverns excavated in the loess. There are sub
terranean mansions and subterranean novels.
the variations in spaciousncs- and comfortable
| appointments being as great as in dwellings
above ground. The temperature in these ex-
eavations IL equable. and many Of them have
been occupied a. dwellings for centuries. The
| inhabitants make their way to tho cultivated
surface Of the country and It's higher elevations
10y means OF staircases through the loan.
Tho general aspect Of the iorss region. then.
IL that Of deeply furrowod land. upon which
| the observer. looking from above. would 500
fcw, If any. hah'ations. Wide cha-nis. ~
says Nichhoicn. as translated by Whitney,
are surrounded by castles. towrrs. peaks.
ana needles, all made w Of yellow earth.
between when gorges and chasms radiate
lhhvrln'hiraNy upward INTO the walls OF SOLD
ground around h'gh up on the rock OF earth
sleeper than any rock OF stone, stands the tenn
pie of the village or n small fortress which
AFFORDS the villagers n safe retreat in times OF
danger. The only access ~ such n place IL 10y