The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-13

American analogue. Inc water is braCklSh
and has bright blue tint thence the name
Kuku-nor, Bluo sca), which contrasted
strikingly with the cncrclng mountains, at
that season clothed with snow In its
western part Is a small island-accordlng to
tho natives the only one in the whole basin
on which stands n Buddhist convent ten
antcd by ton Lamas, who in summer timc
have no communication with the mainland,
not single boat existing on the lake. In
these features, again, we trace n resemblance
| to the sacred water Of the Peruvian meas,
on whose shores it will DO remembered Mr..
SQUIER could find but q single boat. We
may add that the Kuku-nor abounds in fish;
but in the general dcsolatlon which now pre-
walls throughout this region only q few
dozen Mongols profit by the fisheries, trans
porting their catches to Donlltir, IL Chinese
frontier town to the southeast.
The population Of the kuku-nor basin md
Of the ZaiIam plain, which intervcnes be-
tween the lake and Thibct, Is made up Of
MongOls and Chara-rangutcs. The former
live under the heel Of the latter aud are the
most degraded oilshoOts Of the Mongol
stock. seeming to have no hope or interest
tn ito beyond eating. The dominant race
tho (AAtA- lanEutcs. are most numerous
further to the south. about tho sources OF
the Yellow river. whore they have adopted
l-lam aud thrown on Chinese authority
Those Of the kuku-nor are still nomnally
subject 70 China, hut regard tho Dalai
Lama rs their lawful sovereign; their sole
vocation is pillAec, by which the dependent
Monsols are the greatest sufferers. In the
kuku-uor stcppcs the travellers found
tccmins animal life, which appeared the
more impressive after the dcath-likc silence
Of the wastes of obi. Gamc 4 divers sorts.
especially autcopc-. was here abundant. and
among tine birds Col. pHzJEwALsKY noted
several rare species 81 lail.s ail one very
curious variety distinguished 10y large
cataract, which invariably occurs in each of
its eyes. This district, too, Is Avoritc
haunt Of the Wild ass, which in shape
and szo is not unlike our domestic
mule its color ON tho upper part
Of the body is pale brown, and pure white
below. On the fertile shores OF the Blue
sca herds of more than hundred head were
encountered. and smaller bodies were seen
in the Iaidam and northern Th.hct. wher-
eyer @ htte pastuiase and tolcruhlc water
could Toe had. In every ease the herd fol-
lows single stallion who brooks no rival
! ln llS nei shtD rhOoi. Somewhat on the route
~ the expedition, namely, ia northwestern
Iadam and among the -tcppe- Of the ia-
nous but seldom visited Lake Lul-uur. thc
/ Russian traveller Was assured los tAc 81 he
gods That can.ls and horses roam in villa
state. We may mention here that the main
feeder OF the Blue sea, the Buchain-gOl.
which the Allt Ilvc describes a. mighty
river with twelve arms proved to hea rather
Insignificant water course, with hut one con-
fluent, which carries water in the rainy sea-
son only The stream itself, although report
cd 10y the Mcng1ls t. he 80 miles long j.
only fifteen iathons wide where the road t.
Ihibet crosses il, aud 80 shallow that il may
bc furlel everywhere.
At this stage II his march. and before
leaving the kuku-nor, Col. pR2IrwAL~NY
was obliged to replace lis camol-. which
We're completely worn cut 10y the pas
sage Of the Obi desert. The outlay r.
qui-te for this purpose left only "a few
roublcs IN his pocket. and a prosecution Of
his journey to Lassa. the seat Of the Grand
Lama, was therefore out OF the question.
lie decided, however. 10 push on southwark
aS far as his means should allow
just as the Peruvian table land lies
weigcd between the Anlc- and the Cordil-
Terra, stu IAoet, the great plateau Of upper
Asia, Is walled about Oh one side blythe Him
dAyas and on the other hy tine bold range of
Tie BurcAau-luilhn. whose easiest pass
Dur exp lor'r found % lr more thanlj,pOofc,t
Above the level of tine sea. Tue bleak hi sh-
lands on which the travellers now entered
wear tie depressing aspect ~ ubiquitous,
iucuralle sterlity The soil is clay, mixed
with sand ami pebbles, coated occasionally
with salt scales. audnlmost wholly destitute
Of vegetation. only hccked here and thnrr
with why bunch grass aud yc.ow-h-gray
herbs apparently mot unlike the sage brush
~ our American desert. About the not .n-
frequent springs and sWamps, however.
scant pastures may be found; and this
accounts for the seeming paradox that
northern 1A.Dct IN spite Of the prevailing
aridity, is -in-ularly rich in animal lifa-iu-
deed, the Muugol- call it the Zone # the
Wild hca-t.' Among the species, either
proper 90 the region or most ftcVuoutly To-
marked, may lee named the wh!le-lI castrl
Argal sheep and the so-called mountain
sheep, Wild asses some novel varieties 81
the antelope, bear, and fox, and the yellow
-h-white wolf besides that imposing mem
Der Of the bovine race, the long-woOled wild
yak.
Tie climate Of this plateau Is fright'ul
ou'l must te accounted the most formidable
which is regularly encountered 10y large
numbers Of human beings Through the
winter and spring hurricanes and snow
storms are perpetual, the summer is marked
by lncc-sant rains and il Is only with theau
tumn that little bright calm, tolcrably
warm weather occurs. At the latter season