The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-07-30
WHERE RAIN is UNKNOWN.

the earth where rain is one of the
greatest raritics. but hitherto we have
had no knowledge of district outside
the Polar regions in which no rain but
only snow falls throughout the whole
year. Such district was discovered
by the Russian explorer Roborovsky
in 1890, in Central Asia In the vac I
1889 Roborovsky and Rozlov separated
from the Pjcvzov expedition in order
to make excursions in the desert of the
basin OF the Tarim river and the noun
tains on the southern border. The re-
suits of this exploration, in many re-
spects of extreme Importance, were
published last year by the Russian I'm
perial Geographical Society
The most noteworthy of the separate
expeditions carried out by the two
above-named travellers is the one OF
Roborovsky into the country beyond
the Astyntash, otherwise called the
Russian Chain. This mountain chain
was crossed from the north, and the
valley of a river flowing southeast was
followed as far as the upper reaches OF
the kerija river. The kcri a river
rises in the Thibetan highlands, turns
at this point to the northwest, and
flows along the base of the kuen Lun
The route taken by Roborovsky and
his little bald had probably never be
fore been trodden by human foot
He was surprised on May 22nd by such
a violent snowstorm that he was com
PEELED to return. In June of the same
year the bold explorer returned, and
this time succeeded in crossing the
Uzutagh Mountains at the south. Be
yond the latter a vast desert stretched
out before his gaze, lying 16,600 feet
above the level of the sea, higher, there
fore, than the highest mountain in
Europe.
| Although it was the middle of June
there was not the slightest trace o.
life, and the surface of the ground was
covered with low ranges of sharply
pointed quartz hills. After penetrating
% English miles into this wilderness
the expedition came across few mis-
cradle willow bushes; beyond this, how.
ever, there was nothing, not even a
sign of lichen on the stonc-covered
ground. The only animals that showed
themselves were few Orongo ante.
lopes, and these were in such an eX.
hausted condition that they passed
within few yards of the men without
paying the slightest heed to their pres
ence or to the danger they thereby
ran. In this desert rain appears to be
quite unknown, and only snow seems
to fall the whole year through. In the
month of June it showed every day
though the snow Immediately evapo-
rated on reaching the ground. In the
morning of June 18th, at an altitude
of Ii, ,OSO feet, Roborovsky found the
temperature to be l2C.
After making 40 miles in this terri
BILE region the party had to return, fol
the horses were completely. worn out
Through the stony surface; only one OF
the animals survived the march. At
the northern edge of the mountain
chain the expedition had to encounter
continual sandstorms, of the violence
of which it is difficult to form an idea
The slopes of the mountains are here
covered with thick bed of locss, that
extraordinary fine granular soil which
is so very prevalent in China. This
is taken up by the winds and carried
through the air, and i'll heavy storms
such enormous masses are present that
the sun is obscurcd as if by an eclipse
Should rain fall at the same time eacE
drop collects small quantity of dust
I on its downward course; the water al
most completely evaporates before the
drop reaches the ground, and insteal
of wet rain 4 rain of tiny dust pellet:
falls onto the earth. When the storm
is over the dust falls again to the
ground and contributes to the increase
of the loess covering in another place
Whole forests ofpoplars are sometime:
buried in this dust, which accumulate:
round the trunks to Il height of 40 feet
! The trees then very quickly die, anC
when a later storm again blows away
the masses of dust surrounding then
they fall to pieces.
II was in Peckskill last week, SAYS
! Chauncey Depew, ''and went to call OIL
two old friends, widow and Il maidel
lady. Said the widow, well. | mar
l ria1 when | was uIlitp vo,lnu Nv