New-York tribune., 1922-08-21
ga mel II ow er
Beaten by Auto
.On Asia Plains
Exploring by Motor Faster
Than Old Way, Says Roy
Chapman Andrews, Of
History Museums Party
Envies N. Y. Hot Spells
Writes From Land Where
It's Winter Ill Months !;
Reports Big achievements

a report of the progress being made
by the third Asiatic expedition sen.
out by the American Museum OF
Natural History in cooperation with
the "Asia" magazine was received here
yesterday from Roy Chapman Andrews
leader of the party.
Writing from his camp at Sain Noin-
Khan in China, he says that the party
is located in little side ,'draw" lead
Zig into beautiful valley which is
virtually the exact center of Asia. To
the west is the town. tf Uliassutai, the
real heart of Asia. Mr.. Andrews's let
ter was conveyed 800 mics from the
camp to a postoffice by Mongol lama,
on his way to Urga
Envies Our Hot Weather
"All is we'll as it could possibly. be
with the third Asiatic expedition, ex-
cept at the present moment ali are
wishing for the warm weather you are
undoubtedly having in New York." he
writes. This region has eleven months
OF winter and one month late fall We
are well wrapped up in our winter
clothing, but it is freezing outside and
our hands are bit too cold to write
legibly. / really could not be more
satisfied with the way things have been
going. 1t is difficult for me to write
about my staff without becoming ex-
trayagant in praise, for every man.
native and foreign. is doing his par
ticular. job for all he is worth and
with due regard for the feelings of
every one else. We have twenty-siX
men altogether-si& Americans, one
Swede, one Buriat, nine Chinese and
nine Mongols-to say nothing Of seven
ty-five camels, one Siberian hunting
dog, four pet red-billed crows and
three young eagles.
THE work of the expedition is pro-
crossing exactly as planned, so far as
motor cars are splendid. To see the
big fellows pull up hill as steep as
the side of house. work their way
through sand or sweep across stream
with the water going out in front like
destroyer, always gives me a thrill.
We always yell involuntarily when
they go into a spot that would give the
manufacturers heart failure and come
out without a pause for breath. When
we make camp we use the smaller
cars to do scout work for the geolo-
gists and palaontologists and run
sometimes 100 miles in several direc-
tions. We will have established a
motor record when we return.
Heading for Cobb Desert
"You know already of the great find
of cretaceous and tertiary deposits
which we made shortly after leaving
kalgan, on the very edge of outer Mon
golia. We have discovered no other
important deposits since starting west,
and the geologists are convinced that
the formations we are now in (Which
are all very old igneous rocks) extend
far west beyond Uliassutai. We are
running parallel with them and there
fore have decided to strike straight
south into the Cobb Desert, to cut
across them and get into some sedi-
mentary tertiary basins, which we
lave reason to believe will be dis
covered there. From there we will cut
into the eastern extensions of the AL
tai Mountains, cross the intervening
basin to the Tianshan Mountains and
then swing eastward to follow out to
Iren Dabasu the great cretaceous and
eocene exposures which are located
there.
"Our geologists have done magnif-
cent piece of work, carrying out the
longest continued Typographical and
structural geological survey which has
ever been made in the same time.
Zoologically the work is as good as
could be desired. We have three Chi
nese taxidermists busy from morning
until night and have not only obtained
q. great many new species of small
mammals but two new genera. Our big
mammal work begins here; there arc
sheep, ibex, elk, roebuck, wild boar,
bear. wild ass and wild camels in the re-
gions of which we are at the borders.
| have already obtained material for q
great plains group for the new Hall Of
Asiatic Life and will get more in the
next month"