356 JOURNEY TO ANAMBARUIN-ULA.
ains also became lower, and to the north there opened out before us the boundless expanse of the desert, with a yellow haze hovering above it like the reflection of a drift-sand area. At the point where we descended for the last time into the débris-filled bed, we found a rather fine obo built up of slabs of stone, and resting upon a base of gravel and fragments of rock; it bears therefore quite simply the name of Manitu. When we at length turned out of the glen and directed our steps towards the west, the left-hand side consisted of double terraces, the lower one 6 m. high, the upper one 15 m. Here the mountains came abruptly to an end and the gravelly scree sloped away gently towards the north. The dry brook of Scho-ovo-tu
appeared however like a grey ribbon winding away for a great distance towards the north. We now travelled' westwards, having the mountains on the south and the lowlands on the north; in this latter direction there was not the slightest indication of an elevation to be seen. In a word we had crossed right over the entire system. The surface consisted of dry, yellow soil, with grass and scrub growing amongst the gravel. Having crossed several rather small transverse ravines, we at length struck into a larger one running north-north-west. Here in an unnamed locality we pitched Camp CXXIII (alt. 2543 m.). In the same gully we found a wealthy Mongol, the owner of some tents. Just below Duntsa we had met five Mongols driving this man's live-stock — namely 8 camels, 400 sheep, and i oo horses — up to the spring, to give them water, for there was none nearer.
Fig. 281. THE LITTLE BUTTE IN THE VALLEY.
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