depth 20 cm and the current slow; the other was dry. They flow southward from a gorge of the same name. Further on we crossed two other dry beds and immediately after encamped next to four Kalmuk yurts on the bank of a broad, dry bed which is also called Artsan usun. Immediately to the E of the yurts a morass begins, Artsan shevyr.
A fine old lama of 78 was so kind as to give up his yurt, as clean and neat as a toy, to me. He and a zangi were the oldest of the Torguts. The occupants of the yurts were hospitable and friendly. It was pleasanter here than in the »courtly» atmosphere with which both the Bain Bulaq camp and the Kura on the Ikhe Yulduz were impregnated. It was quite amusing to find at the »court» of the Khan such a number of smooth-tongued, smirking and flattering courtiers, whose whole interest centred round the Khan's person and family. The mould in which many of them were cast must be familiar to many greater oriental courts.
This morning we went on eastward with the Artstanadryken ul on our left i 1/2 to 2 miles from the road. On the right of the road the ground is marshy with large patches of standing water. Now and then we caught a glimpse of the river winding among low mounds in the almost barren plain. The Irbyng ul runs in an unbroken chain far to the S. The marshy ground approached closer and closer to the mountains in the N and forced us once more against their foot. After riding for 9 or to miles we got to a place where the morass comes right up to the foot of the steeply sloping mountain. The bottom, however, was fairly firm on the patches of standing water that we had to cross. Between them the soil was covered with small, sharp-edged stones from the mountain. A river, Tsaganaryng Kharum usun, about 15 feet in width, flows immediately on the right of the road. At the spot, where the mountain on the left which was now called Zälem tusna tsagan ul, turned in a NE direction, we crossed a river, Khaptkhan usun, about 20 feet wide, at a place where it widens into a small fen about 35o yards wide. Its greatest depth does not exceed 0.4 m and the bottom is fairly firm. The mountain turns in a N and even a NW direction, leading to the entrance of the gorge of the Adunkur pass. Thence it is continued in an E direction at a distance of several miles from our road by Adunkurin Ulan Shugurin ul, an imposing mountain range with beautiful, snowcapped peaks. Some distance E of the Adunkur gorge we could see another, by which you enter the valley of the river Alanas over the three Kelde passes (Ulsta, Dunde and Zakh Kelde). Ulsta and Zakh Kelde are said to be steep. There are some marshy places. The road now led over a high plain, open in all directions for several miles. In the SE at a distance of some miles a new group of mountains was visible, its peaks also being enveloped in snow. It is encircled by the rivers Sagasutai and Baga Yulduz. In the ENE, where it combines with the Adunkurin Ulan Shugurin ul, in the distance, the mountains seem to be low — probably the effect of the great distance, for there is said to be no exit there from this enormous cauldron surrounded by mountains. The ground on this plain is dry and firm. There is little grass. We saw no signs of marshiness from the road. Groups of yurts appeared again in the S a mile or two from the road. They had ceased entirely just E of our last camping place. We crossed two dry watercourses coming from the Adunkur pass and two others known by the name of Olasta usun. Immediately after crossing the second river coming from the Adunkur gorge there is a kur-
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