Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 131.djvu/582

576 whole the appearance of an Alpine landscape. It was strange to see the mole (spalax) burrowing at this height, where trees — even the hardy larch-tree — had disappeared. One night's rest was spent in a yurt camp near the lake Marka Kul. They approached it along the steep shores of the river Kuldschir, the sole outlet of the lake, and one of the tributaries of the black Irtisch. The view here was delightful, the lake of an azure color, surrounded on all sides by mountains rising fifteen hundred feet above its surface, covered with snow, and partly wooded. The banks of the lake are very steep and indented here and there with deep bays. With their nets they secured many fine fishes, which, apart from their scientific interest, were welcomed as a pleasant change to their every-day fare of mutton. There is an abundance of fish in the Marka Kul, but it is caught only by the Chinese Kirghiz and the Russian Altaian peasant, and that in a very primitive way. Generally they divert one or other of the small tributaries from its course, and the fish remaining in the dry bed are caught.

In spite of the dangers of the roads, the governor's wife had availed herself of every possible opportunity to photograph the most beautiful parts of the wild mountain scenery about them: this excellent horsewoman rode without fear or giddiness, never dismounting even at the most dangerous places.

The travellers resumed their journey on June 9, but the bad weather still followed them; they passed through large virgin forests, along the borders of abysses nearly a thousand feet deep; at last they camped on a green meadow facing the Tau Teke Mountains (Steinbock Mountains), so called on account of the numbers of steinbock found there. Early on June 11 a steinbock hunt was attempted, thirty Kirghiz on horseback acting as drivers, but they did not get anything. On going on, in about an hour they reached the top of the pass, the Burchat; here they saw two cairns with poles before them, the Chinese frontier poles, and now they left the Celestial Empire and rode on into Siberian territory, slowly descending from the height of about eight thousand feet, where trees ceased to grow; the descent soon became steeper and steeper, and at last so rapid that even Cossacks and Kirghiz were obliged to dismount. When they reached the plain they were surprised to see the vegetation, trees, bushes, and flowers, so much richer than at the Ala Tau. Also in this camp the governor was welcomed by a deputation of Kirghiz, and after a short rest they rode on to the Altaian Staniza, a military post.

 

  — The thanks of every good housewife; as well as every one who has the good fortune to be catered for by such, are due to Mr. Tatlock, the analytical chemist, for the pains he has taken (says the Glasgow News) to demonstrate the dangers that lurk in enamelled cooking utensils. It is a common and very natural belief that vessels lined with a substance not distinguishable by the ordinary eye from porcelain are perfectly safe for all kinds of cooking, Mr. Tatlock finds that while this is true of some, made by certain manufacturers, it is the very reverse of the truth as regards others. In the Sanitary Record for September the 23rd will be found his analysis of three samples of the so-called porcelain. Without going into chemical details, it is enough to say that two out of the three contain very large quantities of lead, one as much as twenty-five per cent, of its weight. This lead is in an uncombined, or feebly combined condition, and is liable to be dissolved by very feeble acid solutions. There is probably no fruit except strawberries that would not dissolve it freely, and there can be little doubt that even water boiled in the vessels would take up a quantity quite sufficient to injure health. In addition to this, one of the samples contained over one per cent, of arsenic, another nearly a half per cent., and the third a mere trace, or, to be accurate, 1.50th per cent. Mr. Tatlock would add to the favor he has conferred upon the public if he would tell us which manufacturer avoids these dangerous ingredients.