Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/293

 the town of Ding-hu they culminate in a lofty rocky ridge called the Arbus-ula. This range runs almost parallel with the Hoang-ho, continually approaching it till at length it closes in upon the very bank of the river at a place opposite to which on the other side of the Yellow River rises the great range of the Ala-shan mountains. According to a Mongol tradition, one of the rocky peaks of the Arbus-ula, which has the shape of a table, served as a forge for Chinghiz-Khan's smithy. His blacksmith is represented to be a man of such gigantic stature, that although seated on the ground he was much higher than the hill, and forged different arms and accoutrements on it for the great warrior.

On the 14th of September we arrived at the town of Ding-hu, situated on the western bank of the Hoang-ho, to which we were obliged to cross in order to continue our journey in Ala-shan. Our adventures at Ding-hu were even more unpleasant than those at Bautu.

While we were still a few miles from the town the Chinese noticed our caravan, and climbed on to the town wall in crowds to get a better view of us in the distance. Hardly had we arrived opposite to the town, than a boat with twenty-five soldiers put off from it, and these as soon as they had landed on our side demanded our passports.

Our tent was pitched on the bank of the