Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 2 (1876).djvu/80

60 perpetual snow. Although only twenty-seven miles distant from the desert of Ala-shan, the soil was remarkably fertile, and the humidity of the climate ensured abundance of water. The flora and fauna also marvellously changed; a profusion of rich grass clothed the plains and valleys; dense forests darkened the steep slopes, and animal life appeared in great variety. But to return to our narrative.

As is the case with other mountain-chains of the Mongolian plateau, this marginal range in Kan-su shows its full development only on the side of the Ala-shan plain; whilst on the other face the declivity is short and easy. Even the snow-capped peaks of Ku-liang and Liang-chu, about thirty miles to the right of our road, apparently do not rise much above the plateau, and their southern slopes are only marked with occasional patches of snow. The ascent is by a ravine hemmed in by precipitous rocks of schistous clay; the road is tolerably good, and even practicable for wheeled conveyances. On either side are lofty rugged mountains, abounding in excellent pasturage for cattle; forests grow near the axis of the range, but at some distance from the road.

After crossing the pass (nineteen miles from the entrance to the mountains), we came to the small Chinese town of Ta-yi-gu, destroyed by the Dungans, but at this time garrisoned by 1,000 Chinese soldiers. Its height is 8,600 feet, while Ta-jing is only 5,900 feet above sea-level.