The lateral valley of Sining-tcheou opens to the Hoang-ho from the west above the town of Lan-tcheou between the Kilian-Shan and the most elevated portion of the Siue-Shan. The valley is not extensive, but appears to be fertile : it contains the town of St-ning-tcheou, which is not quite as large as Ning-hia, but a much more commercial place, as the road which connects northern China with Hlassa in Tibet passes through it. This road runs westward to the Lake of Khookhoo-nor, which is of great but unknown extent. It is an alpine lake inclosed by high mountains, and has no outlet. The remainder of the road lies partly over numerous large mountain masses, furrowed only by narrow glens and ravines, and partly over rocky and sandy table-lands; but in spite of the difficulties it is much travelled, and the bazaars of Si-ning-tcbeou are well provided with provisions and articles of luxury. This town is a great depot for rhubarb, which grows on the more elevated parts of the Sine-Shan and Kilinn-Shan, and is sent through Kiechta and Russia to all parts of the world.
The northern part of Tangut, with the exception of the valley of the Hoeing-be, is occupied by a wide desert plain, which constitutes a portion of the Goat. The steep declivities of the Kilian and Nau-Shan however do not come close to the desert, but are separated from it by a billy tract from 30 to 50 miles wide, which couteius some eat:n aive tracts fit for cultivation, and in which some largo towns have been built, as the great commercial route which counects China with the countries of Western Asia runs through it. The ranges of the Kilian-Shan and Nan-Shan are said to be covered with perpetual anew. The water which flows from these rauges is partly consumed in irrigating the adjacent fields, and the remainder is absorbed by the sandy soil, as soon as it reaches the plain, after having left the hilly tract. The hilly tract is diversified by high lands and depressions. The upper surface of the high lands is broken and rocky, and for tho most part bare. The depressions, which are less extensive, exhibit a considerable degree of fertility where they are irrigated. To protect this hilly region, and the great commercial road which runs through it, the Chinese have continued the Great Wall along its northern border westward to 98° E. long., and along the wall are built the fortresses which protect the line and the towns through which the road runs. The road leaves the valley of the Iloang-ho at the town of Lan-tcheou, the capital of Kenai, and runs in a north-north-west direction to the towns of Liany-telions and Kan-tcheonfoo. This last
is a large and well-built town, which has many manufactures of woollen stuffs and felts, articles in great demand among the nomadic tribes, who bring to the place their wool, horses, cattle, and sheep. It receives also large quantities of rhubarb from the Kilian Shan. From Kau tcheou-foo the road continues in a north-west direction to So.tcheou, a largo and well-fortified town, with numerous bazaars, well provided with provisions and manufactured articles. The town is divided into two sections, one of which is occupied by the Chinese, and the other by the foreign merchants from Bukhara and Turkistan. The latter I. divided from the former by a separate wall. As So-tcheou is the last large place through which the caravans pass before they enter the desert between Tau and Thlan-shan-nahr, the commerce is very great, especially in provisions. About 50 or GO miles west of So-tcheou is the most western gate of the Great Wall, called Kia-yu-kooan, through which the caravans pass to enter the desert of Han-hai, which must be traversed in order to reach Hami iu Thiali-ehan-nanlu. The last-mentioned town is 320 miles from the gate of Kia-yu-kooan, and that is the width of the Gobi at this place, which is considered the narrowest part of it.
The towns hitherto noticed lie along the great caravan-road, but farther west the Chinese geographers mention other places of import ance. The largest is Ngan-si-foo, a town of the first rank, and the capital of the whole district. North-west of it, and on the border of the desert, Is the town of Ysenen-kiong, which is built near a pass between high hills, traversed by a road to Hata South-west of Ngansi.foo are the town. of 21song•hooasy.kiany and Sha-ichem. Marto Polo describes Sha.tebeou as rather a largo place; he says that the Inhabitants live on the produce of their fields and orchards, and have little commerce. Diareo Polo reached it after traversing the desert of Lop by a thirty days journey, haelog departed from the town of Lop, which is on the banks of a lake of the same name.
The cold in winter in Tangut Is intone, and lists for several months. The JoaoIts found the lloang-ho, near 40' N. 1st., at the end of November, covered with thick lee, so that the caravan was able to pass over it, though the river was more than 800 yards wide. At Ning-Ilie a heavy fall of snow was experienced in the middle of April. In slimmer the heat is groat, but much leas than in the low countries of China; the climate is oonsidered to be extremely healthy.