LIST OF MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. MAP OF ASIA MAP OF CHINA MAP OF SIKKIM . PALACE OF THE RAJAH OF SIKKIM AT TUMLONG CHOLA LAKE AND PASS. MOUNT KANCHANJANGA IN THE DISTANCE 77 DISTANCE BHEWSA LAKE. MOUNT KANCHANJANGA IN THE DISTANCE TARN No. I. ON ASCENT TO YAKLA PASS. DARJILING HILLS IN THE TARN NO. II. ON ASCENT TO YAKLA PASS 83 84 TARN NO. III. AT FOOT OF YAKLA PASS. 84 YAKLA PASS AND LAKE. MOUNT CHUMALARI IN THE DISTANCE BIDANTSO LAKE AFTER A SNOWSTORM. MOUNT GIPMOCHI IN THE JYELAP PASS AND LAKE. MOUNTS CHUMALARI AND CHANGU KANG IN MAP OF COUNTRY BETWEEN INDUS AND CANDAHAR to face SAKKAR, ON THE INDUS APPROACH TO SIBI: THE KACHI DESERT AND RAILWAY THE NARI GORGE 88888 90 93 95 99 99 THE HARNAI VALLEY: KALIPAT MOUNTAIN IN THE DISTANCE 100 THE CHAPAR RIFT 102 BOLAN PASS PANORAMIC VIEW OF QUETTA PISHIN VALLEY: KHOJA AMRAN RANGE IN THE DISTANCE. VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT OF THE KHOJAK PASS APPROACH TO CANDAHAR MAP OF MAHRATTA COUNTRY JUNNAR THE BIRTHPLACE OF SIVAJI TORNA: WHERE SIVAJI STORED HIS PLUNDER RAJGARH: THE HILL OF THE KINGDOM PARTABGARH VISHALGARH DISTANT VIEW OF SING-GARH BOWRAGARH RAIGARH ARTHUR'S SEAT AT MAHABALESHWAR THE BHORE GHAT INCLINE ORIENTAL EXPERIENCE. CHAPTER I. GEOGRAPHY IN ASIA DURING THE LAST FIFTY YEARS. [Paper read before the Jubilee Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, at York, September 1881.] Physical features of the Asiatic continent-General state of our knowledge Scientific surveys in British India - Military surveys in Afghanistan French investigation in Cochin China-Chinese geography — Japanese surveys― Russian surveys in Caucasus, Siberia and Turkestan-Maps of Persia - Travels in Asiatic Turkey and Arabia - Palestine exploration Progress of Asiatic geography - Vast work remaining to be done - Zeal and fortitude of explorers and travellers. THE area of Asia contains seventeen millions of English square miles. Out of this, about two-thirds consist of mountains and table-lands, whereof a large part is desert; and one-third of lowlands, wherein a small part is desert: the rest of the lowlands being arable, of which again a considerable portion is cultivated. Thus out of the whole area not more than onesixth is under cultivation; among the populated tracts, however, some are the most densely peopled in the world. As regards climate, Japan and a part of China proper can be called temperate. The southern peninsulas of Asia have great heat, with but little relief from cold. The main Asiatic continent has extreme cold of varying duration in the year, followed by equally severe heat. Although some nomad tribes show kindness and hospitality to Europeans, and even to European ladies, B |