From Nardin north-east into the Kalposh plateau.

Thence E.N.E. to Kalyun Durra, and descend north into the
plain of Dasht, traversing which, at 8 fur., Chanda Abbas is
reached. Road good and passable for guns.

From Chanda Abbas across plain for 3 or 4 miles, passing Yaghi
Oghan on hill-skirts (depopulated), and thence over high spurs
of Korkhud Mountain to Karat, at west end of plateau of
Simalghan.

Descend north into valley of the Germekhans tributary, and cross
stream at Chihl Guzr, thence 4 fursakhs to Karai. Road pas-
sable for light guns. From Karai as in Route No. 14.

8"

12 fur.

:

North-east from Nardin.

North and west from Kalposh over the outer range of mountains
into the Gurgan Plain, and across the plain for 8 or 9 miles.
The 30 guns taken by the Sepah Salar to Gurgan were dragged
by hand on their carriages, over the Range of mountains dividing
Kalposh from the plain.

From Hasan Kuli, a settlement of Ogurjilly Turkomans, on the
north shore of the Atrak estuary, to the Atrak pastures, 2
fursakhs. Thence along bank of river to Byat-i-Haji Olang
(pasture), 12 fursakhs.

Along bank of river to junction of the Germekhans, the main
tributary with those from the north.

Along the banks of the Chandir, or north tributary, to the
junction of the two main branches from the Atak Range, Ab-i-
Sunt and the Chandir, rising in a plateau known as Charik-
Olang.

North of the Chat-i-Chandir is the Sungdagh, a range of hills
said to have many springs and fine pastures. Its spurs reach
to the banks of the river. Thence following the Ab-i-Sunt
tributary, flowing through open plateau, for 8 fursakhs, turn
off north to Kara Kalla, up a steep ascent over spurs of the
Sunt Sur Mountain.

Byat-i-Haji

12 fur.

Chat or Chat-i-Atrak 10

V.-Notes of a Journey from Hankow to Ta-li Fu. By the late AUGUSTUS RAYMOND MARGARY, being Extracts from the Author's Diary.

[Read, February 14th, 1876.]

[The Government of India having signified a desire to send a small Mission into Yun-Nan, a passport was obtained in the summer of 1874 by the British Legation from the Chinese Government, to enable four officers and gentlemen, with their followers, to cross the frontier from the Burmese side. Mr. Margary, a young member of the China Consular Service, of great promise, was sent with a separate passport from China to meet the above Mission, which had been placed under the leadership of Colonel Horace Browne. Having joined Colonel Browne at Bhamo, the Mission had entered China, and was but a short distance from Manwyne, when Mr. Margary pushed on to that town. He had passed a week in it on his journey southward. At Manwyne he was murdered on the 21st of February. An attack was made on the following morning on Colonel Browne's party, which, however, after a sharp struggle, was enabled to draw off without serious loss. Mr. Margary, in compliance with his instructions, kept a journal; but the following portion of it, recording his experiences as far as Ta-li Fu, is all that was saved. There are various gaps in it, to be explained probably by the fact that he suffered from time to time seriously in health. The remainder was probably with him when he was murdered.]

HAVING received orders, while at Shanghai, to hold myself in readiness to proceed to Yun-Nan at a short notice, I set myself without delay to make such preparations as would enable me to start with dispatch, yet at the same time without definitely incurring an outlay, in case of a countermand. The above intimation was received through Mr. Medhurst, on the 9th of August; and on the 15th and 21st, I had the honour to receive full and confidential instructions from H.B.M. Minister, which directed me to start at once, and accordingly I left Shanghai on the night of Saturday, 22nd of August, for Hankow.

Aug. 28th, 1874.- Reached Hankow in exceptionally hot weather, and unfortunately in a very bad state of health, which continued for several days, and retarded my final preparations. Mr. Consul Hughes had called upon the Viceroy with the letter from the Tsungli Yamen, and found his Excellency had already received despatches from Peking on the subject of my trip. The Viceroy, in conversation, strongly recommended the Hu-Nan and Kwei-Chou route as that which was usually followed by officials, and was just now selected by the Governor of YunNan, who was on his way thither. Acting on this advice, and moreover finding that time and expense were likely to be saved by adopting this road, I decided to do so. The Viceroy directed all the officials along the route to aid and protect my progress.