The southernmost snow range of China, covered with perpetual snow, fs the Ydlungshan or the Jade Dragon Mountain in the province of 'Yannan, It is situated in the district of Likiang or Beautiful River, which was the ancient name of the Yangtze this region. 'The Yangtze descends straight from the north and flows west of that snow range till it comes to a spot where the' small hamlet of Shihku, or Stone Drum is situated near its bank, Here the mighty river makes a sharp bend, and striking the Likiang snow range lows again north for a short distance till it meets another stream or tributary which descends from the high Chungtien plateau where a village and a large Tamasery 1s situated at 11,500 ft, elevation.
At the junction of the Chungtien River and the Yangtze, the Likiang. snow range or Yilungshan forms a mighty wall crowned by eternal snow, There was no way out, so th: Yangtze in ages past began to undermine the mighty cliff it had pierced that part of the range composed of schist and slate, leaving the solid @ark grey, ancient limestone to the south, and had made an exit for its highly rushing waters. It is doubtful if there exists a gorge elsewhere og mighty and deep as that which the Yangtze has cut for itself through this snow range, 'The Ylungshan, or Jade Dragon Mountain, Is composed of three main peaks of' which the southernmost is the highest. This is the Shantzutow or the Steep Fan, It is a peak of rear beauty and nearly 20,000 feet height, The peak to the north of It Is a huge limestone mass 19,000 feet high and fs known to the natives fas Gyinanvly, or the snow peak of the black water. From the highest peak to the south a limestone crest extends north which culminates in three other mighty peaks as high as: Shantzutou, and these are connected with Gyinanvly by a sharp ridge.
Mighty Pinnactex of Limestone glacier-filed valley separates these from the latter. To the north is a lower peak but also crowned by eternal snow and composed of mighty pinnacles of limestone, the highest Teaching an altitude of 18,500 fect. As one looks north one would swear this last peak, known as Baba Nashernvlv oF the roaring snow beale of Baba, to be connected with the rest, of the Jade Dragon range to the south, Yet behold, as with a giant's sword this last peak has been separated from Its sister peaks, and in that cleft there roars the' Yangtze more than 12,000 feet beneath, undermining the very foundation' of the snow range. This mighty gorge is known as Atsangko and many Hogends are connected with it, and related by the natives.
'This wonderful region I first visited in 1922, making the last village on the Likiang plain my headquarters, whence, I explored its peaks and gorges' unsurpassed in grandeur and) beauty, 'This great range, cold and forbidding looking, crowned with eternal Ice and snow, in the summer completely changes its aspect, for the lower slopes become a rich' velvety green, veritable hanging alpine meadows, framed by silver firs, and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.