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Show 78 STEPPES AND DESERTS. The barometer, however, soon taught me that the plains through which the Upper Irtysh flows, between Ustkamenogorsk and the Chinese Dzungarian Post, Chonimailachu, (sheep-bleating,) are sca.rcely raised 850, or at the most 1170, feet above the level of the sea. Pansner's older barometric measurements (which, however, were not published until after my expedition) are confirmed by mine. Both refute the hypothesis of Cbappe, relative to the supposed high elevation of the banks of the Irtysh, in Southern Siberia; an hypothesis based on estimations of river declivities. Even further to the East, Lake Baikal is only 222 toises, or 1420 English feet, aboYe the level of the sea. In order to connect the idea of the ?·elation of the terms lowlands and highlands, and of the various gradations in t.he height of elevated plains or undulating grounds, with actual examples ascertained by measurement, I have subjoined a table, forming an ascending scale of such districts in different parts of the globe. What I haYe said above respecting the mean height of those Asiatic plains, which I have termed lowlands, tnay be compared with the following numbers:- Plateau of Auvergne of Bavaria of Castille . of Mysure . of Camccns . of Popayan . •roises. 170 2GO 350 450 480 !)00 round Lake Tzannn (in Abyssinia) 950 of the Orange River (in South Africa) 1000 of Axum (in Abyssinia) . 1100 of Mexico . . . •· . . , 1170 of Quito . . . . . • • . . 1400 of the Province de los Pastos . . 1 GOO !'Ound Lal<e Titicaca . . . . . 20!0 Eng !ish feet. 1087 16()3 2239 2942 3070 5756 607G 5305 7034 7483 9:i28 10231 12853 No portion of the so-called Desert of Gobi (parts of which contain fine pastures) bas been so thoroughly explored in respect to the differences of elevation as the zone, of nearly 600 geographical miles in breadth, between the sources of the Selenga and the great Wall of China. A very exact 11eries of barometric lev!Jlliqgs was |