Geological researches in China, Mongolia, and Japan, during the years 1862-1865.

CHINA, MONGOLIA, AND JAPAN. 63
of several principal anticlinal axes of elevation in China Proper. In this sketch
I shall endeavor to give more reasons for the locating of these ridges, which, on
the small, general sketch-map, are represented by the limestone and granite streaks.
In describing the structure of the northern part of Chihli and Shansi, a range
was often mentioned under the name of the Barrier range. Its trend is here west of
S. WT., and its prolongation would cross the Hwang Ho in Pauteh (chau), and thence
run S. W. through Shensi and Kansuh, coinciding with the watershed between the
eastern and western reaches of the great bend of the Hwang Ho. We have already
seen that this range has elevated the Devonian limestone in its northeastern part.
The Hiwang Ho traverses it through an immense gorge, a fact which in China is
almost proof of the presence of the limestone. West of this range are the coal
localities of the Ninghia (Fu) and Lanchau (Fu).
The next great axis, to the eastward, seems to originate, like the former, in the
mountain-knot of the Ourangdaban, near the Tushi gate of the Great Wall, N. WV.
from Peking. Following a S. W. course it forms the range which we crossed at
the Nankau pass, and crossing the Shansi boundary it is known as the sacred
Wutaishan. Still further to the S. W. it crosses the Hwang Ho under the name
of the Lungmun shan [mountains of the Dragon gate]. In northern Chihli we have
seen that this is a granite range flanked with the Devonian limestone; the latter
formation is indicated to the S. WV. in the lime works west of the Fan river, in the
caverns of Taning H. and the lime of Kih C., in the celebrated Lungmun gorge,
through which the Hwang Ho passes this range and in the caverns of Fungtsiang F.
I have supposed its continuation bordering on the highlands of western Sz'chuen,
forming the watershed between the Sz'chuen and Tibetan sources of the Yangtse.
Between these two apparently principal axes there seem to be minor ones, but I
have colored the intervening space as Coal measures. In it lie the coal basins of
Siuenhwa F. in Chihli; of Tatung F. and Tsingloh II. in Shansi; and of Yulin
F. and Pingliang F. in Shensi.
We come now to the central axis of elevation, to which attention was called in the
beginning of this paper, and the establishing of which was there based on a study
of the map. Where this range crosses the Yangtse, we have seen that it consists
of two anticlinal ridges of limestone with an aggregate breadth of 80 miles, and
containing between them a coal basin. In its continuation S. W. to the Nanling
mountains it seems to occupy a large part of Kweichau. The only data for this
portion of the range are, the numerous gold washings at the base of the watershed
between Kweichau and Hunan, that I have taken as indications of the granitometamorphic formation, and the caverns and marble localities of Shihtsien F. and
Chinyuen F. In its continuation to the N. E. it is crossed by the river Han, and
gives rise to the sources of the Hwai river. It disappears at the edge of the great
delta plain to rise again as the watershed of Shantung. In this province the numerous gold localities that stretch through the centre firom S. TV. to N. E. indicate the
presence of the older metamorphic rocks, which, indeed, according to my own
observation, form the coast near Chifu. The stalactites of Taingan F. and Kii C.
are the only data for coloring in the limestone. The continuation of this range
further to the N. E. is found in the limestone islands that stretch from Shantung to