The Gobi is a vast stretch of desert in central Asia. It was at one time, no doubt, the bed of an inland sea. The ancient coast line may still be traced. It still receives a number of streams whose waters sink finally beneath the sand. The largest lose themselves in the sand or empty into salt lakes. The more fertile parts of the Gobi Desert are inhabited by pastoral people with their flocks. Caravan routes leading from China across the Gobi westward to Russia are still important routes of commerce. The Russians, who are great tea drinkers, will have no other tea except that which has been brought by caravan. They claim that a sea journey ruins the quality of tea. Marco Polo, who visited this district, wrote as follows: "You ride some five days through the sands, finding none but bad and bitter waters; then you come to a city at the edge of the desert."
The actual dimensions are about 1,800 miles from east to west, and 400 from north to south. The general surface is about 4,000 feet above sea level. It is largely composed of hills and valleys of sand.
