Inner Asia with its towering mountain ranges and limitless deserts and steppes, a country of great climatic extremes, and the cradle of hardy nomad tribes that once shook the frontiers of China and of the Near Eastern countries, has always been an endless lure to the explorer. In the past a brilliant line of men inaugurated the fight for geographical discoveries in the forbidden lands of Asia. The story of their achievement is one of the most fascinating pages in the history of such explorations. Besides securing valuable scientific information and opening new regions for the progress of humanity, they upheld that spirit of adventure to which our civilization owes its spread. Their example made it possible for others to continue the hazardous task of conquest of distant and unknown lands.

In inner Asia we are able to survey one of the grandest mountain systems of the world; to journey for months across waterless deserts of sand and stone and upland plains; and to study the vestiges of a past culture that once linked ancient China with the countries of the Mediterranean basin.

The vast, undrained area of inner Asia is buttressed on the south by the mighty Trans-Himalayas, and the bleak highlands of the successive ranges of the Karakorum. Its northern frontier is formed by the Altai and the mountain chains along the southern rim of the Siberian lowlands. To the east and west this great inner basin is open toward vast expanses of desert and steppe that comprise the Great Mongolian Gobi and the steppe lands of Russian Turkestan.

This inner region of Asia the Roerich Central Asian Expedition, under the leadership of Professor Nicholas Roerich, traveled and explored for almost five successive years. The chief object of the expedition was to create a pictorial record of lands and peoples of inner Asia; the five hundred paintings by Professor Roerich, brought back by the expedition and now on permanent exhibition in the Roerich Museum at New York, constitute a unique achievement of this purpose.

The second object of the expedition was to survey the possibilities for new archaeological explorations and thus to prepare the way for future enterprises in the same region.

The third object was to secure an extensive collection of ethnographical and linguistic material, illustrating the culture of these regions. During its long journey along the T'ien Shan, the steppe region of Jungaria, the Altai, the mountains of southwestern Mongolia, and the highlands of Tibet, the expedition surveyed numerous archaeological sites; and it is hoped that another expedition may be mustered to carry out extensive excavations of vast necropoli left by nomad tribes, which date back to the period between the first and eighth centuries A.D. A large collection of Tibetan and Mongolian books was gathered during the expedition's stay in Mongolia and Tibet.

In sending out this expedition into the field, the Trustees of the Roerich Museum felt the growing necessity of an active American participation in a work which for several decades had attracted the attention of prominent scientists in Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan, and Russia.

The expedition left New York in May, 1923, and in December of the same year reached Darjeeling in British Sikkim. Here a base was established and several trips were conducted into Sikkim. The whole of 1924 was spent in Sikkim in preparation for the more extensive journey into inner Asia. It was imperative to acquire a good speaking knowledge of the Tibetan language before starting on a journey which would require constant relations with natives. The narrative in the present volume begins with the moment of the expedition's departure from Darjeeling.

During his five years of active field service with the expedition, the author profited on many occasions by the help and advice of friends and it is a pleasant task to convey his appreciative thanks for the services they so willingly rendered:

To the President and Board of Trustees of the Roerich Museum, for their devoted care and friendly assistance during the expedition's perilous journey.

To Col. F. M. Bailey, C.I.E., British Political Officer in Tibet, Sikkim, and Bhutan, for his valuable help during the expedition's stay in Sikkim and on its return from Tibet in 1928.

To Major Gillan, British Consul General at Kashgar, for his active assistance during a most trying period in Khotan.

To His Excellency M. Louis Marin, for his ever helpful assistance and for contributing an introduction to this present volume.

To my teacher, Professor Jacques Bacot, who first introduced me into the ancient lore of Tibet.

To my friend, Dr. Georges G. Chklaver, of the University of Paris, for his untiring interest in my exploration work and his trusted friendship.

To Dr. Johan van Manen, learned Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, who placed at my disposal the resources of the library of the Society at Calcutta.

To Lama Lobzang Mingyur Dorje, my teacher and friend, for his untiring help in my Tibetan studies.

To Mr. Malcolm W. Davis, editor of the Yale University Press, in appreciation of his interest in this publication.

Last, but not least, I wish to record my admiration and gratitude to all the European and native members of the Roerich Central Asian Expedition, who unfailingly carried out their duties under most trying conditions.

I dedicate this volume to my Mother and Father, who guided me on the path of exploration and since my boyhood inspired me in the quest for new discoveries and new knowledge.

June, 1931.
G. N. R.