Discover a thrilling true account of exploration and fossil hunting in ‘Across Mongolian Plains’ by Roy Chapman Andrews and read the complete book online for free.
Published in 1921, Across Mongolian Plains is the electrifying first-hand account of a groundbreaking American Museum of Natural History expedition into the heart of Mongolia and northern China. Led by the charismatic adventurer and paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews—the real-life inspiration for Indiana Jones—the team’s primary goal was zoological: to study and collect specimens of the region’s unique wildlife. However, the book reads like the best adventure novel, filled with encounters with bandits, bitter cold, sandstorms, and the breathtaking emptiness of the Gobi Desert.
Andrews writes with a scientist’s eye for detail and a storyteller’s flair for drama. He describes the challenging journey in motorcars (a novelty at the time) across trackless terrain, the hospitality of nomadic Mongol herdsmen, and the thrilling pursuit of rare animals like the Mongolian gazelle and the wild ass. The most famous and suspenseful chapter details a near-fatal attack by a wounded, raging wild camel—a sequence of pure survival horror. The book also offers fascinating ethnographic observations of Mongol life, religion, and customs at a time when the region was largely closed to the West.
While this expedition (and this book) preceded Andrews’s even more famous dinosaur fossil discoveries in the Gobi later in the 1920s, Across Mongolian Plains established his reputation as a master explorer and writer. It captures the romance and hardship of field science in the early 20th century, when vast stretches of the map were still blank and every journey held the potential for discovery or disaster. It is a classic of exploration literature.
On this page, you can join this historic expedition. We offer the complete 1921 text for online reading.
Book Info
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Across Mongolian Plains |
| Author | Roy Chapman Andrews |
| Year of Publication | 1921 |
| Genre | Exploration, Travelogue, Adventure, Science |
| Language | English (Original) |
| Legal Status | Public Domain |
| Format | Online Reading |
Read Across Mongolian Plains Online
Embark on a scientific adventure into the unknown. Begin Andrews’s gripping narrative by exploring the first chapters interactively below.
This preview sets out from Peking into the wilds, but the full account of desert dangers, nomadic encounters, and zoological discovery is available in the complete text for our subscribers.
A subscription unlocks this exploration classic and our entire library of adventure and scientific travel writing. Follow in the footsteps of a real-life adventurer.
About Across Mongolian Plains
The book’s appeal is its perfect blend of scientific purpose, high adventure, and vivid cultural snapshot, all delivered in Andrews’s engaging, confident prose.
The Explorer-Scientist
Andrews embodies the heroic age of museum-led exploration. He was a skilled naturalist, a crack shot, a photographer, and a leader capable of managing a team through extreme conditions. The book details the practical challenges of expedition life: securing permits, hiring camels, repairing broken vehicles in the middle of nowhere, and preserving specimens under difficult conditions.
Thrilling Encounters with Wildlife
The central drama often comes from the hunt, not for sport, but for scientific specimens. The prolonged, terrifying stalk and battle with the wild camel is a masterpiece of suspenseful writing. Descriptions of wolves, antelope, and vast migrating herds paint a picture of an ecosystem teeming with life, now largely vanished.
A Portrait of Vanishing Mongolia
Andrews arrived at a unique moment, after the fall of the Qing Dynasty and before full Soviet influence. He portrays a traditional, nomadic way of life governed by Buddhist lamaseries and tribal chiefs. His respectful but curious observations of yurts, diet, clothing, and customs provide an invaluable historical record.
The Romance of the Motorcar
Using motorcars for such an expedition was revolutionary and fraught with peril. Andrews’s descriptions of battling mud, sand, and mechanical failure add a modern, technological layer to the ancient landscape, highlighting the dawn of a new era of exploration.
Why Read Across Mongolian Plains Today?
It is a tonic for the armchair explorer. It transports you to a time when the world still held vast, unmapped territories and when exploration required physical courage, endurance, and a willingness to embrace the unknown. It satisfies our craving for real adventure.
It is also a foundational text in the history of paleontology and zoology, written by one of its most colorful figures. To read Across Mongolian Plains is to ride shotgun with Roy Chapman Andrews, to feel the Gobi wind in your face, and to experience the sheer exhilaration of discovery in one of the last great wildernesses.
FAQ
Can I read Across Mongolian Plains for free?
Yes, you can read the opening chapters for free via our interactive preview. Access to the complete travelogue requires a subscription.
Is Roy Chapman Andrews really the model for Indiana Jones?
Yes, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg have cited Andrews as one of the primary inspirations for the character of Indiana Jones—the adventurous, hat-wearing, danger-facing archaeologist/explorer.
Did they find dinosaurs on this trip?
This particular 1918-1919 expedition, described in this book, was primarily zoological. However, it paved the way for Andrews’s later, famous Central Asiatic Expeditions of the 1920s, which made monumental dinosaur discoveries in the Gobi, including the first dinosaur eggs.
Is the writing style outdated?
It is of its time but remains highly readable and exciting. Andrews writes clearly and with great enthusiasm. Some attitudes toward hunting and colonialism reflect early 20th-century perspectives.
Can I read it on my phone?
Absolutely. Its episodic, adventure-driven chapters are perfect for reading on the go.