EX LIB R S I
^<y^
em
mm
ALEX R ALLAN.
V
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN
THE ALTAI AND MONGOLIA
OVIS AMMOIM
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN
THE
ALTAI AND MONGOLIA
E.
DEMIDOFF Prince San Donato
author of "hunting trips
WITH
S2
in
the caucasus'
ILLUSTRATIONS
A COLOURED FRONTISPIECE
AND MAP
LONDON
ROWLAND WARD, 166,
PICCADILLY 1900
All rights resetted
limited
x
«,
k\v\z\
'
PLYMOUTH WILLIAM liRENDON AND SON PRINTERS
PREFACE In
attempting-
to
describe an expedition
search
in
of the wild sheep of Mongolia (Ovis ammon), fully
aware that
The want
of
I
have undertaken a information
practical
am
I
difficult
task.
concerning-
the
country visited, the wild scenery, the curious habits
and mode of
life
little
Kirghiz,
-explored region, and
an account of the mightiest of wild sheep
finally its
Kalmuks and
of the native
the flora and fauna of a
natural haunts,
and so
closely
embarrassed
On
in
are matters of such
connected,
one
that
in
importance
may
well
feel
commencing" the narrative.
the other hand,
I
have been so much pressed
by English sportsmen to give an account, however brief,
of the journey,
feeling
year to
its
successes and failures, that
encouraged by the
my volume
Caucasus,
account of
I
entitled
have decided
my
experiences
reception
accorded
Hunting Trips to in
publish the Altai
and Monoolia.
do 8547
the
last
in the
present
Mountains
PREFACE
vi
May it
is
meet with the approval of those
it
particularly
addressed,
their
chase of wild animals
countries,
naturalists,
without
be undertaken In
in
addition to
duced,
I
am
Littledale, versity),
distant
whose
so far as science
hunter,
aid is
who
the sportsmen
viz.
have devoted the best years of in
whom
to
the
labours
the
to
lives
and the of
the
concerned, might often
vain.
my own
photographs here repro-
indebted for others to Mr. St. George
Professor
Sapoknikoff (of
and Mr. Ford Barclay,
to
Tomsk
whom my
Uni-
grateful
acknowledgments are due, and should here be corded.
DEMIDOFF.
re-
—
CONTENTS CHAPTER From London
to
Barnaoul via
St.
I.
Petersburg and Moscow
— Meeting
— Nijni-Novgorod — Down the Volga up the Kama to Taguil — Three days at Taguil — Our luggage — Cook — Special Car— Journey to Krivostchekovo (Ob River) — Governor of Tomsk General Boldyreff, head of the Altai district — Ispravnik — Village of Nikolaievsk — Up the Ob to Barnaoul Page with Littledale
;
.
CHAPTER
— Tarantass — Bad
i
II.
From Barnaoul through Bisk and Ongudai frontier)
.
to
Kosh-Agatch (Siberian
Roads— Bisk — First
sight of the Altai
— The "Maralnik," or Deer Park at Shebalina — Kalmuks —Ongudai — Russian Police Official, M. Meyer — Preparations at Ongudai — Tchouia Valley — Singular Performance of Native Priest — Kosh-Agatch — Customs Official — Zaissan Semion —Taba — Duck Mountains
Shooting
.
.
.
CHAPTER
.
...
36
III.
— Steppe — Camp — Up Tchagan-Burgaza Valley — First sight of Wild Sheep — Kotchkor — Arkhar— Snow Bridge Pitching Camp — First Shooting Camp — Kalmuk Vocabulary- -Cold
Start from Kosh-Agatch
Nights— Stalks— The Happy Valley {Bain-Tchagan)— More Stalks
— Snow
and Wind
.
.
CHAPTER Last days on the Tchagan-Burgaza
Camp The
into
Start
.
...
90
IV.
— Pass
over the Frontier
Mongolia — A Blizzard — Major Cumberland's
— Shift
Camp
— Map unreliable — Meet Chinese — Great numbers of Sheep
Heads — Karaoul Suok — Chinese Governor — Passports — Chinese Officials
— Interpreters — Joseph
Bain-Khairkhan
Hills
,
— ...
returns with fresh Stores .
.
Start for 132
CONTENTS CHAPTER March
to the
Suok River
— Camp at
V.
foot of
Bain-Khairkhan Range
— Antelopes — Sand-grouse — Wolves — Plover — Gray ling fishing — Snow-cock — Littledale's success — More Stalks — Shift Camp — Russian Merchant — March by Kobdo River — Hares — Marmot — Horses footsore Snok Valley — Wild Sheep seen— An unsuccessful Stalk seen
Kirghiz Yourts
— Marmot
Chinese Karaoul
—A
new Guide
Skins
— Crossing
Tchagan-Kol River
.....
— Valley
of the
Sumdairik— Muss-Taou Range
CHAPTER
Page
VI.
— Lakes — Fishing — Muss-Taou Hills — Journey northwards — Nicolas sent for Sheep — Sumdairik River Camp — Meat at last — Fresh Ponies expected at Tchagan-Kol River— March on 16th of July — No Sport — Fresh Ponies and Men arrive — More Marches — Moraine of old Glacier — Crossing the Tchagan-Kol back — Camps — Snowstorm — Littledale finds Wild Sheep — Joseph sent for Stores— Olonur Valley — Snow — July 23rd— Shooting — Game at last — Antelope — First sight of Ibex (Copra Sibirica) — Stalks with Taba — Littledale brings in a good Ram — Meeting with Zaissan
Sources of Kobdo River
Semion and Kirghiz Chief
CHAPTER Olonur
.
.
— My Wife goes out
.
217
horns of Maral found
Valley — Hares and Brahminy Geese seen
with Stores
.
VII.
Camp — Stalking Sheep— Weather-beaten
— Lake
.
—Joseph
returns
— Littledale's Record Head Ram— We Shift Camp — Taba's
Stalking
— Thunderstorms — wound a fine successful Ruse — Unsuccessful Pursuit — Our Camp under the Nam Daba Pass — Stampede of the Pack-horses — A good Stalk on August 2nd — Shift Camp over Frontier — More Stalking — The Tarkhaty I
River
— Kirghiz
a good Ibex
Encampment with great Herds
of Horses
— Return to Camp on the Tchagan-Burgaza
—
River
I
get .
243
CONTENTS CHAPTER Pack-ponies go astray in
Happy
the
breaks up
;
Valley
ix
VIII.
replaced by Camels from the Kirghiz
— More
Stalking-
— Letters
at
— Again
—Weather Bag- — Start for Last
— Kosh-Agatch Plain — Antelope — Our — Shooting Wild Fowl on the Kosh-Agatch Steppe
Bashkaous Valley
—My
Wife
— Pine,
kills
a Wild
Swan
with the Rifle— In the Altai Woodlands
— After Maral and Roe-deer — Grayling Fishing the Bashkaous River — The Zaissan's Home — Kara Kodjur Stream — Unsuccessful Approaches — Wild Scenery — Sorry-Kol Lake — Tracks of Maral and Moose — Littledale shoots a good Roe-buck — Our Camp at Yulientash — Absence of Deer — September 6th — General Retreat to Ongoudai — Meeting with Major Wissmann — Larch, and Birch
in
Homeward Bound
....
Page 28
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "Boma"
Passing a
Up
79
the Valley of the Tchouia
Si
Kosh-Agatch Plateau
83
Catching Horses
86
Punishing a Kalmuk
87
The
Start from Kosh-Agatch
88
Loading a Horse
A
92
Snow-bridge
97
Our Kitchen Our first day's Bag Our Camp under Snow "
Enjoying
his
Returning to
"A
99 109 .
'
morning
siesta
114
Camp
117
large herd of Sheep, apparently
119
all
The Happy Valley Waiting
for the
121
Storm
Pass
to
1-23
Watching " " They crossed the stream at full gallop " "There were three first-class old rams amongst Taba "A pack of Wolves attacked our ponies". "
"
A
We
down
ran
Day's Rest
the slope
Sheep
Skulls of
"We
.... .... .... .... up
piled
126 i^7 th
"
in
heaps
were met by half a dozen Chinamen"
Daniel
Littledale trying the
A Tame Yak Waiting
Yak
Pack-ponies
for the
135 i37
i45
149 163 170 i73
176
178 '79
203
Preparing to Cross the Tchagan-Kol
205
Mrs. Littledale and the Author Crossing the Tchagan-Kol
206
A Smooth
207
Passage
"Janny" Ratting Our new Demitcha and men
215 .
-
.
in the Bashkaous Valley " Heads of Sheep strewed the ground The Asiatic Ibex (Capra sibirica)
219
Jacob, the Demitcha, "
Olonur
"Two
Camp or three
Littledale's
.
.
Rams
.
â&#x20AC;˘
quietly feeding"
Record Head of Ovis amnion
22 9
135 2 45
249 .
261
OV ILLUSTRATIONS
LIST
... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Comparing Heads Return to Tchagan-Burgaza Our Kirghiz Our Camels Taba with a Pack Camel The Bag at Kosh-Agatch Packing Horses at Kosh-Agatch Twelve Ponies laden with Horns start for Ongoudai Our Camp on the Banks of Lake Sarry-Kol .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Siberian Roe-buck {Capriolns pygargus)
.
Homeward Bound The Author's Bag from the Altai Our Special Luggage Van for Trophies and Packages .
.
273 282
284 285 287
.
291
.
295
.
.
303
.
293
305
.
.
.
.
310
.
.
.
.
311
.
313
—
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN
THE
ALTAI AND MONGOLIA CHAPTER
I.
Petersburg and Moscow — Meeting Barnaoul via — Nijni- Novgorod — Down the Volga up the Kama to Taguil — Three days at Taguil — Our luggage — Cook — Special Car Journey to Krivostchekovo (Ob River) — Governor of Tomsk —General Holdyrefif, head of the Altai district — Ispravnik — Village of Nikolaievsk — Up the Ob to Barnaoul.
From London
to
St.
with Littledale
It
was
window the
of
the spring- of
in
Piccadilly,
my
of
unusual wild
;
wife and
1897
that,
down
strolling
on passing the well-known
Rowland Ward, were struck by
Mr. size
sheep
I,
and
which
massiveness of
were
making inquiry we were
told
there
some heads
on
On
view.
that they were heads
of Ovis amnion, lately secured by Major
Cumberland
on the Russo-Chinese slopes of the Altai Mountains.
There were
six
or seven of
them, and
I
never was more impressed by any trophies
think I
I
had
ai t;:k
?\ltf: seen.
once decided that the year should not
at
I
pass before
would attempt
also
I
From
bag-.
start as
the aetai
w:i,p .sheep in
that
moment my
soon as possible.
make
to
only thought was to
accordingly endeavoured
I
on the subject,
to secure all the information possible chiefly, in
of course, on the locality
question had been shot.
Cumberland
himself,
who
where the animals
understood had
I
to
I
out
set
came
luckily
I
who had accompanied him
to
Abbas by name, and with whose
the Altai, Joseph useful help
Major
Failing to find
on another and more distant journey, across the interpreter
a similar
marked on
the
map
the route leading
He
those happy hunting grounds.
me
told
that
there was plenty of sport to be obtained, that the
magnificent
whose
sheep
heads
admired were by no means only
went further
into
agreed with
the
scarce,
much
so
and that
if
Mongolia we would
across virgin country where
had the pick of such
had
I
no sportsman had yet
trophies.
To
this
good summer months before me, and
at
I
of course
having four
enthusiasm,
greatest
we
come
once engaged
Joseph's services, enjoining him to be ready to start
by the middle of April. municated Littledale,
this
plan
who had
to
In
my
the friend
meantime Mr.
also seen the heads,
equally keen to secure similar trophies.
St.
I
com-
George
and who was
PREPARATIONS
3
Mrs. Littledale said she could not be
my
also
wife
way
this
in
We
insisted
our
little
party
Moscow
more than a month
to reach
that
was
four
of
from
calculated
behind
left
upon accompanying
it
and
made
up.
would take us
our grounds, and
accordingly decided to meet there between the
and 15th of May, so as
start,
I
Moreover, though very
had been
we should have
large rivers
told that
to cross
some
of the
on our way were
absolutely unfordable until the beginning of June roads, too,
were supposed
all
be very bad
to
(our subsequent experience the case
indicated
the year round)
also be difficult
to
10th
to reach the Siberian frontier
towards the middle of June. impatient to
;
us,
negotiate
in
that
the
;
spring
this
was
several passes would
;
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
all
this
delayed our
departure and postponed our rendezvous at
Moscow
middle of May.
until the
Having concluded our preparations started,
my
April.
Our
wife and tents
I,
and
for
St.
stores
in
London, we
Petersburg early
in
and other impedimenta
had been shipped a few days previously
to
Libau,
a port which at that time of year was not frozen. I
had a few matters
leaving,
of a
services
roughing B
most
the
2
it,
good
to settle in St.
important doctor,
Petersburg before
being
to
secure
the
who would not mind
and who was accustomed
to
travelling
AFTER WILD SHEEP
4
The
a wild country.
in
who had been seemed most
choice
when
St. Petersburg"
President urging"
of
me
to
us,
numerous photographs and
Museum.
from
Mr.
specimens
bring back as
could on the country the slightest details,
Semenoff,
much
was about
I
received a most
I
P.
Geographical
Imperial
the
He
and expressed
as well as geological
letter
Newsky,
)r.
Russian Turkestan
in
accompany
willing to
collecting botanical
encouraging
1
cholera was raging there.
the intention of taking
for the
upon
fell
engaged
actively
during- the time
THE ALTAI
IN
Vice-
Society,
information as
to visit,
I
adding that
whatever branch of science
to
they might belong, would be most acceptable to the
Mr. Alpheraki, a Russian
Society.
naturalist, called
upon me and gave me a highly interesting account of
his
travels
to
Kuldja and the
Yulduz
valleys,
had brought back many new species
stating that he
of insects and plants, and expressing the hope that I
would likewise contribute
tunately objects,
I
to his collection.
was wholly unprepared
and deprecated
for
such
engaged
of the
in
Russian
scientific
his too sanguine expectations.
Mr. Alpheraki was at that time (and still)
Unfor-
I
believe
is
completing a work on the Anatidce
Empire.
He
was kind enough
show me some advanced coloured to illustrate his interesting" book,
plates which
to
were
and they appeared
A RARE DUCK
me
to
He
highly successful.
5
me
told
that there
was
a particular duck which was supposed to breed on
Mongolian plateaux, and
the
desirous to obtain of I
asking
it,
promised
my
me
;
to try
was most
which he
a water-colour sketch
and secure a specimen
my
do
to
me
he gave
for him.
but unluckily failed
best,
whom
in
showed
attempts, though the
Kalmuks
to
me
that they
had often seen the
the drawing assured
numerous lakes of the Kosh-Agatch
species on the plain.
entrusted
I
I
Dr.
Newsky
with the
scientific
portion of our researches, intending to devote myself entirely to chase of sheep
however,
disappointment, for
the
task,
and he
and the small
To my
ibex.
was
also
efforts
great
unprepared
made
that
in
direction resulted only in a collection of plants which
my
my
made on our way from one camp
wife
other, a
list
valet,
of which will be given later on.
who accompanied me on
proved very useful
We
in
many
started from St.
Joseph, platform. at
the the
following interpreter,
the
journey,
ways.
Petersburg,
my
the Doctor and Cristo, on the 13th of
Moscow
this
to
Cristo,
morning,
wife and
I,
May, reaching
where
we found
awaiting us on the
station
Mr. and Mrs. Littledale had just arrived
the Slaviansky
together, talking
Bazaar,
and we lunched merrily
over our forthcoming
trip.
They
AFTER WILD SHEEP
6
had secured as servant a
to the
man, Gabriel by
first-rate
who had accompanied
name,
THE ALTAI
IN
us
the
previous year
whom Littledale had He rendered himself
been
Caucasus, and with
thoroughly useful
satisfied.
camp, and by no means the
in
accomplishments was
very
of his
least
skinning heads.
his art of
In
order not to waste a whole day, as our boat was to
Nijni-Novgorod
leave
we decided
about a
and
ton,
was
the at
following
afternoon,
4 p.m., reaching Nijni
Our baggage, amounting
morning.
next
earl\
on
Moscow
to quit
be
to
join us at Taguil,
sent
to
by the next steamer
a place in the Ural Mountains
my
family,
where we intended
two or three days
for the
purpose of giving the ladies
belong 110-
to
a rest before
to
stop
commencing the long and dreary journey
on the Siberian Railway, and for the purpose also of
more expeditional shape,
getting our luggage into a
leaving
the
we had
to
ingly,
Nijni
was
immediately
remainder to follow
on
May
15th
we found
for the great
their
traffic
and
Moreover,
Accord-
ourselves
at
time to see the preparations that were beino'
annual
fair.
The banks
Volga were covered with goods of find
wanted,
later.
engage the services of a cook.
early in
made
what
only
taking
was
way just
there from
all
all
kinds,
parts of Asia,
of the
which
and the
beginning, owing to the opening of
DOWN THE VOLGA the
Our
rivers.
steamer,
the
9
Ekaterinburg,
s.s.
of the Lubimoff
Company, was awaiting us alongside
the pier, and at
1.30 p.m.
down It
we began
move
slowly to
the great river Volga.
was a somewhat monotonous journey, the scenery
on either side bearing a decided look of uniformity large rolling plains covered with wheat or grass,
now and
very scarce,
:
woods
then higher banks overshadow-
ing the riverside, and a few villages scattered here
and
conspicuous by
there,
their
churches towering-
above the wooden huts and glistening weather,
must be owned, was
it
in
The
the sun.
beautiful,
and the
air
as transparent as possible, such as one only encounters in
Russia
more
spring-time.
in
country.
have nowhere seen a
I
wakening up of nature than
in
that
Every bud, every blade of grass
at
that
striking
season seems to be
alive,
and birds appear
more exuberantly than anywhere
else.
to rejoice
Long
strings
of swans, geese, and ducks appearing from the south,
hundreds of yards high, are then constantly observable,
and
life
shows
Our steamer in
itself in its
utmost intensity.
called at several places before
we hove
sight of Kasan, the great Tartar town, which
reached at 6 a.m. on the following morning.
we stopped
till
and we began
1
1
a.m.
Tons
to fear that
we
Here
of cargo were shipped,
we might
miss our train
AFTER WILD SHEEP
,o
Perm
at
THE ALTAI
IN
we were delayed much
if
we witnessed
a
Here
longer.
between the captain of our ship and a crowd going
to say a herd) of
wanting
to
made
on,
squalid-looking Tartars who,
demanding
i
The
rouble 50 kopecks apiece,
shouting from the top of the deck willing to give only
1
was
he conveyed to some landing-place further
captain was
at
(I
offers for the price of their passage.
after a long
also
curious and lively bargaining affray
;
the Tartars were
rouble 30 kopecks.
1
Finally,
and noisy dispute, the bargain was struck
rouble 43 kopecks, and the whole throng poured
with yells and a strong smell of Russian leather
in
boots and unwashed humanity.
we soon branched
After leaving Kasan
Volga up the
the
floating
as
down
with
The weather
Here
the river.
beautiful still
dense
of spirits
May
at 9.30 p.m.
fir
at
Perm on
Although a couple of hours
we were
in
time for the
We
also received the
had
left
find
us
Nijrti in
woods and
remained cloudless,
we landed
best
the scenery changed
Both sides of the stream were
we neared Perm.
covered
from
off
Kama, and saw many icebergs
train,
late,
and the
at
that our
the
in 1
8th
we found
which started
good news
pine.
1
1
of
that
p.m.
baggage
by the following steamer, and would
three days at
Taguil.
On
the
morning
TAGUIL 15th of
of the
May we
13
reached Taguil and drove
to the house.
Taguil
the
is
head
the
Ural
town,
mining
of a vast
village,
Mountains.
rather
or
district
in
head
the
the
centre of
cannot be called a town,
It
not having a municipality, but as regards size larger than
many
inhabitants,
principally
lies at
the foot of the
workmen and "
richest
works are spread
round
expenses of transport.
engineers.
Sheleznaia Gora
mountain), one of the all
end of the
is
order
in
Copper
also
is
to
It
iron
{i.e.
and the
iron-ore,
in it
"
within a few miles in great abundance, and at the other
it
and contains over 30,000
towns,
avoid
to
be found is
melted
Platinum and gold
village.
are likewise distributed in the neighbourhood.
At the head
of the village
a lake about twelve
lies
miles long, into which flows the river Taguil, yielding-
The
considerable water-power for the iron- works.
country
round Taguil presents
rolling hills
covered with pine,
the fir,
aspect
of
low
and birch woods,
which become denser as one proceeds further from the inhabited districts.
amount
of
game.
cariboo within
fifty
I
These woods contain a have
miles
myself
north
shot
of Taguil.
elk
fair
and
Brown
bears abound, also the Siberian Roe-deer [Caprcolus
pygargus), which
I
have secured close
to the village,
1
AFTER WILD SHEEP
1
and which
we found been
in
lately
believe
I
the
is
THE ALTAI
IN
identical
wooded regions
with die roc which
of the Altai.
1
have
informed that a hunter of the Ekaterin-
burg Shooting Club brought news that he had come across three large beasts in the
never seen before. ings in a that as
On
woods which he had
showing him various draw-
book of Natural History and on reaching
of an
Aurochs, he
immediately
recognised
resembling the animals he had seen.
therefore,
may
exist in the
may have come over; with
all
reserve.
it
Aurochs,
dense Siberian Taiga and
but
I
As regards
give this birds,
information
Capercaillie and
TAGUIL Black
Game
hunters,
are found in great numbers.
who
White Fox,
ON TAGUIL
supposed
A
local
to
etc.,
assert that
KIVI-.K.
they would rather meet a Bear
other animal.
native
of fur-
such as Sable (now becoming very
scarce), Siberian Squirrel,
is
The
frequent the woods in search
bearing- animals,
Elk, which
15
in the
woods than an
be more dangerous than any
proverb on the subject always
me " For bear prepare your bed, for elk your The Taguil estate lies on the very boundary coffin."
struck
:
between Europe and Asia, and a huge red post stands
AFTER WILD SHEEP
16
in
middle
the
-'.Here ends also
many
the
of
THE ALTAI
woods with the
inscription
who
:
There are
Europe, here begins Asia."
traditions
adventurer,
IN
passage of Ermak, the
of the
the sixteenth century crossed the
in
Ural Mountains with a few followers and conquered Siberia
bear
rocks
I\Ian\-
scriptions
Russian
the
for
in
Ivan
Tsar,
witness
his
to
journey, with
having sprung up owing
At
their
and
barley.
A
"kvas,"
a
Russian
wooden board above
strange words
"
:
Being short of food, and used to raid the
villages
would often ensue. of things,
the
thus
place.
prevent
in
This
is
an old
who
way back
by
night,
inhabitants
the
in
to
order to obtain
In order to put
these outlaws with food
and
of
the shed bears these
Russian convicts,
cross the Ural range on their
state
place
made
con-
from the Eastern Siberian galleys,
escape
to
usually
in turn,
beverage
For the miserable."
custom of the country. trive
most of them
outskirts
stands a shed where the peasants, each
bread
few
mines or gold washings
to
neighbourhood.
the
in-
A
where he had camped.
places
villages are scattered about the country,
in
Terrible.
the
the
I
it,
they
and bloodshed an end to
decided
way
frequent
Europe.
to
this
provide
have described,
murders
that
took
The mining people are sometimes very savage
and cruel
;
in
one case a
girl
was slowly burnt
to
THREE DAYS AT TAGUIL death
non-compliance
for
torturers.
given, but
with
the
Other instances of
this
me
would carry
it
19
wishes
On the day we arrived at Taguil my wife, and myself), we visited the
might be
kind
my
too far from
her
of
subject.
(the Littledales,
iron-works, and
having heard that there was some
woodcock
fair
shooting to be obtained in the vicinity of the town,
we decided our
with
where woodcock their mates,
fly
circles
in
posted
It
signifies
is
heard from
They
flight.
van
luggage
7
for
and 7.30 p.m. about
ten
usually
I
heard of a dozen birds having been bagged
way between
of
and uttering
and the guns are
the centre of the line of
in
search
in
trees
afar.
place,
the
marked place
a
towards evening
round the
a
is
known under
is
skimming the tops of
a hissing cry, which
skim
go out that evening
to
woodcock -shooting
Russia.
in
"Tiaga," which
of
I)
Spring
guns.
favourite sport
name
and
(Littledale
We
miles
in
travelled
along
the
have this in
a
new
railway that had just been constructed to the works,
and soon found ourselves
As
the sun was setting
cry, in
I
in
the midst of the woods.
heard the
followed immediately by shots.
my
direction,
returned
in
waiting for c 2
the us.
but dark,
Littledale
first
woodcock's
Nothing came
secured three.
We
and found our platform -car
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
2o
The
next
mines.
The
two
clays
ladies
washings, whilst
were
we went
courtesy of General
West
of the
ducks on the lake
we
that
getting any, and had to give
in
;
did not succeed
Through
up.
it
the
Pavlovsky, the chief inspector
Siberian Railway, to
a special car
the
visiting
in
to see the platinum
after
was so strong
but the wind
spent
drove down
was placed
at
whom
had wired,
I
our disposal for our four
days' journey along the line to the
Ob
we
This was, indeed,
branched off towards Barnaoul.
River, where
more
a great relief to us, there being- nothing for ladies
than a long journey
in
house-car, for the next few days thus amiably
Our
provided, arrived at Taguil on the 26th, and to see
to the station
with
and hand-baggage
meantime
the us
I
we went
was a comfortable
plenty of
carriage,
rifles,
Vassili
It
it.
class
the
tiring
a bad railway-car.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;by
had engaged
room
for
no means a
our
first-
part)-,
trifle.
In
the services of a cook,
by name, a young fellow who had worked
in
platinum mines, and was willing to accompany
and show us
his proficiency in
culinary
art.
He
proved quite a success, and none of us ever regretted having engaged him.
On
the afternoon of
our anxiously expected impedimenta at
and we began forthwith sorting our up what we
strictly
required
May 22nd
last
arrived,
stores,
packing
into carefully
weighed
OUR LUGGAGE pony
loads,
and leaving
The house was single thing
a
of
luxury behind.
a state of great confusion
in
was taken
London grocery
articles
23
out,
A
shop.
and the
box containing two gross
of safety matches had been detained, for
some
by the Russian Customs, who promised
to
after
similar occupation,
The
!
we
The weather was
to
it
there
it
next day was devoted to
May
Taguil at
left
1
24th,
a.m.
1
and we soon found
quite settled,
warmer than we
reason,
forward
found
and on the morning of
everything being ready,
it
We
examination to Barnaoul.
on our return journey
every
;
resembled
floor
Four hours brought us
liked.
Ekaterinburg, from which place we branched off
due south through the most important mining tricts
of the
early next
dis-
Ural Mountains, reaching Tcheliabinsk
morning.
From
this
place the
Western
Siberian Railway starts, and here begins the dreary,
monotonous view of Siberian steppes and marshes, which we had
to
contemplate for three long days.
The
sun was scorching- hot as we crawled along at
the
rate
of
immense
fiat plains.
Kourgan, the
twelve
only
miles
We
hour through
these
found villages very scarce
Petnopavloosk,
towns
an
en
;
Omak, and Kainsk were At
the
stations
hardly any provisions were to be got, and
we had
to
rely
large
entirely
route.
upon our own
stores.
Now
and
AFTER WILD SHEEP
?4
IN
then, outside the station-house,
THE ALTAI
we saw long wooden
planks set up, on which the peasants of the neigh-
bouring villages had placed chickens, bread, or
sometimes water
melons,
to
A
sell.
was the utmost one could spend.
must confess
I
TATION-HOUSE WE SAW LONG WOODEN I'LANKS SET
that
UP.
'
melons were greatly appreciated by our party,
owing
We
to the
intense heat.
saw great numbers of ducks
steppes soil
fish,
kopecks
few
round
Kainsk
dry,
was
was
it
Semiretchensk granaries
of
;
at
Siberia
and
the
are
marshy
where the
other places,
cultivated.
countries
in
The Akmolinsk and supposed
Russia,
to
where
be
wheat
the is
GENERAL 150LDYREFF
25
Trees
largely imported, especially in time of famine.
were to be seen here and there, mostly birch, but hardly close enough to form woods.
be said that
Mountains
Ural
The
and
Ob
the
In fact,
may
to
The
a
lively
train
left
who had gone
out
where we halted a long
At
line,
dropped
been
running
and eventually overtaking
the train with frantic yells and
the 28th of
the next station,
we saw our wretched
time,
who had
breathless along the
we were
of which
scene
into the fields to pick flowers.
On
we advanced
on quitting a station had
behind some of the passengers,
fellow-travellers
bare.
practically
is
In confirmation of this statement
trying.
refer
witnesses.
may
it
land between the
of
tract
exceedingly slow pace at which
was most I
whole
the
May we
waving of
reached the
caps.
Ob
River,
and were heartily greeted by General Lomatchevsky,
Governor of Tomsk,
to
whom
of introduction, and General Altai district,
in
letter
chief of the at
Barnaoul,
a most hospitable manner.
These gentlemen informed us
up
had sent a
whose headquarters were
and who received us
it
I
Boldyreff,
that
we should
find
a very difficult job to follow the Tchouia Valley to
being
Kosh-Agatch, especially with in
places
exceedingly
sentatives of the female sex
ladies, the
narrow.
had ever
No tried
path
repreit,
save
AFTER WILD SHEEP
26
Kalmuk
a few native
THE ALTAI
IN
As
matrons.
for ladies' saddles,
they seemed to think that they were entirely out of
police
(chief
whom
I
was
This
question.
Lomatchevsky
Siberian frontier. of
the
information
us
not
us,
Ispravnik
the
district,
to
to
the
Being" a true Siberian citizen
and
on
the
the
proceed
Kalmuk
accompany us
to
Altai,
of
our
by
Barnaoul
the
of
was then introduced, and who was appointed
by Genera]
native
confirmed
officer)
to
Ispravnik gave us a deal
country,
into
and strongly urged
Mongolia, where, he
would probably refuse
staff
to
said,
follow
fearing that their horses might be stolen by the
He was
Mongols and Kirghiz.
native
straightforward man, but
an honest,
somewhat rough with
his
subordinates, a failing which later on caused not a
few misunderstandings.
The Governor us,
and
Tomsk was
of
as civil as possible to
he was, at that moment, working
told us that
out a plan of converting the Tchouia path into a road for the tea caravans,
case soutai
adopt
this
which would undoubtedly
route
and Kobdo,
in
from
China,
through
leading
Ulias-
preference to the ancient road
through Kiachta, which was much longer.
one of the
in that
In
fact,
Russian tea merchants said he
had already received great quantities of tea through
Kosh-Agatch, and had found
it
far
more
profitable,
"
"FATHER THEODOR"
27
notwithstanding that he had had to reload his goods
The Russian Government,
from camels to horses.
however,
did
sum
large
not then
seem
carrying
out
in
inclined
and an engineer was commissioned probable
good
of
rocky
falls
into
here,
while
that
was
that,
for
of the
According
cost.
deal
dynamite
to
spend
to
to report
my
would
on
on the
observations
be
wanted,
the river being numerous.
lunching
a
submitted scheme,
the
board the
small
a
sheer It
was
steamer
convey us and our fortunes up the Ob,
to
the
first
time,
I
was given a
legend of the so-called
full
account
"Father Theodor
by our friend the Ispravnik, who was a young police officer
death
at in
Tomsk
at
the time of
the sixties.
I
Father Theodor's
had always considered
legend as one of the most curious and
and
it
may be worth
all
interesting-,
while to relate the facts round
which an impenetrable mystery In almost
this
still
hovers.
Siberian villages there
is
scarcely a
house which does not contain the portrait of an old
man known
as " Father Theodor,"
as a saint, will outlive the country.
appeared
at
About
many
the year 1830,
Tomsk under
the
whose memory,
generations throughout
name
it
is
said,
a
of Theodor.
one knew whence he came or who he was.
man
No The
only fact that had been confirmed was that he had
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
2 <S
been caught by the police without a passport on the Ural borders of Siberia, and after due punishment for refusing to disclose his identity (at
penalty was
knout) had been transferred as a
the
settler for life to
that time the
Tomsk.
There everyone was struck
by his cultivated manner,
wonderful knowledge
his
of languages (for besides Russian he spoke English
and
French
features,
perfectly),
gentle
his
and quiet mode of
few years
a
fame spread throughout the whole of Siberia.
his
The common
people began to consider him a
and would gather
in
crowds around
He
lived
to
receive his blessing.
in
the house of a rich merchant
had given him
stantly.
One
subject
He
it
was noticed
to
know every
general
and could describe every
it,
viz.
to
that his favourite
was Napoleon's invasion of Russia
was acquainted with every
seemed
comfort
all
and prayed con-
thing he never refused to do,
teach children, and
room
a small
named Somoff, who
food,
little
saint,
his cell in order in
he refused
hospitality, but
and luxury, took very
in
In
life.
noble
bearing,
of
1812.
in
the
war,
who had taken
part
detail
battle with precision.
He
taught the children to love Russia and honour
the
memory
manner he silent
of Alexander lived
I.
the
Beloved.
In this
over thirty years at Tomsk, ever
about his own personality, and sowing the seeds
"FATHER THEODOR" of
and
religion
He
district.
with
lived,
throughout
instruction
died
alone can afford.
It
and calmness which
who he
possession
were despatched by
messenger
to
were
Petersburg,
country
that
monarch
Taganrog
at
of
his coffin not
abdicate
to
a
after
might
sovereign
;
see
body
the
full
figure
of
the coincidence of dates
was arrested as a vagabond and
in
order that the their
those of Alexander's
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
resembling,
these
all
deceased
when Theodor
his education, patriotism,
;
features,
Moscow,
in
knowledge of the French invasion
and noble
supposed
mysterious
having been opened
according to the Russian custom, people
facts of the
and
short
the
Tsar
the
his
;
special
over
than
other
his
Emperor
the
spread
to
no
in
supposed
is
it
and a consideration of the
I.,
desire of
;
to his
Somoff by
where
order
began
was
he
that
Alexander
by
destroyed
Rumours
Nicholas.
illness
St.
faith
under oath of
was,
and the papers which were found
secrecy,
death
he confided
said that
is
host on his death-bed
they
whole
the
extreme old age, as he had
in
stoicism
the
29
facts,
I
;
it
his stately
was
repeat,
said,
only
helped to strengthen the conclusions of the people.
Moreover, by the care of his friend Somoff a cross had
been placed over his tomb, bearing the
initials
ÂŁ.
in
The
the cemetery at
Tomsk,
who
related
Ispravnik
!
AFTER WILD SHEEP
3o
THE ALTAI
IN
the story to us had been an eye-witness of this curious
to
had
and
circumstance,
himself commissioned
been
take off this cross by night so as not to create
a disturbance
in
and
think
I
These are the
the town.
need no comment.
give them as
I
doubtful whether
it
which
facts,
heard them,
I
history
ever
will
unravel the mystery.
Lomatchevsky gave us some
General accounts
of
others
interesting-
he told
a few years ago there appeared at
that
man who gave
himself out as
he was travelling
that
report
him
asked
General delightful
and the
produce his
convict of
visitor
passport
conceal
longer
Some
days
The him a
found later
a
saying
â&#x20AC;˘,
pleasure.
and
dinner,
to
us
Tomsk
came
a
dangerous convict had escaped from
a
that
Prince
own
his
for
companion.
the galleys,
he
Amongst
convicts.
his
whom
considered
on being summoned
confessed
identity,
that
and
that
he
could
to
no
he was the
the police were in search, but that
himself
amply
rewarded
by
the
Governor's excellent dinner
At
2
p.m.
we parted with General Lomatchevsky,
who wished
us
success,
and
advancing slowly up the Ob. magnificent
left
We
steamer
began
passed under the
broad
river,
the village of Nikolaevsky.
This
railway
leaving to our
the
bridge
over
the
UP THE OB village, in
owing
-
to
its
31
geographical position, had grown
a few months to considerable dimensions.
Where
a year ago there were only a few stray huts, nearly
20,000 inhabitants, chiefly colonists, had
up
their
abode,
now taken
and the Government was on the
BRIDGE OVER THE
OB.
point of converting the place into a town.
Boldyreff
and
the
Ispravnik
agreeably during the
we were due
The banks
journey
early on
of the
Ob
May
we entered
to
General us
most
Barnaoul, where
30th.
presented on either side low
rolling steppes, mostly bare
as
entertained
and cultivated
land,
but
the vast Altai district pine forests and
AFTER WILD SHEEP
32
THE ALTAI
IN
cedar woods were to be seen, and grew denser as
we advanced.
Villages were extremely scarce,
steamer calling only at four or during the
forty
distance by
land
we were on
hours
much
is
good
sixteen hours with
The
board.
and takes about
shorter,
but owing to
horses,
the
landing-places
five
the
wide zigzags of the river and the comparatively slow pace at which we went against the strong- current, '
we
I
expect
hardly
could
At the few
sooner.
was struck by the
bushes
in full
bloom
snowy - white
with
nightingales sang
was
;
cloudless,
wild scenery.
in
our
reach
to
destination
where the steamer halted
stations
beautiful
rock-cherry
of
sight
the banks were literally covered flowers,
to
In addition to
of
The weather
praise of spring.
and added
numbers
which
in
enjoyment of the
the
the General and
this,
the Ispravnik gave highly interesting descriptions of the
regions
we were about
information on the
sportsman rienced
in
many
High were our will
to
their ways,
understand
the
the
We
same
inter-
expectations, and every
we expe-
feelings to
which we so
did our best
share these accounts with
who were under
with valuable
Siberian tales and
anticipation of the sport
keenly looked forward. lating
visit,
Kalmuks and
mingling their accounts with anecdotes.
to
spell
the
in
trans-
Littledales,
as ourselves.
BARNAOUL
On May naoul,
we came
30th, at 8.30,
and landed
house at our disposal, Eastern hospitality,
of
we drove
gratefully accepting his invitation,
his residence.
the
his
new proof
thus giving us a
sight of Bar-
in
General Boldyreff
safely at nine.
had most obligingly placed
and,
33
Barnaoul
only town of
personally
to
Emperor.
the
in
century by one of
my
in
the largest and practically
which belongs
the Altai district
Empress Elizabeth
stands
is
to
was given
It
to
the
middle of the eighteenth
the
whose monument
ancestors,
one of the squares of Barnaoul, and has
been ever since a private estate of the Crown.
The whole
area of the
wooded
square
miles
mines,
iron -works,
of
and
Government country,
is
Madame
coal.
over 200
containing silver
Boldyreff
received us with the greatest kindness, and housed
Having packed up a
us in most luxurious rooms.
few more supplies, we carted our luggage next day (in
order not to be delayed by
it)
town lying on the junction of the and thence it
to
to
Ob
Bisk, a small
and Bia
Ongudai, where we would have
on ponies, and sent
it
were
to
rivers,
to load
on with Joseph and our cook
accompany the twelve heavy
Littledales
for
start
cart
loads.
The
on the following day by
short stages.
We
postponed our departure
until the 3rd of June,
AFTER WILD SHEEP
34
intending
straight
travel
to
where we expected
baggage
find
to
THE ALTAI
IN
through
our companions and the
safely arrived.
The weather was
cold and rainy during the whole
On
time we remained at Barnaoul. climate
and winter
No
long and dreary.
is
the district, not even apples.
In
town under General
the
We
vision.
found
an
In the
to
was
told
my
me
in
museum, with district
:
Wild
great astonishment,
had been shot many years
neighbourhood of
the
in
appeared
I
grows
meantime we
Boldyreff's super-
interesting
Sheep, Ibex, Maral, and, to a Tiger, which
fruit
the
specimens of stuffed animals of the
before
the whole the
very severe, being" extremely continental,
is
visited
Ongudai,
to
Barnaoul.
This
very unlikely, though not impossible.
museum we saw
ogical collection,
a fine geological and mineral-
and a
well -supplied library, chiefly
containing works on the Altai, by Tchichatcheff, the
Russian
known
traveller,
Bunge and Ledebour,
well-
botanists, with splendid plates of the different
plants of the district. interest
I
was
also struck
by the active
which the authorities at Barnaoul take
welfare
and
interest
which seemed to
average
in
For
the
education
of
the
me
to
common
in
the
people,
an
be much above the
comparison with that of European Russia.
instance,
there
is
a special
hall,
with a garden
DEPARTURE FROM BARNAOUL attached to
A
it,
committee
converted into a public reading-room. has
been formed
with
encouraging theatrical performances people,
35
the
for the
view of
common
and several elementary schools are kept and
maintained by this association. After having Barnaoul, as
bade adieu
we had
to
decided,
our early
hosts,
on
we
June
left
3rd,
provided with detailed maps through General Boldyreff's
kind attention,
carriage,
and
which he lent us
in till
his
own comfortable
we reached Ongudai.
ARRIVAL AT KOSH-AGATCH.
CHAPTER
II.
From Barnaoul through Bisk and Ongudai
Kosh-Agatch (Siberian
to
— Tarantass— Bad Roads — Bisk — First sight of the Altai Mountains — The " Maralnik," or Deer Park at Shebalina — Kalmuks — Ongudai — Russian Police Official, M. Meyer — Preparations at Ongudai — Tchouia Valley — Singular Performance of Native Priest — Kosh-Agatch— Customs Official — Zaissan Semion — Taba — Duck
frontier)
Shooting.
The
distance
versts,
the
which the of
or about
aspect
of
Barnaoul and
between
The
120 miles.
low,
rolling,
Bisk
Bia
and
the
Katoun,
district),
the
latter
(the
grassy steppes, through
the
largest
drawing 36
150
country presents
wind the two great tributaries of
Lake Teletzkoie
is
its
the
Ob,
former flowing out lake
in
sources
the
from
Altai
the
SOURCE OF THE KATOl'N.
FERRY-BOATS
Bielukha ciers
on
Chinese ders.
39
gla-
the
bor-
Though
the road was as bad as
reach Bisk late
in
it
could be,
we managed
Soon
the evening-.
Barnaoul we had to cross two branches of the in
ferry-boats,
being
there
These ferry-boats were worked
no in
bridges
to
turn round and round,
motion a huge capstan. so
as
to
enable
our
in
Ob
sight.
the most primitive
fashion by horses tied to two cross-posts
made
to
after quitting
;
they were
thus bringing into
Planks were placed across
tarantasses to embark,
which
AFTER WILD SHEEP
4o
THE ALTAI
IN
was by no means an easy matter, one of the planks breaking down under our weight, and
been
for
the
timely
if
it
had not
impulse given by the driver's
whip we should certainly have taken an involuntary bath.
high,
The water owing
the current
occurred,
to
at
that
time
melting snows
was very
in
strong.
of
year was
very
the mountains, while
No
further
accident
however, and we were safely landed
on
the opposite side.
Pursuant to the Ispravnik's orders, horses awaited us at every post-house, which helped considerably to lessen the delay.
The
which we passed were
eight or ten villages through literally
drowned
in
mud
;
at
BAD ROADS
much persuasion on
required to
wheels were hidden from
our
places
make
me by well
fairly
Most
of
The
and the inhabitants
off.
here
descendants
are
who had emigrated and owing
prosperity,
certain
it
the part of our driver
their size,
peasants
the
Russian colonists a
and
view,
the wretched ponies struggle through.
villages struck
seemed
41
of ground such as
a
to
unknown
is
liberal
of
acquired allotment
European Russia.
in
Their ways and manners are entirely different from
Here one
those of the peasants in Central Russia.
observes a stronger of
spirit
the striking features
before officials
more
natural
education,
and
centralising
the
country
are tracts
noblemen, but consider
at
any
efforts
on
the
from to
all-
civilise
part
of
however,
the of
been stopped, and emigrants from
now being
directed
land
await
still
Another reason
country
I
property which
distance
colonisation,
cultivation. is,
a
it
tended
Carefully
have done more
Further
of
intelligence are
people do not kneel
hands.
residence
than
parts has
Russia large
or
shake
authorities
Government. these
common
;
down
to
of independence and sense
Labour and
personal freedom.
the
believe, exists
in
eastwards,
where
human hands and
for the
welfare of the
absence
of
most parts of
common European
AFTER WILD SHEEP
42
where
Russia, land,
arc
peasants
THE ALTAI
IN
from one
hit
of
ground
to
another
that they never care to improve
year
else.
may be taken away and
Here every peasant
last
one of
the
succumbed
caused a
long
deep that
all
had great
villages
oi
the
traffic
difficulty
street to the other.
ground which next
someone
to
small
a is
proprietor,
cheerfully paid.
wheels
our tarantass
The mud,
delay.
the result being
mud,
overwhelming
the
to
;
allotted
is
and the Government land tax In
tenants
only
and are shifted by decisions of the community
indeed,
at
and
was so
was stopped, and the inhabitants in
wading from one
We
reached Bisk
side of the in
the dark,
MARMOT HUNTING and there found a similar lis
state of things.
took
It
a long time to reach the merchant's house where
rooms had been prepared
The
Littledales
Ongudai,
to
hospitable
which place we
for
and
We
their
decided
case
in
police
were
officials
we needed anything.
Bia and Katoun,
situated on the junction of the
The
down.
Ob
a
impression conveyed to
that of a large dirty village.
It
little
the last town of
is
is
own
the best houses and are well
successful trade in tea
and
furs.
become exceedingly in
frontier,
many Russian merchants who
and
inhabited by
further
my mind was
any importance before reaching- the Siberian
found
start
to
the second largest town of the district, and
is
which rivers unite to form the
has
way
found the authorities most
and the
kind,
placed at our disposal
Bisk
for us.
had already passed on
the next morning".
is
45
great numbers
Of
owing
to their
late years
but
scarce, in
off,
Sable
Marmots
are
the Altai Mountains, and
constitute a large source of revenue to these merchants,
who buy
the skins of these animals by thousands at
a low price (10 to 20 kopecks each) and send them
through the
Irbit
annual
fair to
Europe, where they
are dyed and sold at great profit.
shoot these out after
Marmots
them with a
in
a curious
fox's brush,
Kalmuk manner
;
natives
they go
which they carry
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AFTER
46
SHEEP
WIT. I)
THE ALTAI
IN
MARMOT HUNTING.
As soon
slung to their girdle. outside
sitting
brush less,
;
the
hole
its
Marmot
watching the
distance of a
few
to
proceedings,
peculiar
yards.
of these animals on the
kind of rodent
begin
Marmot
wave
this
from curiosity remains motion-
approaches
hunter gradually
as they see a
they
Mus
and shoots
We hills
citilus.
whilst
the
at
the
it
saw large numbers
as well as of a smaller
HOT SPRINGS
47
At Bisk we were most comfortably entertained
at
one of the merchant's houses, tired, started early
from
distance versts,
or
crossed
Bisk
two
Katoun, without along
the
By means
We
a
Barnaoul
and
similar Bisk,
principally cedar
and
At
appearance but
called
it.
the
between
approached on
villages
we had
all
the
sides,
we passed
seen before.
prevailed everywhere, especially at a place
Bielokourikha,
were unable of
dis-
the country
that
appear
The
larch.
first
to
we
as to
bore the same aspect as those
Deep mud
trotting
plainly
through a dim blue haze, the
woods began
mountains,
we and
Bia
soon
now
could
outlines of the Altai peaks.
presented
Ob,
and were
accident,
steppes.
of ferry-boats
the
of
tributaries
tinguish ahead of us, first
The
was about 220
village
this
to
190 miles.
the
though rather
and,
next morning for Ongudai.
to
where
leave their
There were
said
to
some
in
houses
in
places
people
consequence
be hot springs around
and perhaps a mud bath might have
village,
cured our aching limbs.
Its
curative powers at
all
events had been tried by people from Tomsk, who,
we were
told,
had succeeded
in
getting rid of their
rheumatism.
We
left
this
Siberian Franzensbad, however, after
a hard struggle, and succeeded
in
reaching a village
AFTER WILD SHEEP
48
IN
called Altaiskoie about 4 p.m.,
We
long versts.
THE ALTAI
having covered eighty
were now entering the mountains,
and although the Ispravnik warned us that we had better spend
the night here, there
pass to cross
in
a distance of
versts separated us from Tcherga,
fifty
where we intended
we disregarded
to halt,
We
and continued our journey. wards a
On
our rashness.
for
a
through
small
we began
The
with rocky boulders.
either
tracts
numerous
way
in
The
Towards
dark.
we began
as
the
addition
mud to
in
this
9
p.m.
ascend
to
was swampy
road
horses, In
the
the
and very
to
grope our
the
road grew
Komar
trying
for
pass.
the
being deep and sticky.
places
was a moonless
it
of
very slow, and
we should have
that
we passed
evidence
giving
The advance was
we soon found
steeper
wood,
charred
of
fires.
side
country was well wooded
with larch, pine, and cedar, and at places large
after-
ascent
the
overhung on
valley,
his advice,
were sorry
leaving Altaiskoie, after
change of horses,
quick
being- a difficult
the present state of the roads, and
night,
and
our tarantass, though more comfortable, was a heavy
Thus
weight to drag. struggled
behind,
heavily handicapped
our
friend
dark,
caught us up
in
the
gone on
in
front.
and
the
on
lighter
his
Finally,
we soon
Ispravnik having
at
1
1
vehicle,
p.m.,
our
A "MARALNIK" horses
refused
proceed
to
49
The
further.
jerk
last
aroused us from our pleasant slumber, to find our-
was a cold
muddy
half-way up a long
selves stuck
night,
and the
slope.
It
began drizzling down
rain
as our driver descended from his box, and told us
unless
we had
to
advance
further.
to
send him back to the village
that
and
to
fresh
await his return.
we remained Jour welcomed
our
dragged the
horses
hours,
liberators,
tarantass
thirty
men and
about
who
this
efforts
awkward
top
the
we
a.m.
3
many
after
of
horses,
piteous condition
this
to
be done but
to
for
until
out
Another hour brought us where we met about
In
was impossible
it
Nothing was
hole.
of the
pass,
men on horseback
sent
from Tcherga by the Ispravnik, who could not understand what had happened village at 6 a.m.
driving, fairly
to
We
us.
much exhausted
and took a well-earned
after rest.
We
had now
penetrated the low Altai country.
In the afternoon
we
started
for
Shebalina, distant about forty versts.
was
reached the
twenty hours'
the next village,
Here
the road
infinitely better, the hills slightly higher,
and the
scenery wilder, though presenting the same features.
We
were
to a
Russian merchant trading
installed
in
a nice clean house beloncrinoin
maral horns.
by was a large "maralnik," or enclosure
for
Close Maral,
AFTER WILD SHEEP
5°
with a stream trickling
about
1,50.
Maral,
It
contemplate them at our
was a sight worth near
and,
us,
Here
the grassy slope.
both stags and hinds, were con-
fined, enabling us to
quietly
down
THE ALTAI
IN
these
seeing;
knowing
their
leisure.
deer fed
fine
master's
call,
would gather round him and take bread and oats
DEKK PARK AT SHEBALINA.
from his hands. horns
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
in
Some
of the
stags
carried
good
The
hinds
velvet at that time of year.
appeared
tamer
merchant
told
us)
than
the
seemed
stags, to
which
(as
become wilder
as
the the
time approached for the painful operation of cutting the horns while in the velvet, generally towards the
middle of
June.
Some
of
the
animals
had been
A "MARALNIK bred the
in
the
dogs, in winter,
The
easier.
had been caught
others
enclosure,
woods, when
young, by
53
native
when deep snows render
proprietor
told
us
in
Kalmuks with
that
this
task
one of these
MAKAI. HIND.
stags foot in
had
sought
wooden
the
hills,
fence,
freedom by clearing the seven-
and had remained several months
returning eventually
There are many
way.
district,
show
the
same sporting
similar enclosures in the Altai
especially in the eastern parts,
that
E 2
in
about
6,000 deer
are
thus
and
statistics
enclosed
in
AFTER WILD SHEEP
54
THE ALTAI
IN
parks, constituting one of the most important trades
The
of the country with China.
"in
still
their
sawn
are
velvet,"
For
growth.
full
stags' horns,
they
before
off
purpose
this
while
there
reach con-
is
park a small wooden
structed in one corner of the
enclosure, with a narrow passage sunk in the ground to
The
a depth corresponding" to the animal's height.
stag
is
driven into this until he can neither turn nor
move forward his
;
neck,
then a strong bar
that he
so
fastened behind
is
disabled,
entirely
is
head
his
alone appearing above the level of the ground.
having been cut
horns,
average head fetches from
(/,io to
ÂŁ12), at
fifteen
horns
is
lately
the
measures
district.
are
sufficient this
Government for
animal by
of
sum obtained
the
preservation
one
of
a
Kalmuk, the
the
in
been
has
for
Naturally such
180 roubles.
becoming exterminated
Maral
Our
pound.
per
being a fortune for a wretched
price
law
was
|>rices.
120 roubles
ioo to
roubles
host told us that the largest pair of
Idle
are carefully dried and
China, where they are sold at high
sent to
An
off,
this
and
Altai,
taking
strong
magnificent
being shot
in
the
Unfortunately the means of enforcing"
this
strictly
very
limited
number animal's
prohibiting"
of
owing
officials,
range.
As
its
to
the
want
of
a
and the wide extent will
appear
later,
we
MARAL HORNS spent
weeks
three
only one fine
in
the country, and
in
search
I
I
there
have been
told that
On
met several caravans of our
himself
host
which
latter
towns being well
Maral park
tailing
had
very
is
little
a
Chinese families does not contain
that
journey
we
this precious substance,
and
our
-
return
been
often
many pony
with
Uliassoutai
rich
in
dowry
scarcely any
is
"maral-horn powder."
or
into powder,
used as a medicine, mostly for women's diseases,
and
A
saw-
stags.
China they crush the horns
In
Littledale
it.
whole time he was
came across two hinds
only
and a couple of young
is
of
during the
stag
55
Kobdo and
to
loads
horns,
of
known markets
for
the
them.
most profitable enterprise, en-
A
expense.
tract of
ground bought
rented from the village at a low price, and the
cost of a
wooden
fence, represent
the capital one
all
has to put into the business.
We 6 a.m. to
spent the night at Shebalina, and started at
We
next morning for Ongudai.
were glad
hear from the merchant that the road was good,
a statement which proved to be correct, and that the
ninety remaining" versts would
same evening
to
bring
Shortly after leaving the village steep ascent,
us
early
that
Ongudai.
but luckily
it
we came
proved
to
to a very
be as short
AFTER WILD SHEEP
56
as
it
was
now
road
and
steep,
destination
last
through a
led
About
both sides.
horses
the
This was our
smartly.
THE ALTAI
IN
carried
flat
Kalmuk
the
who produced
(Kalmuk community)
the day
morning, and fishing I
reach
accordingly prepared
Tenga
the
in
lake in the after-
thanked them, through our Ispravnik,
trouble they had taken
the
"dutchina"
every assistance
Roe-deer drives
:
in the
Ongudai,
told
them
numbers, as
I
are
was
a
my
return journey.
very hospitable
told,
to
would probably take
I
advantage of their proposals on
The Kalmuks
for
but being anxious
;
of
a written order
local
me
give
to
They had
as regards shooting.
noon.
At one
country.
from the Ispravnik of Bisk to the
for
on
hills
we were met by a deputation
"pig-tailed" Kalmuks,
programme
with
plateau
over
us
and the
thirty versts before reaching our
we entered
of the last stations
a
pass,
difficult
race.
Their
are gradually decreasing
in
the Altai, where, according to statistics, only six or
seven thousand remain. of
civilisation,
and worship
and Chinese, they shave tails.
Those
missionaries
They
that
carry
are at a very low ebb
spirits.
their
Like Mongols
heads and wear pig-
have been christened by Russian the
usual
head-dress.
On
whole, they are very indifferent to religion, and
many
cases
some members
the in
of a family are converts
KALMUKS to
the
Greek
Church,
57
while
the
others
remain
heathen, such division creating no misunderstandings
whatever amongst them.
and
They
are mostly
live in "yourts," or felt-covered tents,
nomads
with wicker
frames, which they shift from place to place accord-
ing to the time of year and the abundance of grass available
for
their
cattle.
As
regards
their
intelli-
AFTER WILD SHEEP gence,
can only say that
I
inferior
the
Kirghiz,
The
Kirghiz
to
cunning. difference
of
The Kalmuks
elected
native chiefs
tribes),
who
found them a good deal
I
who
are usually clever and
Mohammedans,
being
may have
religion
result.
THE ALTAI
IN
are governed by Zaissans, or
(formerly hereditary
over several
whom
of
Each Zaissan
keep
at
clerk,
who
the
all
"dutchinas,"
their
own expense
Russian
a
and writes
necessary papers for the
hands.
Being
head
of
have
to
official,
or
the
communes,
or
acts as secretary,
clerk gradually takes the his
communes, each
or
has a demitcha at
turn
in
The
affairs.
"dutchinas,"
Russian
in
This
"dutchina."
whole of the commune
entirely
of
chiefs
Government
are responsible before the
for the periodical collection of taxes.
rules
this
contributed to this
he
uncontrolled
into
writes
whatever- he chooses, and becomes ipso facto a petty
who
tyrant to the wretched Kalmuks, fear
of
him,
live in
and make him presents
to
constant
avert
his
wrath.
The Government called visit
who
Altaisky
this
lives at
official
Zassedatel.
At
Ongudai, and
the
time
of
is
our
important post was held by a Mr. Meyer,
seemed
a
very
energetic
accompanied us
to the Siberian
most
procuring
useful
in
gentleman.
frontier,
horses
for
us
He
and proved at
Kosh-
KALMUKS sending us provisions from
and
Agatch,
The Kalmuks wear,
winter
dress in a very peculiar
and summer,
KALMUK
round
confined
summer about soft
they
let
naked
to
shirt
59
the
a
they coat
ZAISSAN.
body by a
the waist.
A
;
sheepskin
large
the upper part of
underneath.
Ongudai.
manner
Rich fur
cap
leather it
strap
;
in
drop, thus going
Kalmuks wear is
their
a
ordinary
AFTER WILD SHEEP
ho
IN
THE ALTAI
headgear, and long boots of soft
often
leather,
of
a bright red colour, constitute their footgear.
Some
own
several
are comparatively wealthy and
Kalmuks
They
thousand horses.
mented mare's
me
to
from which also they
milk,
alcoholic
feeble
feed on "koumiss," or fer-
resemble the Turki
to
many words have nothing Thus good and\bad
is
in
common
;
;
differs
from
salkhyn
terms
equivalent
the
the
Kalmuks apply
no
resemblance
known
Gultcka, but the ewes are
Thus
Arkhar.
task
rock,
(Kotckkor)
as
latter.
but,
;
on
big horn, jahn muss,
The name which bears
with the
Iakski and Taman; water, sou;
the other hand, wind
which
a
though a great
dialect,
white and black, ak and kara is
distil
Their language seemed
beverage.
to a wild
to in
the two dialects
Turki.
in
ram
Kirghiz
the
both languages
seem here and
there to fuse.
A the
few versts before reaching Ongudai we passed
Tenga
many
and saw a great
lake
Cranes,
Ducks, and Brahminy Geese on the marshes round it.
Our
we
halted
district,
Ispravnik
had
to
very
been
been
seek
lake.
told
once,
he had
and had this
that
given
at
the
station
a police
assaulted
refuge
The
us
when
by
official
reason
orders
of to
this
the
Kalmuks,
500
from them
where in
a
boat
on
was
that
he
in
announce
to
the
ONGUDAI
61
Kalmuks a decree augmenting Government
them so
furious,
The ground barren
;
good
would have
that they
he had not succeeded
in
taxes.
news was so unwelcome, and had rendered
This
as
in
him
if
escaping to Bisk.
we proceeded became sandy and
on either side of the road, which was now order,
were the same low
and cedar woods, the
larch
killed
covered with
hills
being priceless for
latter
the inhabitants, who, in autumn, gather large quanto
merchants who
we found most
of the villages
tities
of cedar nuts and
come
for that purpose.
On
our way back
sell
them
empty, everyone being "in the cedars," as the few peasants
we met
told
us.
Ongudai and found the
As
quarters.
a
for
us,
At 4 p.m. we reached in fairly good
Littledales
rooms had been prepared
house belonging to a christened
baggage had arrived
safely with
and our next step was and
stores,
in
The
Kalmuk.
Joseph and the cook,
to secure ponies, saddle-bags,
such as potatoes, for sugar and flour had
been bought at
Barnaoul.
Here
and henceforward everything had
the to
road
ended,
be carried on
horseback.
Ongudai sides
by
is
hills,
a
small
village,
surrounded
on
all
somewhat higher than those we had
passed on our way, and inhabited by a few Russian
AFTER WILD SHEEP
62
officials, I
IN
THE ALTAI
merchants, and converted
Kalmuks.
made acquaintance with Mr. Meyer,
official
be
of the district.
ready on
entirely
packages
fc-
in in
the
He
told us that horses
following
inspecting
the
one month's
day,
which
ponies and stores,
as
Here
the chief police
would
was spent
dividing
we intended
the to
ONGUDAI we
the evening-
In
Father
priest,
in
from the
He
local
had spent about
the
Kalmuk
to this place in his early
offence.
political
visit
He
Ongudai and
having been exiled
some
received a
Constantine.
thirty years at
65
country,
days
was most interesting
for in
having thoroughly studied the Kal-
his conversation,
muks, their language and ways, and having converted
many
dictionary which
and from which
and
were
that
father-in-law,
girl,
me
my
a
available
crowned
had
marrying a Kalmuk
gave
Russian-
he had compiled himself,
extracted
I
He
conversation.
years
He
Christianity.
to
Kalmuk
means
studies
his
of
by
and was spending the few
him
educating his wife
left
to
who
lived in his house.
The same evening we
in
secured the
services,
for
twenty roubles a month, of a Russian, Nicholas by
name, who was found
useful
in
to act as interpreter,
every
emergency.
whom we
and
A
distance of
over 200 miles separated us yet from the Siberian frontier
We
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a
distance which
started
we covered
in
six
June, on horseback.
The
ladies
drove about twelve
miles in a cart, after which they also had to the
ponies
Everyone
days.
from Ongudai at 9 a.m. on the 8th of
which said
it
had
been
would be
mount
prepared
for
them.
impossible
for
ladies'
saddles to pass along the narrow Tchouia path, where
AFTER WILD SHEEP
66
women
the native it,
found
Our caravan
again.
mount
Our
consisted of
fifty
march (about
first
brought us about 4 p.m.
to
Katoun, where we camped
stray
Kalmuk
"yourts."
we
quite settled
pack and ten us to
the
versts)
thirty-five
banks of the river
the
for the
first
current was very strong- here, especially the river fairly broad.
risked
than
easier
Meyer accompanied
Mr.
ponies.
frontier.
much
it
The weather had become
anticipated.
We
men.
ride astride like
and
however,
THE ALTAI
IN
The
time. in
June, and
On
our
The
sun was exceedingly hot,
way we met
several
and clouds of dust covered us as we trotted along the path.
We
some time the Urusoul
followed for
The
on which stands Ongudai.
River,
aspect of the country
presented no perceptible change, and appeared to us
somewhat monotonous same vegetation,
the
occasional forest
fires,
lessness
of
the
:
the
same
same
trees,
rolling
the
giving evidence of
probably caused by the care-
Kalmuks.
Our
tents
were
pitched on a grassy plain overlooking the
A
hills,
"yourt" had been put up
for
soon
Katoun.
our friends, M. Meyer
and the Ispravnik, who both partook of our frugal supper from the hands of night was fresh, and
it
Yassili,
our
cook.
The
was freezing when we started
next morning.
Towards
6 a.m.
we crossed
the
Katoun with our
CROSSING THE KATOUN luggage on a
pushed
sight
for
the ponies, they
and made
into the river,
was a curious in
As
raft.
67
to
swim
were
across.
It
watch them paddling away
to
mid-stream and landing on the opposite side about
200 yards lower down. as lono-
with
In the water they look twice
their tails floating
on the surface behind
CROSSING THE KATOUN.
them. ever,
This operation presented no
and
it
and make a fresh its
right
difficulty,
how-
took hardly an hour to reload the ponies
bank
for
start.
some
We
followed the river up
time,
and here
first
made
acquaintance with the so-called "bomas," the dangers of
which
had
been
so
much
exaggerated.
curious term signifies a place where the path
This
becomes
AFTER WILD SHEEP
68
THE ALTAI
IN
narrow and leads over steep rocks overhanging the stream. to
)ur ponies
(
climbing,
of
sort
this
seemed
without the slightest hitch
and
carried
us
as
for the
ladies,
;
We
did not even dismount.
be well accustomed
to
through
and began ascending" a long steep slope leading
left
to the Saldjar pass (5,500 feet),
from which we would
be able to distinguish the higher mountains
At
distance.
a
they
soon turned off to our
1
we reached
p.m.
view met our eyes.
beautiful
Snow-clad
about a hundred miles off raised their against the light blue sky.
To
less.
with
could just
range, the
glaciers
peaks heads
lofty
horizon was cloud-
the
left
highest
in
streaming down
Siberian
the its
sides
them with the help
distinguish
To
glasses.
the
our right stood the grand, massive, snowy-
white Bialukha Altai,
The
in
"saddle," and
the
appeared the Kurai
;
of
hills,
we our like-
wise buried beneath eternal snow, below which flows the Tchouia, and close to which lay our
Agatch. to
let
Here we halted
the
ponies
for
some
Round
rest.
innumerable Alpine flowers and
which were
tied bits of white
my
inquiring the
this
was the manner
meaning of
to
Kosh-
in
order
were scattered
us
rhododendrons, to
and red ribbons. this,
I
was
told
On that
which Kalmuks honour and
in
sacrifice to local spirits
way time,
;
we
afterwards found similar
KALMUK OFFERINGS ribbons on almost every pass
descent awaited
us.
The
the slow pace at which
was very
trying.
of the river
Inia,
we
crossed.
71
A
steep
heat was intolerable, and
we were
obliged to advance
At 4 p.m. we reached the banks a small tributary of the
where we pitched camp
Katoun,
after a thirty-verst march.
AFTER WILD SHEEP
72
released.
It
IN
THE ALTAI
was, indeed, a ghastly sight.
Towards
evening the wind began blowing, and waving the legs of the skins to
and
gave them an appearance
fro,
of dancing at the end of long poles.
Early next morning we
lifted
camp, reaching the
KALMUK OFKERIN
junction of the Tchouia
about river,
10
a.m.
We
which we now had
As we advanced,
River and the Katoun
branched
off
at
up the former
Kosh-Agatch.
to follow to
the country gradually
grew wilder
;
here and there the river ran through narrow gorges,
and the path became more
difficult
for
the
horses.
AS
WE ADVANCED, THE COUNTRY GREW WILDER.
TCHOUIA VALLEY There were no more signs of "
yourts
75
villages
witnessed the presence of
"
;
only a few
human
beings,
and the occupants of these were so frightened the sight of us that they would rush
under the rocks
off
At
our caravan had passed.
until
at
and hide
"waving the legs ok the skins to and fro."
4
p.m.
we reached
banks of night,
his
He
yourt
Tchouia,
ponies
Here
versts. sight.
the
the
in
a
the
place
Iodro,
called
where we camped
having
had
a
march
on the for
of
the
forty
Ispravnik promised us a curious
sent for a
Kalmuk
priest
who
lived
in
the neighbourhood, and on the latter's
76
AFTER WILD SHEEP
arrival
with
the influence of
supposed
whom
Kalmuks
us.
priests
their
live
in
are greatly under
or "kaams,"
who
communion with
close
are
spirits
they invoke, and through whose power they
receive "
to
THE ALTAI
implements, ordered him
his officiating
perform before
to
IN
the
Kamlanie
of
gift
which
"
prophecy.
The
we witnessed
invocation
or
evening",
as
that
KAI.MUK "YOUKT.
we the
sat
a
in
circle
following"
down,
up
holding"
roughly carved senting
the
in
spirit
the
kaam,
display.
The
round
strange a
tambourine
wood a he
of
knelt
priest
was
which
on
diabolical
usually
consisted
figure,
invoked
repre-
from
;
this
instrument depended a quantity of coloured ribbons, similar
to
odd-shaped the
those trees.
Kalmuks
we saw
When
generally
attached
to
bushes
and
wishful to consult a spirit
attach
a
bit
of
ribbon
to
;
A GOOD OMEN
formance, ending-
god
the
him
appease the
deception
spirit's
his
beating
his
cow,
animal
Such
wrath.
or
is
supposed
is
the constant
tambourine,
sight
see
to
slowly
at
then louder and louder
of
ecstasy,
uttering
first,
Finally,
deity.
the
that
told
questions. terpreter)
yell,
was
to
asked
I
of
spell
he gave a loud spirit
whether
I
(of
ready course
should
I
was
answer
my
and
through
many
kill
sheep) with white patches on
(wild
down a
precipice.
I
familiar
his
the
in-
wild sheep
the reply came, in a hollow voice, that a "
hurled
spirit's
he got into a state
till
under the magic
man
the
incomprehensible and savage sounds into the ear,
goat,
Kalmuk's
the
in
This
fancy.
was a strange
It
per-
his
which the wretched natives are sub-
to
jected.
begins
horse,
a
particular
possession has taken
then
announcing an order from
his
in
give
to
according as a
to
who
kaam's tambourine,
the
77
Kotchko
"
him would be
took this as a g'ood
omen, and rewarded the old rascal with a couple of
roubles.
Mr. Meyer told
me
ago there were two well-known district,
whose their to
that a
rival
few years
kaams
in
the
and that they once quarrelled on the question
spirit
god
was the stronger.
Both began invoking
manner
It
in the
just described.
have been an exciting scene,
for
was said
they reached such
7
AFTER WILD SHEEP
8
a pitch of exaltation
them
fell
THE ALTAI
IN
that one of
after a few hours
senseless to the ground, and died shortly
The
afterwards.
kaam was thereupon
other
Kalmuks
garded as the conqueror, and crowds of used to throng round his
"
Kalmuks do not bury
their
corpse
on
where
it
wooden is
animals
other
profanation
simply
of
of
soil
to consult his spirit.
but
dead,
Mongols to
bury
branches,
vultures
consider
their
the
place
with of
disposal
the
prey.
the
"
strewn
planks
at
left
yourt
re-
dead,
and a
it
and
them on the spot where they died
leave
;
they do not even allow bodies of Russian merchants
who happen
to
die
in
Mongolia
sometimes remove the corpse
The Government has this
in
;
Russian
into
territory.
taken measures to prevent
the Altai, as well as the
of animals in
lately
be buried, but
to
inhuman treatment
but these ancient customs
still
prevail
the remoter parts of the country.
We nth)
whose
Here
spent the whole of the following day (June in
marching up the valley of
muddy also
waters
we had
flowed
to pass
the
Tchouia,
beneath
rapidly
us.
frequent "bomas," which
rather delayed our journey, ponies refusing at places to
advance over the steep craggy path.
however, to reach our destination
having covered another
fifty
versts,
We
that
managed,
night,
after
and camped by
rASSING A "BOMA.
THE "KURAI STEPPE" the
side
of
small
Here
Tchibit.
the
a
on
tinguish
either
the Tchouia,
the scenery changed as
Kosh-Agatch
loftier
tributary of
Si
plateau.
and
side,
snowy peaks
in
the
we neared
The mountains grew we
could
plainly
dis-
start at 5
a.m.
the distance.
Next day we made our customary
AFTER WILD SHEEP
82
just
above
the
path at
victim
their
my
to
dismounting,
was unable
owing in
when
That day
nearly
As
my
my
bolted.
from the
foot
a
was
I
stirrup,
and was dragged along
boots,
awkward
fell
I
the girths of
suddenly kicked and
nailed
most
1
pony.
tighten
disengage
to
hours,
several
for
Kalmuk
order to
in
my
to
the
followed,
foot.
vicious
horse
the
saddle,
we
as
us,
THE ALTAI
IN
some
position
the brute luckily stopped.
yards,
fifty
got out of this
I
with severe bruises on head and arms.
We
Kouickhtonar, the
reached
Kosh-Agatch, towards 6 p.m., or
versts,
about
asserted
(Capra anxious,
all
these
in
Kalmuks
however,
to
make acquaintance
Wild Sheep, we decided
all
Ibex
i.e.
As we were
hills.
sixty
High mountains
and the
sides,
were many "bouns,"
there
that
sibirica),
after
before
a march of
miles.
forty-five
surrounded us on
camp
last
chiefly
with
the
Ibex on
our
we were again on
the
to
for
try
return journey.
At
7
a.m.
on June
13th
move, and towards noon entered
Agatch little
The
plateau.
under 6,000
feet
stretching about sixty width, bordered tains,
on
especially to
all
plateau
at
a
is
above the versts sides
the south
in
by
last
the
Kosh-
wide steppe, a
level
length fairly
and west.
of the sea,
by forty high
The
in
mounriver
AND DUCKS
SWANS, GEESE, Tchouia Hows through smaller is
tributaries,
the largest.
of
it
together with several of
its
which the Tchagan-Burgaza
Numerous
lakes, ponds,
are scattered about on the steppe,
breeding-places for
83
and
and marshes
good
afford
Swans, Geese, and Ducks
of
all
KOSH-AGATCH
kinds
which swarmed
thought
I
there.
It
might get a chance
to
was here secure
that
the
which Mr. Alpheraki was so eager to obtain. birds
seemed very tame, and we passed quite
to several lots.
A
couple of
a few yards at our approach.
I
duck
The close
Swans only swam away
The
steppe over which
we were now advancing had probably been one huge
AFTER WILD SHEEP
84
lake
former days
in
surrounding"
be
to
appeared to confirm
plateaus bear this
of
mark
In
Mongolian
and grass
denoting
at different heights,
The ground
was sandy and barren with patches of there,
almost
fact,
and Tibetan
the gradual drying-up of these regions.
and
its
and
watermark,
ancient
the
above
feet
this supposition.
round
mountains
the
all
a well-defined line along the
some hundreds
hills
seemed
level
;
THE ALTAI
IN
here
alkali
affording poor grazing'
scarce,
for the ponies.
One
could
distinguish
growing beside them. of the
from
the glorious
now had
opposite the few
At
2
wooden huts which were Tchouia had
near and yet so
as there
river
bring-
we found
p.m.
destination, but the
The
good view
far,
to find
told that a couple
Kosh-Agatch would
Land.
a
us to the
ourselves
be our
to
be crossed
to
was no sign of a
was broad, and no
are
generally
Strange to say,
swollen
Russian
by
melting
merchants have
attempted to build a bridge at tea caravans are
;
so
boat.
ford existed for miles
above, especially at this season of the year, rivers
of
shrubs
few
where we expected
Wild Sheep, and were
of days from
Promised
We
to the south,
hills
beds
the
afar
by the greener grass and a
streams
this
place,
becoming more and more
when snows.
not
yet
though frequent.
ZAISSAN SEMION
Owing
to
carried
want
this
away and
85
goods
bridges,
of
A
lost in the river.
are
often
small raft
was
soon ready, the Ispravnik having warned us of the
and sent orders
difficulty,
front
in
to
was
it
brought
As
wooden buildings used
Russian Customs
We
and
spent
evening",
of a few
as shelter for goods, of two
and of a small missionary
official,
were put up
a
in
The whole
rainy.
drying
in
the
in
one of which was inhabited by a
or three houses,
cold
village
fair
of
baggage
our
flour,
all
Weather
room.
the
and
custom-house yard presented a curious strewn
for the
consists
late
in
The
thoroughly damped.
church.
next day
was
stores.
The
sight.
It
potatoes,
salt
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; everything"
we made acquaintance with
Kalmuk
by Mr. Meyer in
was
over with our wet clothes, bedding, rope, drying
in
the
which luckily peeped out at the right moment.
energetic
Our
timber that could be found.
to the river all the
crossing was effected without accident.
luggage,
down
bring'
in
chief,
sun,
Here
the Zaissan Semion, an
who had been summoned
order to superintend our expedition
procuring for us the best horses he could muster
in
the country,
a
christened
and the most
native,
average of
Kalmuk
before,
Zaissan,
the
and
a
reliable
great
intelligence.
men. deal
As
I
He was above the have said
the elected chief of a tribe,
is
AFTER WILD SHEEP
86
almost omnipotent
over his subjects
being
civilisation,
We
if
at
such
and generally
rules
a most arbitrary fashion, Govern-
ment control amounting habitants
THE ALTAI
his district,
in
in
IN
the it
very
to
lowest
may
be
little,
and the
possible
in-
decree of
called.
were several times witnesses of punishments
inflicted
Mfcgi
on Kalmuks by the Zaissan's orders
â&#x20AC;˘
%^fcL -^M
for slight
TAB A sonic hundred yards, beating
with for
his
the
knotted
whip.
In
87
him as hard as he could
we
the afternoon
Four dismal
hunters.
creatures
sent
presented
themselves, stating- they were willing to accompany us,
We
and that they knew the ground up kept hearing the words
our interpreter translated
Taba was one to secure him,
him
to the frontier.
Kotchkor bar" which
"There
of the four men.
are wild
I
sheep."
was very anxious
having been told that Major Cumber-
land had employed
found
"
him the previous
exceedingly
useful.
PUNISHING A KALMUK.
We
year,
and had
certainly
all
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
88
agreed that he was by of
them
Poor
all.
far the
little
that he died soon after
as a monkey,
Europe, where
keenest and cleverest
fellow,
we
have
I
He
left.
and kept urging us I
am
to
lately
heard
was as sharp take him to
afraid he would have become
;om kosh-a<;a'i
a dreadful
scoundrel,
though
in
his
own sphere he
enough, and at times witty and amusing.
was
well
He
spoke a few words of English, which he used
to
pronounce with
his native accent,
and nothing was
more funny than to hear him go through his short vocabulary
of
the
Anglo-Saxon
dialect.
Towards
DUCK SHOOTING evening Littledale and brought
went out
I
There were
way
back, however,
We
and shot a few.
we came settled
Grebes
and a
said to be Antelopes
(A. gittturosa) on the steppe, but
our
and
after ducks,
Eared
back half a dozen
couple of Geese.
89
we saw
On
none.
across large herds,
for
the
our friend the Zaissan, allowing each
prices
man
with
a rouble
a day with the promise of a small present at the end of the journey. rate of all
As
for the ponies,
100 roubles for ten horses a month.
seemed quite content with
decided
we agreed
to
set
forth
on
the
this
at
They
bargain, and
following
Zaissan Semion accompanying us to our
camp
at the
first
two days' march from Kosh-Agatch.
we
morning, shooting
—
-
CHAPTER
.
III.
Kosh-Agatch — Steppe — Camp — Up Tchagan-Burgaza Valley — First sight of Wild Sheep — Kotchkor — Arkhar — Snow Bridge — Pitching Camp — First Shooting Camp — Kalmuk Vocabulary Cold Nights— Stalks— The Happy Valley {Bain-Tchagan) — More
Strut from
Stalks— Snow and Wind.
Haying concluded
our
all
preparations
at
Kosh-
Agatch, dried our baggage, and placed two months' stores
under lock and key
in the
Customs warehouse
we
(taking with us provisions for a month), at
noon on June
presented an unusual sight.
over
by the
began
Zaissan,
which were quartered
started
Early that morning the place
15th.
in
Our Kalmuks, presided catching
a large
the
wooded
horses,
enclosure,
with lassos, Littledale and myself picking out those
we considered skilful
enough
the best. in
Although the natives were
the art of lassoing, this job took
a couple of hours, numerous misses being scored, and after a
miss the ponies having to be driven round 90
START FROM KOSH-AGATCH again into the
was
when
corner,
fatal
91
the deadly noose
we had
be hurled round the neck of the one
to
Our baggage, ready
pointed out.
be loaded, was
to
scattered about on the ground round the enclosure,
and as soon as a horse was caught he was instantly hobbled and converted
into
a
Many
pack-pony.
refused energetically this degrading work, and began
jumping and kicking got
until 1
All
midday, when at
this
till
Renewed
delayed our departure
success crowned our
last
they
and the horse had
often brought similar results,
be abandoned.
to
were worth
unaccustomed burden.
of their
rid
trials
for all they
efforts.
must acknowledge that the very process of loading
seemed
to
be
familiar
to
the
Kalmuks, and was
carried through in a masterly way.
was
Nicholas, job,
also
Our
interpreter,
thoroughly acquainted with the
probably owing to his practice with the numerous
which pass through the
caravans
by
struck
this,
comparison
in
country.
with
I
previous
was ex-
periences in other regions, the Caucasus, for instance,
where the
art
of loading a horse for a long
and economising rope
We
bade farewell
loo
where,
Ispravnik and Mr. Meyer,
us not to cross the Mongolian o
we were
refuse to follow us,
march
far inferior.
to the
who both kept urging frontier,
is
assured, our escort
would
and began advancing slowly
to-
92
AFTER WILD SHEEP
wards the
hills
due south.
IN
Our caravan
our four selves (the Littledales, Dr.
THE ALTAI
my
Newsky, Cristo and Gabriel,
wife,
consisted of
and myself),
Vassili
Joseph Abbas, and Nicholas the interpreter,
and
mount
ponies,
fifty
Kalmuks with a
ten
cook,
the
pack
demitclia
.OADINC. A HORSE.
at
their
Semion. likely to for
head,
our
four
hunters,
and the
Zaissan
This was, indeed, an imposing party, more be destined for the conquest of China than
shooting sheep.
It
was with sore hearts that we
gradually saw our numbers growing to such an extent,
but everyone seemed to be wanted, and
we had
to
OUR CAMP put up with
Our way
lay through the Mat steppe
about twenty miles, and, having started so
for in
it.
93
we decided
the day,
the
camp
to pitch
The sun was very warm,
hills.
We
and barren.
passed several
late
at the foot of
the ground dry
small
and
lakes,
soon found ourselves on the banks of the Tchagan-
Burgaza evening.
ceived
which
stream,
we
up
followed
was greatly struck by how one
I
seemed quite
close
at
hand,
and
I
could
believe that twenty miles separated us
However, as we took about
five
is
The
by distances on those plateaus.
the
till
dehills
hardly
from them.
hours to reach our
destination, at the pace of about four miles an hour,
We
there could be no mistake.
camped
that night
on the riverside, at a spot where the stream flows out
we
of a narrow valley, at the head of which distinguish
snowy peaks.
his tent with him,
way
the
in
Our Zaissan had brought
and we were interested
which he kept ordering
in
his
about, to pitch his tent, prepare his food, lay quietly
or
on
his
back indulging
sweet slumber.
attention to that
we
In
fact,
him than they did
sincerely
in
they paid to us,
been
watching
Kalmuks etc.,
as he
pleasant dreams,
and
much more I
must own
hoped he would return home as
soon as possible, which he luckily
had
could
appointed
to
accompany
did,
us
though he the
whole
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
94
journey.
was
It
welcome mood
a
in
next evening, as he explained to us that required his presence in his
would
us on
join
way
our
own
we met him
that
He
back.
duties
official
and
district,
that he
promised
to
supply us every month with fresh ponies and men,
which we readily agreed, especially with regard
to
which, being unshod, would soon become
to ponies,
footsore with constant travelling over rocky ground,
and so be useless
our purpose.
for
who was
Yakoub, the demitcha, caravan- baski, too
weak
pline.
keep the men
to
He in
desert
us.
opposed
We
of side
the
6th,
too,
was
struck
Here and fir
along the right
the
left
camp and entered
the
slopes
on
we advanced, and
the
there
trees,
The were
to
be seen
principally larch,
by the river-bed rows of willow bushes. led
distinctly
Early on the following-
steeper as
occasional clumps of
staff
and possibly
"his happy home," and
we
disci-
was most risky
object
Tchagan-Burgaza.
grew
ground barer.
he,
for the present. 1
it
Mongolia, and that our
strongly
thought
to quitting
morning, June
either
case,
that
question open
valley
good order and
in
explained to us that
to cross the frontier into
would,
our
practically
was a kind-hearted Kalmuk, rather
The
and path
bank of the stream, now and
then ascending the rocks and affording a heavy
pull
"KOTCHKOR" AND "ARKHAR"
descending to the
to the pack-ponies, at other times
As we came
very bottom of the valley.
95
ground we found the slopes covered with
higher
to
fine grass,
resembling Alpine pastures, and fauna similar to that of the Alps, as far as
we came
scattered about on
the
of
them measured
well,
as
we entered
last
Taba seemed
I
at
of
Ovis country.
the
we would
to assure us that
below a high ridge on the opposite to
be
Some
and made our hearts leap
sight with our glasses of
them out
also
Wild Sheep
bed of the stream.
fact,
3 p.m.
some specks side.
young
and
ewes
In
see a herd
Towards
or two on the slopes before evening.
we caught
Here
could judge.
horns and skulls
across
We
sheep
just
made
quietly
There was an unusual movement among
grazing.
the
Kalmuks, who began pointing
the
words Kotchkor and Arkhar predominated conversation.
at
the herd,
As we came
lively
light
grey specks became more conspicuous.
in
a
second,
and a moment
trotted over the ridge.
men,
the
ewes carried
inches long, and larger.
We
all
;
their
in
nearer the
their
soon discovered our caravan
and
They
the heads were up
after
the whole herd
Unlike their Sardinian kinshorns
from ten
to
bodies were of course
were very anxious
unfortunately no other animals
twelve
much
to see the rams, but
came
in sight that day.
AFTER WILD SHEEP
96
We
passed
some
of
IN
many more horns
which
over
taped
curve and over eighteen
in
lying on the ground,
inches
fifty
At a
we were
along the
and great were our
girth,
expectations for the morrow.
path turned to the right
THE ALTAI
place where the
obliged to cross the
stream over a large snow-bridge, which melting
We
fast.
could see the swollen river rushing
furiously underneath
whole
fabric.
It
snow was
the
day a
and gradually wearing away the
was a dangerous enough
just strong
of the ponies, and
was now
we
to carry the
got over safely.
all
Kalmuk, who had been
Luckily,
crossing.
sent back
weight
The
next
for
fuel,
found the bridge gone, and no more signs of snow.
A
little
beyond
this spot the river
westwards, and we a few miles
now
followed up
we reached
till
made a sharp its
left
turn
bank
for
a suitable camping place,
which, our hunters said, was to be the centre of our
shooting operations, and pitched our tents at a few
hundred yards from the stream, mile
march.
totally
We
From
here
different aspect to
the
after a twenty-five
country
presented
what we had seen
were camped on a small grassy tableland,
rounded on
all
sides
by
hills.
The
valley
a
before. sur-
of the
Tchagan-Burgaza here made a bend southwards ami continued for a few miles to the sources of the stream, enclosed between two craggy ridges, on which a good
"THE HAPPY VALLEY" deal of
snow was
still
down from westwards
A
left.
close
97
small torrent flowed
by our
tents, whilst steep
rocks of a reddish hue closed in behind us from the north. its
Eastwards flowed the main stream, effecting
junction, a couple of miles
down, with
its
tributary
AFTER WILD SHEEP
c;S
THE ALTAI
IN
which formed a marshy plateau, over which we used to
on
ride
way
our
happy
"
the
to
The
valley."
ground was stony and barren, with patches of grass here and there, and no trees were to be seen any-
One
where.
could not imagine a more
favourable
country for the haunts of the glorious sheep, though
our actual camping- ground might have been better chosen.
Its
according to
altitude,
The
7,800 feet above sea-level. get was
was our main used to gather
We at
and
resource, all
we
only fuel
could
"
"
yourt
I
the large
in
hired at Ongudai.
poor Vassili's disposal utensils.
Kalmuks
which our
day and bring back
we had
had taken a
cooking
was
aneroid,
dry horsedung, which henceforward
Tezek,
leather bags
my
with
us,
which was placed
and
for
the
kitchen
must own
his
task was not an
his
easy one, though he never grumbled once, or showed
any sign of less,
dissatisfaction.
The weather was
cloud-
and towards evening- the thermometer descended
below
freezing
Visions
me, and
of I
point.
sheep
That
kept
night
constantly
I
slept
hovering
badly.
round
was wide awake when Cristo came
into
our tent at 3 a.m., as we had decided to start as early
as
possible
fortune favoured,
on our to
find
first
and
field-day,
stalk
the
they were enjoying their morning grass.
hoping,
if
rams while
KALMUK VOCABULARY
99
After a frugal breakfast, consisting of porridge and bacon,
me
we drew
lots,
Littledale
and
Fortune gave
I.
the eastern side towards the Chinese frontier, whilst
ground north and west of camp.
Littledale got the
We
divided
the
hunters
taking two of them
in
between
us,
each
of
us
order to try their capacities,
OUR KITCHKX.
and see scribbled
if
they would answer their purpose.
down on
the most necessary to
converse with
my
started,
were entitled
had
a piece of paper a hundred of
Kalmuk
words, so as to be able
two companions, and very soon
got on friendly terms with them.
when we
I
It
was
still
chilly
but from the look of the sky
to expect a fine day.
We
we
crossed the
AFTER WILD SHEEP
ioo
river,
shallow
quite
some way clown at
its
up the
"
the stream, striking
Man)- old
latter.
betraying"
We
Kotchkor."
heads lay about on former
least
at
came across
we passed
No
like
sound was
to
whistle of a
shrill
shadows
that
repeated
I
words, though
I
morning
regaining"
at last!
to felt
still
of
Hares
front of us
off in
the
be heard save, now and
Marmot
The Promised Land heart
in
the
presence
quantities of
and Marmots, which kept darting as
the right
to
off
rode
Bain-Tchagan, and following
junction with the
river-bed,
and
horseback,
on
here,
THE ALTAI
IN
twilight.
then, the
hole.
its
was with throbbing"
It
myself
two magic
those
rather sceptical as to the
presence of old rams on the rolling hillocks, which I
could
cross
are
now
over higher,
and
thought
Mongolia,
country
the
old
patriarch's
haunts
be
confident
of
;
but
success,
"Kotchkor ba" ("There Joseph,
We
must
where
hills
plainly distinguish before us. into
who was our
they
kept
sheep").
of camp,
Moreover,
guide, confirmed the
and had not considered
while to cross the frontier at
to
saying,
statement that Cumberland had found sheep vicinity
the
find
hunters seemed
for
are
to
wilder,
my
principal
I,
it
Fortunately
all.
in
the
worth I
was
soon to be mistaken. After a couple of hours' ride
I
discovered a herd
"HURRAH! KOTCHKOR!" young ones feeding on the slopes
of ewes and
They were about
right.
We
uphill.
to
my
number, quietly grazing
fifty in
immediately
hobbled the ponies,
and
dismounted,
having
them round a corner on the
left
Here began a steep ascent
river-bed.
101
Keeping-
for us.
well out of sight of the herd,
we made
for a
above
command
a good view
us,
from which
could
I
boulder
Just before reaching the top, as
of the country.
peeped cautiously over a
ridge,
my
glass
I
showed me
two or three specks on the opposite side of a wide ravine,
and
Hurrah!
a second
in
Kotchkor!
I
I
made them
out to be rams.
never forget
shall
this
first
acquaintance with the grand Altai sheep as long as I
Although they had
live.
large, strong bodies, the
horns seemed to be their main bulk, and every part the
beasts
seemed
mighty
heads
they
of
slowly away,
or
?
Then
unsuspicious,
patches
their
conscious of impending
evoke admiration and respect
and
they
showing
would their
feed
their
leers.
lighter
again,
dark grey
longer winter clothing
of
and withers, nose,
to
it
the
feeding
up suddenly
lifting if
in
animals by their commanding beauty and
of other
strength
was
concentrated
They were
carried.
now and then
massive sweeping horns, as danger,
be
to
coloured
For some time
I
on
with
backs
their
rumps,
was
entirely
coats,
lost
Roman in
con-
AFTER WILD SHEEP
:o2
templation,
till
my Kalmuks, who had squatted touched my arm and whispered,
one of
down behind me,
"Adar kotchkor
me
of
my
"
as
decided to get above them
I
possible,
This reminded
sheep").
("Kill
and
object,
quickly
as
THE ALTAI
IN
and wait
they fed into
till
favourable ground.
The wind appeared hunters,
I
to
be steady,
leaving
so,
started back in a crouching position,
an hour's
in I
I
walking got round
fast
my and
a place which
to
thought was about 300 yards above the slope where
Here
had located the sheep.
advanced with the
I
my
utmost precaution, expecting to see at
every moment.
my
animals.
began
I
covered either
But, alas to
my men
!
coveted prey
there was no sign of
think
they had dis-
that
when on reaching
or myself,
a ridge overlooking a narrow transversal gully there they stood, the grand old fellows, within in
my
front "
of me, half-way
Purdey
"
at the
up
I
distinctly
feel
heard
They
off,
Again
all
dismally low.
the
fatal
I
Reloading
1
20 yards
Off went
followed by a dozen
and which jumped at
fired
thud
disappeared,
slope.
which staggered, and,
failed to see before,
lightning".
like
flesh.
had
largest,
made
recovering instantly, others
up the
of
another,
my
bullet
however, making
my
rifle
I
was
and into
me
off in
a second at their heels, or rather some hundreds of
STALKING
103 "
Flying
long
snow-
yards behind, their pace equalling" that of the
Scotchman." patches
for
the
they had
up
reached
my
across
lay
direction
follow
Luckily
several
slanting
taken,
tracks
their
me and
a steep, rocky
me
to
till
1
mile,
which, according"
nullah,
to
At
must have crossed.
observations, they
the
in
enabled
good
a
for
hillsides
this
its
bottom flowed a precipitous torrent into the BainTchag'an, whose bed
below me.
I
spy the opposite
to
my wounded rams I
the
On but,
line,
to
hope of finding
still
remained, as
on
distinct blood-tracks
my
great
My
!
I
of
rock
till
I
disappointment,
saw
nullah.
on the
finally
ground
For a good
half-
opposite
side,
sick,
but
without
result,
found a blood-stained stone, and follow-
my
glass the probable direction which the
ram must have taken, there
the
no
chance was now to
only
peered into every recess, spied every ledge
ing with
very
my
saw the herd about
I
inspect carefully the whole of the intervening
and every corner of the hour
down
sat
me, standing motionless on the sky-
behind
staggerers
faint
ravine
up there
looking
a mile above
A
and
done,
fairly
side. in
had come across two
way.
way
could distinguish a long"
I
was now
I
spotted
him
lying,
on a cornice just above the bottom of
stream.
"He
is
mine now," thought
I,
as
I
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
io 4
scrambled noiselessly down amongst the crags
my a
were not yet over,
troubles
descent
steep
lost
with
To my
as
for
reached
I
one of
stones
these
and went crashing down the
balance
its
rolling
but
;
great disgust
hill.
saw the ram slowly get
I
up,
look round two or three times, and walk away.
was I
too
darted
filling
to get
my
shoot,
to
far
down
making up
my
mind,
could tear,
I
boots with earth and stones, and hoping
within range of the animal before he would
be out of
A
sight.
few minutes brought
where he had
place
so,
slope as hard as
the
I
down.
lain
me
now found he
I
had crossed the stream, and was making up the opposite side
at
a steady
had probably increased owing
pace,
his
way
which he
the noise
to
to the
made
I
my desperate rush. He was about 200 yards saw that all would from me in a straight line, and did not take my chance then and there be over if in
I
I
placing
so,
;
myself
putting up the and, confident told,
at
200 yards
my
my
in
and down he
stone dead.
As
"
sight,
Purdey,"
I
was on prize
I
The
fired.
and
bullet
bed of the stream,
my way was
position,
took a long aim
1
rolled to the very
well-earned
from above.
comfortable
a
in
to
have a look
startled
by shouts
There were my two Kalmuks stand-
ing on the ridge
I
had
just
left,
waving
their
caps
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; TWO
and pointing
frantically, right.
thought at
I
FINE HEADS
first
the
in
105
direction
was
that this
my
proceedings, especially as
mode
this
wild
my
other
direction
beast,
indicated,
however,
continued,
began
I
and on
there,
all
could not understand
As they
of telegraphy,
wounded they
I
manner
had witnessed
of congratulating me, and that they
a word they uttered.
their
to
their
think of
to
looking
in
a statue,
like
the
stood
a beautiful old ram on an overhanging ledge of rock.
He had
evidently discovered me, for he kept staring
intently
down on
would turn
his
the place where
stood
I
There was no possible hiding, so
full
animal, which, curiously enough, never
got within
1
steady aim, rolled
which
down I
then he
simply followed
I
up the bottom of the nullah within
till
;
head up slowly and watch the hunters.
shot the
150
dragged him down by
He
heart.
and stuck on a his
horns.
bullet
had shattered
also
from
crag,
mediately saw he was the largest of the two. first
inch
yards of him, and, taking a
him through the cliffs
sight of the
moved an
I
im-
My
his hind-quarters to pieces,
and he had probably been bleeding so hard that he
had no more strength
to
move.
The measurements
of the two heads were the following Length along curve.
:
AFTER WILD SHEEP
io6
My
two hunters came down presently, and seemed
be greatly rejoiced
to
("large horn"), and engaged
between each stand.
other,
by
this
able to assert
We
eyesight.
which
down
a comfortable spot.
of
a Scotch
Their
feet at
of
long thick hair,
of
their
with
I
us,
hunting
was
I
by the
close
winter
found
they
bodies,
which
with patches
colour,
the
rest
legs
and,
as
only
my Kalmuks
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; remains rumps
and
we grallocked
were exceedingly
taking
Their
the shoulders.
Their
colour,
should say they
I
darker than
coating.
lighter
was about that
size
brown
coats were of a darkish
the
lunch
to
red-deer hind, and
measured nearly four
left
their
though
they both possessed good
that
to
them,
of
having dragged the two dead sheep
stream, after
were of a
at a loss to under-
was
I
experience,
first
sat
a wild conversation
in
judge
hardly
could
I
capacities
They
the day's success.
at
("Well done"), "Jahn Muss"
kept saying " J akshi "
now
THE ALTAI
IN
the
heads
tied
to
We
lean.
and skins
their
saddles,
intending to send back later on for the meat.
was a
difficult
one of the
scramble
down
men had gone
brought down, the stones rolling
away
When we
at
for the ponies,
to fetch at the
It
which
and had recklessly bottom of the gully
every moment from under their
feet.
reached the main stream below, we found
THE HAPPY VALLEY
107
ourselves at the entrance of a beautiful valley, enclosed between steep grassy slopes and rocky pinnacles
Out
above, bearing every quality of sheep ground. of
At
flowed the Bain-Tchagan River.
it
the very
entrance of this valley stood several lower buttress-
which seemed
like hillocks,
At
the head of
to afford capital stalking
a few miles
off,
just discern a fairly high pass, which, as
my
ground.
told me,
was on the very
was the
"
Happy
Valley
it,
could
I
hunters
This
frontier of Mongolia. "
have before mentioned.
I
Later on neither Littledale nor myself hardly ever returned
from
no more
signs
camp, though satisfied
down
place
of
sheep,
it
my
with
decided
I
ladies
first
day's
We
work.
Taba and
to
their saddles
He
Two
!
of
the
p.m.
Here caught
Littledale soon
came
his other hunter
golden vein.
the
in
they
us
trophies.
left
as
the tents towards
welcomed
my
to
followed
where we had
heartily,
2
in
with
from the opposite direction,
and what was our amazement when we saw
hung
return
and covering the same ground as
morning, reached
sight of
to
Seeing
was only about midday, but quite
the stream to the spot
horses,
the
empty - handed.
the
We his
five
heads
had evidently struck a trophies measured well.
had come across a large herd of rams who had
failed to locate the first shot,
and had thus afforded
AFTER WILD SHEEP
io8
THE ALTAI
IN
him several chances of which he had availed
Seven animals the
first
the future, and merry
we gave
We
was our dinner
that night as
an altitude of about
at
and had each only seen one
feet,
for
our experiences.
the ladies an account of
had both found the sheep
9,000
himself.
day seemed promising
of rams,
lot
though probabilities were great that the surroundingcountry was a favourite resort of to
before crossing
theirs.
knowledge
thorough
a
acquire
of
Mongolia, and
into
We
decided
our
ground
started on the
following morning, June
18th,
going
in
westwards,
valley,
with steep crags on either side, led towards
the
direction
the Tarkhaty River, whilst
main Tchagan sources.
our
It
steeds,
was
there
-
I
at
3
was
a.m.,
was
still
the
every
of
hunters
up the
camp
was again
prospect
my
crossed the river,
long-
to
its
when we mounted
pitch dark
sky
a
follow
to
Burgaza stream from
but
Littledale
where
fine
and
cloudless,
and
weather.
We
I,
and trotting
along up the bed of the stream for a good hour,
soon
began spying both
saw several
of
pairs
startled out of the rocks
Animal
life
seemed
sides.
On
I
way we
we
where they were breeding.
Two
very scarce.
Eagles soared over our heads, and
wards 6 a.m. that
our
Brahminy Geese, which
saw a herd of
it
four
or
three
was only
to-
ewes feeding
A HERD OF TWENTY on
the
another
slopes
herd
above us of
again they were
we had
twenty
ing.
Further on
left.
head came
in
ewes and young" ones.
but
view,
At noon
not found a single ram, clouds were gathering
OUR FIRST DAY
fast
our
to
iog
S
BAG.
from the west, and a strong wind began blow-
\Ye could see the snow get up and turn
whirlwinds on the tops, and Taba,
in
who accompanied
me, seemed to think that there was no good to be
done that day. fully,
We
went
on,
however, spying care-
and reached the sources of the
river.
The
AFTER WILD SHEEP
no
was
country
THE ALTAI
Now
and desolate.
wild
we would come
IN
across
pasture
fine
and dark green
grounds with
here
patches
and there denoting-
marshy grounds, which our ponies would
but not a sign of a beast anywhere.
the afternoon especially
we returned the
after
Littledale soon
had
persistently
Fine rocks suggestive of Ibex now stood on
sides,
all
then
such as one meets on the Pamir steppes,
rich grass,
avoid.
and
found
came
several
camp
to
previous in
In
rather disgusted,
day's
success,
with a similar report.
herds of ewes
and
Ibex,
and
He and
had seen a couple of Maral hinds, but of the stronger This was indeed an ewe
sex there was no trace.
day
Our minds were now turned towards
!
Mongolian
side,
mioht have chosen
we decided
to
we thought
which
summer
for their
have a more
surrounding country before
careful
shifting
the
old
resort,
the
rams
though
survey of the
camp
into
the
unknown.
We
were up
at 3 a.m., as usual,
on the following
morning, but found heavy clouds rolling
and a strong south-west wind blowing.
was 6
low, so
a.m.
all
we thought the
it
in
the sky,
The barometer
was no use going
out.
At
ground round our tents was under
snow, several inches thick, and the wind turned into a gale, raging furiously the whole day.
This was
m
BITTERLY COLD a
most disappointing waste of
highly
disheartened
which was,
at
as
we
sat
time,
and we
felt
under our canvas,
every moment, on the verge of being
torn to pieces, or carried off by the sweeping gusts
of the hurricane.
It
was
bitterly cold
too,
and
all
our warmer outfit was badly wanted.
OUR CAMP UNDER SNOW.
By evening but the storm
we got up
at
the
snow round the camp had melted,
still
3
a.m.
steadily from the west.
the ground frozen hard. at
a lower altitude
lasting
raged, the
all
wind was
The
cold
night, still
and as blowing
was intense and
In hopes of finding sheep
we decided
to
have a
try,
and
ii2
AFTER WILD SHEEP
started
accordingly.
my
had secured
me
with
the
far
Tchagan stream, where
and kept assuring me that such
being'
buttresses
Valley
;
here
We
rode
for
of
Happy
the
The wind seemed
rather glad
felt
I
were not
they
would have been quite impossible
it
of the
spied a herd of ewes feeding quite
I
and
shifty,
rams,
couple
a
we reached
till
low down on the slopes opposite. very
and
guard,
their
entrance
the
at
approaching
for
on
less
hours without seeing anything, small
I
Taba came
trophies.
suspicious.
less
upon the country
fell
more favourable
latter
altogether
-
lot
two
first
time,
this
weather was sheep,
Bain
up the
eastwards,
My
THE ALTAI
IN
Here we dismounted, leaving
approach them.
to
the
ponies hobbled on the river-bed.
Taba
seemed
sheep up the
I
put
up
my
Kotchkor
was
On
wind.
not
we
winded
in
I
front of
more
at
times,
us.
As
into a dip. "
asked him.
do not know").
crawling
find
moved
beasts
arkhar ba?"
Belbess
"
So we advanced
and
chancing
the
reaching a small saddle, there stood two
ewes amongst some rocks
where
should
and soon pointed out some-
glasses the
ba,
his answer, ("I
cautiously,
old
valley,
moving about 400 yards
thing
"
we
confident
lay. us.
By
at a
extraordinary
Back
few yards from luck
w e went on r
all
they -
fours
had in
A GOOD STALK order
not
them,
disturb
to
detour, continued
lot
up
1
As
have actually seen
down and
time
this
watched them make
I
all
to wait
Taba seemed
again. after
as they could not
far,
and decided
us,
short
a
off
ram among them.
Zeiss distinctly spotted a fair
opinion,
who
they suddenly
for
thought they might not go
settled
where we soon
heads and galloped away, disappear-
their
ing over a boulder.
my
valley,
of ewes,
had evidently got our wind, lifted
making a long
and,
up the main
caught sight of another
113
my
share
to
we
off
halt
they
till
started
in
their direction, following up the narrow ravines be-
tween the low rolling
hillocks,
the best hiding-places.
and
faces,
joining
the
rocky
them afforded
and carefully choosing
The wind pinnacles capital
here blew
with
in
small
stalking,
if
sheep had not shifted to higher slopes.
our
ridges
only the
We
were
cautiously advancing in this manner, like Red-Indians
on the war-trail, inspecting every corner of ground
below us from every crag we came across on our way, right
when in
finally
order
suddenly took come.
So
I
to
Taba, who had gone on look
off his
crept
up
over an cap to
intervening
and beckoned
where he
to
to
my
ridge,
me
to
lay motionless,
and peeping over a ledge of rock caught sight of a fine old ram, quietly enjoying his
morning
siesta
AFTER WILD SHEEP
IN
THE ALTAI
4^ ENJOYING HIS MORNING SIESTA."
and chewing
his cud,
about eighty yards below
Others were probably indulging further down, but
was unable
and as
I
was
at
I
in
us.
a similar process
could only see the one animal,
to
resist
temptation.
Moreover,
comparatively close quarters and
the
wind being strong, he might suspect something every moment, and dash off without giving chance.
Feeling sufficient excuse,
aim and
fired.
as
I
expected,
The other
beast rolled
I
at
me
a
took a steady
over dead, and,
rams jumped up from under
the rocks and were out of
sight
in
a second,
the
PASS INTO
MONGOLIA
ground presenting a sheer dip
115
They
at that place.
appeared again several hundred yards beneath
all
making
us and crossed the stream, side.
them climbing
They
up
continued
one
in
the
left
up
lot
a herd
the
heads,
beautiful
carried
slopes
with
joined
presently
rams
for the opposite
counted eighteen altogether, as
I
hill.
I
watched
the
of of
Some
though
nullah.
and
ewes,
the
of
owing
had
I
failed
had
animal
to
conformation of the ground,
the
to
a
get
rolled
I
Un-
had bagged seemed as good as any of them. luckily,
the
one
second shot.
I
my
found
down some way, and had been
stopped by his horns catching on a ledge of rock. I
taped them on the spot; they measured 55 inches
along the curve by 17^ inches girth, 39^ inches from tip
to
down
tip.
to
As my
hunters grallocked
him,
sat
I
watch the herd that had now halted half-way
up the slopes and were examining our proceedings with the utmost curiosity, but, scared as they were,
they
soon
main
ridge.
trotted
As
away and disappeared over
for us,
we continued up
the
the valley
with the intention of finding a favourable pass into
Mongolia, none of our Kalmuks having ever passed the frontier.
As we advanced, rocks
more frequent
the valley ;
became narrower and
as for the dividing saddle,
it
nG
AFTER WILD SHEEP
seemed
to
me
impossible to attempt crossing
pack-ponies, though of
some
THE ALTAI
IN
with
it
could only judge from a distance
I
no time to inspect the place
miles, there being
On
thoroughly that day.
our
way we came
across
numerous horns of Maral (Cervus canadensis asiaticus or Ccrvus eustephanus) that had been evidently shed
many
years before, white and weather-worn as they
My
appeared.
abounded
hunters
told
me
country
the
that
Maral ten or twelve years ago, but that
in
they had nearly
been shot
all
for the
sake of their
precious antlers, and that the few that remained had
taken refuge
We
side.
in
also
the
wooded
saw a great number of sheep horns
the bed of the stream,
been
killed
on the Siberian
districts
in
whose owners had probably
by wolves, or had been starved
by severe winters and heavy snowfalls.
to death
The
country
bore altogether a touch of wildness and desolation.
Towards noon we were caught and returned
storm, well
-
deserved
spirits
my
;
camp
to
trophy.
I
found
Happy
That dinner
with
p.m.
in
by mistake
my low to
had convinced himself of the
error by discovering our party as
the
3
Littledale
taken him
hunters had
his
ground, and he
a dreadful hail-
in
at
we were
entering
Valley.
evening roast
Vassili,
fillet
of
the
cook,
kotc/ikor,
produced
which
we
for
found
A FRESH START excellent.
As
for the broth,
117
was quite good, and
it
henceforward replaced Maggi's cousommd, which we Later on
had been constantly using.
when
the animals
their meat,
owing
became
in
we had
fatter,
to their strong
the season, to
abandon
sheepy flavour,
for
RETURNING TO CAMP.
that of their domestic kinsmen,
procured us the
June till
21st,
7 a.m.
the
On
the following morning,
the wind had not abated, and that
went towards successful.
latter.
where stray Kirghiz
my
As
direction
we
camp.
old nullah
for
of
left
myself,
the
where I
valley
it
was not
This time Littledale I
started
had twice been with
westwards.
Taba It
in
was
AFTER WILD SHEEP
n8
THE ALTAI
IN
and we rode a long
certainly not a promising day,
way without even expecting
was a wider one than that of Bain-Tchagan,
valley
more overhanging
with
The
to see anything.
on
crags
either
bottom flowed a
nameless
small,
At
an immense side-corry to our
A
but rocks and snow.
We
spied
but saw nothing
left,
little
the
forming
stream,
here and there small lakes and swamps.
and
side
no nice boulders with fresh grass between.
further
discovered
I
a herd of female Ibex on the opposite side, probably
same which
the
but no
viously,
not
did
the
in
being
likely
rolling
hills
Littledale
to
approach to the
apparently a
crossed
stream
for
in sight
at
ground
me
seemed
my
fact,
with suitable pastures, and, it
would have been a
At a spot where a long
it.
main valley all
me
to
be
them
no
should
we
difficult
job
r
gully
came
us.
Further on
we
and followed down another
two or three miles
distinguish
w ere
spied a large herd of sheep,
I
ewes, far above
low divide,
that they too
the place
imagination as
There
sheep.
for
some 800 yards
to
in
;
appeal to
least
in
till
another herd came
front of us, feeding
the foot of the right slopes.
told
to
males
signs of
have found game,
down
had seen two days pre-
My
down
telescope soon
were ewes, together with what fair
well
rams, though
owing
to
1
the
was unable bad
light.
A LARGE HERD OF SHEEP, APPARENTLY ALL EWES."
AN UNSUCCESSFUL STALK
121
Taba thought they were worth approaching, and began making our plans
dismounted,
valley
towards them,
The
hiding. to
we the
There was no question of continuing down
stalk.
the
so for
our right,
only
way
there
no
being
possible
was to ascend a steep
follow the ridge,
hill
and come down the
THE HAPPY VALLEY.
nearest lateral ravine to a place which
was about wind,
I
200 yards from
who was
movements of they shifted to
We to
left
considered
where they
thought, blew uphill, so off
Taba's approval. hunter,
I
we
fed.
The
started, with
the ponies with
my
other
keep a sharp look-out over the
the animals, and signal to us in case
other ground.
It
was
fated,
how-
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
122
ever, that the
day was not
ascent was dreadfully
hour and a half
and
took us a good
it
near the summit.
get
to
The
prove a success.
to
steep,
the
In
meantime heavy clouds had been gathering, and the wind blew stronger every moment as we struggled up the precipitous
Presently
cliffs.
more and more dim and a regular covering us up with snow.
intense that
we were
rocks waiting
the
dilemma Taba suggested
that
we had
The
easier said than done. to
be worked backwards on
hard to the rocks
us
;
snow and
in
hail
We
somehow succeeded absolute darkness.
Moreover,
we had
simply blinded
his stalk
to cling
foothold on
preventing
us,
the
few pro-
took a couple of hours to reach
groping
in
We
his
returned to
and thoroughly drenched. in
This
!
descent at places
the horses, and that only thanks to Taba's
failed
this
order not to be blown off our
from securing a firm
truding ledges.
In
back
all-fours.
such was the force of the gale that
feet
amongst
lay
better go back
Go
the weather clearing up that day.
was
we
storm to pass.
there seeming to be no chance of
to lower ground,
had
on,
and the cold so
us,
nearly frozen as
for
came
In less than five minutes
everything was white around
the
became
light
blizzard
owing
As
for
skill,
who
way down
camp
in
half frozen
Littledale,
he had
to uncertain wind, but
had
A STORM managed brought
to
a young sheep, whose meat he had
kill
back
123
for
the
pot.
These
constant
gales
from the west lasted during almost the whole week
we spent pitched
at
this
most
camp.
must own that we were
I
unfavourably
regard
with
to
this
;
yvtf WAITING FOR THE STORM TO
PASS.
sweeping gusts would come down the narrow gully westwards and meet those from the main valley just at
the place
where we had camped, thus joining on
our housetops
from
two
different
directions.
and other considerations prompted shift
camp
into
Mongolia,
where,
us
This
strongly
moreover,
to
we
i2 4
AFTER WILD SJIEEP
hoped
to
come
rams on
higher
THE ALTAI
IN
across
unmolested
ground.
But a
herds
of
had
pass
to
old
be
found for the pack-horses, and our Kalmuks either
knew or,
if
nothing" about
the
they had been
would
doubtful,
that
fearing"
in
in
country over the frontier,
Chinese
their horses
I,
uncertainty
this
we
tribes.
decided,
Happy
the intention of seeing for ourselves
be
and
Littledale
on the following morning", June
to start together
22nd, towards the head of the
could
matter,
the
in
would be stolen by stray
Kirghiz or Mongol nomadic In
which was
territory,
no way help us
discovered.
Before
Littledale branched off to the
if
with
Valley,
an easy pass
entering
the
nullah,
where
hills
seemed
left,
lower and the ground more suitable for our purpose, whilst
I
Tchagan
was
to
valley
pitable for
a distance.
reconnoitre the head of the
and see
the pass
if
unshod hoofs as But
my
well-known buttresses
I
a few hundred yards to our
for as
we approached a
to get
1
ram feeding
YYe quickly
left.
in
thought was
1
when
dis-
a small hollow,
above the animal
wind, as usual, was shifty, and within what
be from
spied
mounted, and leaving the horses
made a long detour
inhos-
as
to
exploring designs were soon to
be checked by sight of game, the
was
appeared
it
Bain-
I
;
but the
found myself
50 yards of
my
prey,
A FINE HERD become
the beast had already
was moving slowly away.
In
up."
fact,
"
Taba,
little I
we
"
will
To my amazement, frightened by the report of my their
in
proved
they
to
Never mind,"
early
my
direction.
us,
We
when
they
had
shot,
and were busily
breakfast.
Unfortunately
been
not
They
on our very way
happy hunting grounds, and cutting us coveted
rifle
be ewes and young ones.
were feeding towards
said
others further
find
view by the bed of the
into
stream.
engaged
to take a hurried
had hardly reloaded
more sheep walked
and
slightly suspicious
had
I
shot, resulting in a clean miss.
confident
125
to
the
from the
off
had no end of trouble
in
avoiding discovery, and had to go round a couple crawling
of miles,
We
them.
now and
then
managed, however,
to
in
sight
full
them, and resumed our journey
out
disturbing
the
valley
We
had not gone
under cover far
of
my
of
get round with-
favourite
up
boulders.
when Taba suddenly stopped
me, pointing towards the river-bed below
us.
There
lay a fine herd of fifteen sheep,
all
There was no possible approach
to within less than
rams
this time.
500 yards from the spot they had chosen siesta,
so
entirely
we crouched down and abandoned
my good
waited.
I
intentions of
for their
had now
making
myself useful by finding a favourable pass over the
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
126 frontier,
old
and devoted
sheep
weakness,
beneath but
all
my
us.
I
sight
the
attention to the mighty
must of
acknowledge quarry
the
was
this
too
WATCHING.
Should
tempting.
hundred
yards
animals
the
towards
us
I
a
shift
sure
felt
couple
of
of success,
and the heads some of them carried were well worth trying
for.
them when,
We to
had
my
not
joy,
been
they
all
an got
hour watching up one after
GREATLY DISAPPOINTED and crossed the stream
the other,
Taba had whole
For some time we
found
under
us.
within
ourselves
was
I
the
point
towards a small pinnacle, w ithin easy
when
noticed that they
I
A
had become suspicious. bably off,
reached
thought
as
I,
nearest one. to
and
them,
making back
lowered
full
gallop
fired
I
others
an instant they were Cruel luck,
my
-303
and
fired
shot, but the
at
the
chance had
As
they crossed the stream
several
more shots
into
the
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;there being no question of â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and saw one of them whilst two
steep
waited a
starting
of a sudden
picking-
fall,
remained behind the main bulk,
up the
the
range of
rifle
all
midst of the herd out the largest
we pre-
staggered for a moment, then con-
tinued with the others. at
till
whiff of wind had proin
was a long
He
be taken.
of
to the opposite side.
I
It
of
was
feeding on the slopes
on
just
yards
250
r
the herd,
then
;
behind every rock, and
hiding
whom we now saw
animals,
lay low,
below us
disappeared
herd
rushed down, sently
our direction.
in
foretold this, saying that the grazing
better on our side.
the
129
slopes
little,
and looking very
struggling sick.
We
marking the direction taken by the
two wounded ones, and started as soon as they had
gone over a I
came up
ridge.
to the
I
dead
was greatly disappointed when beast,
though
I
felt
I
had only
AFTER WILD SHEEP
130
got what
such
a
pumping
along
by
curve
the
grallocked him on the
spot,
I
On
be seen.
to
So
I
;
the third was
continued along a pre-
covered with rolling stones.
cipitous slope,
to
judge whether they belonged
or
to
animal
was
I
still
disgust, a hail-storm
came on
of the
I
but
chase,
Taba now came
me.
to
and as
I
There was
was trying
him, the brute saw I
200 yards
was
pursuit
;
be beaten.
my
beast lying
with his head
which seemed two long no hiding-place
to creep
me and
up nearer
started
off.
By
round
to finish this
time
soaked by the snow, which had by now-
fairly
turned into
off,
moment
to
crouched down and lay motionless
about twenty minutes,
hours us,
We
us.
To my
at that exciting
was not going
could
the dead one,
following.
and soon spotted
stones about
the
towards for
up,
to
I
was unable
see the blood-tracks here and there, but
on
a steep
found one of the beasts lying dead on
I
the
the
reaching
last, after
the opposite bank of a deep ravine
nowhere
in
Taba
followed
result.
where we had seen them
scramble,
in "
lead
girth.
17
whilst
other two with hopes of a better the ridge
the
measurements were
His
manner.
reckless
inches
35
"
deserved by
I
THE ALTAI
IN
sleet,
but
and thought of abandoning further
Taba was
as
keen as ever, and we
continued on the slippery rocks for some time straight
SNOW AND WIND uphill.
A
good hour brought
up
half-way
lying
us
head of
the
to
Here we found our wounded
the side- valley.
again
131
the
slope.
fellow
made
I
a
desperate scramble to get above him, and shot him
make
through the heart just as he was preparing to off.
The two
and 39 by
17
trophies,
light
Littledale
sheep,
but
ponies to
heads
carried average inches.
I
exhausted,
a
in
:
48^ by
1
j\
camp with my
returned to
regular
blizzard.
had come back, saying he had seen no had come across easy ground cross
into
He had
Mongolia.
for
the
gone out
again up the main valley, and presently returned with the
report that he had
wounded the
finest
ram he
had as yet seen, but that he had been unable follow the blood-tracks
owing
covered up with snow, which our tents.
As
for the wind,
to
their
now it
still
to
having been
lay thick
round
blew as strong
—
CHAPTER Last
on the
days
Camp The
Tchagan-Burgaza
Mongolia
into
Start— Map
—A
IV.
— Pass over the Frontier— Shift — Major Cumberland's Camp
Blizzard
numbers
Chinese— Great
unreliable- Meet
of
— Karaoul Suok — Chinese Governor — Passports — Officials — Interpreters — Joseph returns with fresh Stores-
Sheep Heads Chinese
Start for Bain-Khairkhan Hills.
On
the morning of June 23rd the weather had not
changed
camp over and
our favour.
in
had decided
Happy
the low pass north of the
everything
and
had
prepared
been
to
Valley,
the
for
shift
start.
no long march could be undertaken
Unfortunately that day,
We
it
was agreed
that
Though dark
better chance.
and the wind blew
we should
wait for a
clouds covered the sky
persistently, Littledale
went out
at
4 a.m. with hopes of coming across his wounded ram,
whose pursuit he had had day, and
whose tracks he had
snowfall.
As
while
attempt
to
for myself,
a
I
stalk,
Towards noon, the weather
my
abandon on the previous
to
wife and
I,
lost
owing
thought
and
it
to the
remained
clearing up,
heavy
hardly worth in
we went
bed. out,
with our smooth-bores after Willow 132
A HERD OF RAMS
We
Grouse around the camp.
133
found some
the
in
These
neighbourhood, and brought back a brace.
grouse were not shy, and kept running before us even after
the shot.
Littledale
the head of a fair ram, which he of a herd of ten, probably the
had secured out
same herd he had spied
He
before on the slopes of the main valley. to
failed
find
at
sidering the gale that never ceased blowing
I
con-
all,
day.
all
the following day, the weather not being settled
enough keen
had
any sign of the wounded one, and
was astonished that he got anything
On
with
returned at 6 p.m.
for
shifting
to see the wild
my
camp, and sheep
wife being very
in their haunts,
we
started
together as early as possible in the direction of the
Happy hunter.
Valley,
taking
Littledale
with
us
Taba and another
had kindly conceded
to
me
the
monopoly of Taba, who was undoubtedly the best
man we
had, contenting himself with
he considered
next
ground well known
best.
to me,
We
Lepet,
crossed
the
whom same
and as we were following
up the bed of the stream a herd of rams, about sixteen in
number, came into view.
They had
a mile ahead of us in a place which possibly approach.
The
lain
clown
we could
not
buttresses at the entrance of
the nullah were too distant, and further advance was impracticable, for the animals had
full
command
of the
i
AFTER WILD SHEEP
34
We
lower ground.
make
to
IN
THE ALTAI
therefore turned back in order
a detour round a boulder to our
and,
left,
keeping under cover, followed up a ridge, which joined
This
eventually with the right slopes of the valley.
took about an hour and a half
strategical operation to perform, there
being deep stony gullies on the way,
which presented a series of obstacles to our wretched horses.
Finally
we got on
grass again, and having
dismounted, managed to reach some rocks, from which
we
could plainly see the herd, about 500 yards
lying on the river-bed.
I
we now found ourselves was
spot where
repeating that
in
commenced
possible, so
we
settled
down
further
at 8 a.m.,
watching our quarry with the telescope, which firmly fixed to
between two ledges of rock
have a good view of the sheep.
interested
their
in
were three
statement that this
I
for
I
had
my
wife
She was highly
proceedings, and said that there
first-class
average-sized
move
feeding,
No
grazing on our side being better.
advance was
as usual
sheep were sure to
the
our direction as soon as they
the
be our
to
Taba
observatory for the next eight hours. kept
off,
never imagined that the
old
heads and
rams amongst them, ten three
readily confirmed.
young It
was the herd out of which
three on the 22nd, and which
ones,
which
was quite probable I
had secured
we now found almost
GALLOPED OFF exactly in the
they
that
same place
would
137
moreover,
;
choose,
it
according
was as
likely
previous
to
experience, the slopes beneath us for their evening-
meal,
We
which
fact
would greatly
facilitate
our work.
therefore eagerly waited for the animals to get
up and afford us amusement. otherwise.
out the one
At
10
a.m.,
just
But as
fate
had decided
we were
picking-
which we thought would constitute a
worthy trophy, up they
all
jumped, scared without any
apparent cause, and galloped off towards the opposite slopes.
For some time we could not make out what
! !
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
38
i
had frightened them
down
the
two
with If I
valley,
ponies
in this
manner, when, on looking
was one of
there
ascending
the
in
hill
he had been nearer at that moment
view
full
really think
I
should have wilfully mistaken him for a kotcJikor
Taba
He
showed signs
also
of fury in his peculiar way.
who
explained to us that this was the hunter
had been sent from camp
meat of the
to bring the
sheep killed by Littledale on the previous withstanding
all
before evening, he had been reckless
this
way had
so
;
means
to start
Nothing,
we kept watching
We
the afternoon.
in
up the
hill
and
settle
however,
the herd,
say nothing of three
their
lay
persevered
could
in
again
meant
certain
To
our
stalk
failure,
to
or four hours' hard climbing.
in
our
crouching
suffering acutely from
be
come down
all
to be baffled
Nothing would induce the sheep
quarters
this
and decided
the slopes.
Unfortunately our expectations were that day.
in
saw them stop half-way
down on
them where they now
And
our chance.
wait in hope of seeing the animals
again
and
Great was our consternation
!
and disappointment.
done
to take
tired of waiting,
spoilt
was one of our hunters
Not-
clay.
him
the exhortations given
the greatest precautions, and by no
to
Kalmuks
our
direction,
position
to shift
though till
"pins and needles."
4
we
p.m.,
Finally
UNWILLING KALMUKS we gave to
thoroughly disgusted, and returned
up,
it
camp under
139
the scornful looks of the rams, which
we
did not even honour us by getting up as
At in
we were under canvas
6 p.m.
a roast
had
Littledale
was decided
it
also
following day across the
first
a
of
stay
hunting grounds
plateaux
search
in
fortune.
take place as early as possible, 9
a.m.
that
the
ponies
On finally
June
the
25th,
quitted
our
unknown Mongolian
the
for
of
we
pretext
camp on
shift
frontier.
days,
eight
many
been unsuccessful,
we should under no
that
whatever "linger any longer," but
after
again, indulging
of sheep which had caused us
fillet
a bitter hour.
and
departed.
were
The but
start
it
loaded,
was
to
was not a
till
desperate
chase after several stray ones having lasted not less than
Our Kalmuks being extremely
three hours.
unwilling to
visit
foreign countries, lazy in ordinary
times, accentuated as
much
as they could this defect
of theirs.
Poor Yakoub, the demitcha, was at a
to enforce
his
occurred
in
orders,
which the whip played a great
formed anything
part,
it
to the energetic demonstrations
was principally owing of Nicholas, Cristo,
loss
and, though several incidents
and Gabriel that we eventually
like
a caravan.
the main river, and, crossing
it,
We
started
down
began following up
one of the small tributaries of the
Bain-Tchagan
i
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
4o
stream with
in
the
a south-easterly direction. ladies,
whilst
I
rode
in front
behind
stayed
Littledale
in
order to see that the pack-ponies were not led back
Kosh-Agatch
to
the
hills
south to
and
seemed
of
home, as
As we advanced
eagerly desired.
to
become
where
us,
in
lower,
Happy
the
Kalmuks
our
so
slow procession, excepting due Valley,
parallel
which we were now going, was concealed from
view
by the towering ridges and peaks on of
side
Around
it.
boulders,
with
many
;
for,
though we saw none,
and horns strewed the ground on our
skulls
The
rolling
small ordinary ravines, probably the
winter resorts of sheep
way.
were low, grassy,
us
either
were covered with lovely
slopes
spring-
flowers, such as crocuses, buttercups,
and Edelweiss.
Towards
in
which
1 1
we were caught
a.m.
an
lasted
hour,
As we were
rain.
with
halted
the
entirely ignorant
ladies
had evidently camped, and the up,
rest of
in
at
a
place
of
;
into
our way,
I
where someone
to us that
Taba
presently galloped
he had spent a fortnight
the year before on this very spot with Major
land
hailstorm
order to wait for Littledale
our caravan.
and explained
a
and eventually turned
Cumber-
he also gave us the good news that the pack-
ponies were following up at a short distance.
noon we were
in
sight of
Towards
the dividing pass at the
TREACHEROUS SOIL head
of
A
marching.
from
small
the
long slanting slope
Chinese
still
blowing
separated us
Here we were met by a our
in
and
faces
sweeping
furiously along the dreary plateau before
but
we
the
snow
feet
;
could
now
great
height,
dim background
the
in
The
us.
the
Mongolian
stood at an altitude of about 9,000 us lay a marshy tableland, which
to cross in order to reach a valley running
eastward, shelter
no
mountain peaks of
front of
in
we had
were of
distinguish
clad
-
We
Altai.
foreground
the
in
hills
to
Another hour
be easily negotiable for the horses.
gale
were
and the pass appeared
territory,
brought us to the top. strong
we
which
along
valley
141
whose
under
we hoped
slopes
to
find
from the tiresome cold wind, as well as a
suitable
place
pitching
for
this
plateau
proved
the
horses,
for
it
camp.
by no means of
consisted
Unfortunately light
work
patches
soaked
of
for
grass
through
either
by freshly melted snow or by springs, thus
afford-
intermingled
with
shingle,
ing no resistance to our horses'
deep say
at
moment
firm
and
however, and
the
swamps.
it
As
feet,
who sank
into the treacherous
because to
treacherous
perfectly it,
every
all
appearance
knee-
soil. it
I
was
There was no avoiding
safe.
took us a long time to get over for
the
pack -ponies
behind,
I
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
142
cannot
heavy loads
and we
with
up
for
my
The
it.
with
herds
of
first
satisfactory
hope that the discovery
sheep would amply make
who had been
ladies,
their
This
difficulty.
China was hardly a
entitled to
felt
of undisturbed
managed
they
overcome the
to
acquaintance one,
how
conceive
placed under
were persistently confident of success, and
care,
greatly contributed to uphold the level of cheerful-
ness through the hardships of this
unknown over
finding a
in
reached
stream
the
-
Burgassy,
spot
into
useful more-
camp
for
as
we
which flowed a small
through
valley,
known on my
Boro
the
favourable
march
first
They proved most
country.
whilst
on
stood
I
map
Russian
forty-verst
a
as
ridge
watching our caravan struggling through the marsh,
and signalling
know
own
Littledale
the direction which
the
that
principal this
to
guide,
order
in
was
to
to
him
let
be taken.
I
must
map, which had hitherto been our
now seemed
hardly
and
reliable,
became more and more evident as we advanced
into Mongolia.
The
stream on the banks of which
we camped was known tirely
River,
different
one
of
name. the
to the natives It
flowed
tributaries
whose watershed we now found pass unnoticed the
way
in
of
under an en-
into
the
ourselves.
the
Suok
Kobdo, I
in
cannot
which Mongols christen
RIVER NOMENCLATURE their
according
the
to
These
water).
The
river.
of
two
water.
their
Ak-soti
or
classes If
spot chosen for our
is
it
(black water)
Tchagan-sou include
rubrics
two
into
Kara- sou
called
is
milky,
or
dirty
divided
are
colour
the stream
clear, if
These
rivers.
143
every
nearly
camp was
;
(white
quite a
comfortable one, close to the stream, and sheltered
by the of
bank from the
altitude
were
us
(about
8,800
low rolling
snowy summits glistened
Happy
locate the
a few miles
off,
Patches
bitterly cold wind.
snow here and there reminded us
high of
left
of
the fairly
East and north
feet).
boulders,
towering"
whilst
in the distance.
We
could
Valley by a long ridge of crags
now due westwards.
This rocky
spine extended eastwards for several miles, sinking
gradually
Suok
lower into grassy
hillocks
down
River, into which flowed the stream on
to
the
whose
banks we were now camped.
The
night was a very frosty one, and
came
to
in
(June 26th) at 3 a.m. out of
my
when
Cristo
wake me up on the following morning
blankets.
I
found
it
very trying to get
During the night a pack of
wolves had attacked some of our ponies and scared
them a
to such
difficult
an extent that our Kalmuks found
job to secure them.
Some
it
of the horses
had unhobbled themselves, and travelled great
dis-
144
AFTER WILD SHEEP
tances
towards our
last
about
a.m.,
start
to
until
5
THE ALTAI
IN
This delayed our
camp.
when we
lotted
me
to
Happy
the
due south,
lay
Valley,
managed
finally
muster the steeds we required.
The ground
al-
Littledale
got
whilst
which he would
now have
enter from the Chinese side, over the pass
The weather seemed
failed to reconnoitre previously.
to
have cleared up again, and
spirits
"fresh
that
I
fields
time before
was
it
camp with Taba
left
to
we had
in
in
the best of
order to
We
and pastures new."
visit
rode some
About
reaching likely sheep ground.
an hour brought us to a small lake surrounded by higher crests of
hills
;
on
its
shores
them were of great
of sheep horns, though none of
On
size.
the slopes of
we found where
me
my
that
it
were now exploring entirely new ground,
guide Taba had never been, but was,
this
according
winter resort of sheep, for
from the
bitter
rolling stones
attained a
north
and
it
wind.
now awaited
ridge
to
all
struck
it
probabilities,
a
was low and sheltered
A
stiff
climb
the ponies, and
we
over finally
from which we were able to spy
the opposite slopes of
eastwards,
red shingle round
transverse paths and numerous tracks of
We
game.
loose
lay quantities
a long deep nullah running-
affording-
splendid
grazing,
conse-
quently a most likely spot for the sheep's morning
'HOM
«
"
A CURIOUS ASPECT
My
meal.
147
soon confirmed our suppositions.
glass
Seven sheep were feeding quietly on the other the valley "
my
Taba, who was using
;
telescope, said,
"Young
Kitchinek kotckkor" which meant
side of
rams,"
a highly disappointing statement, which was nevertheless correct.
animals,
old
noticed.
It
was a herd
some ewes,
together with
We
immediately
two and three year
of
left
as possible,
Taba and
first
un-
the ponies in charge
"the understudy" and started
of
at
off
as cautiously
myself, towards the next ridge
order to get a good view of the far side of the
in
Unfortunately there was no hiding, and the
valley.
rams presently caught sight of
some
lateral
not
When we
ravine.
the opposite crest
expect to
an hour anything
see
just crossed, but
off,
jumped up from
found ourselves on
we
later in
and darted
us,
followed by a troop of ewes, which
of course
the valley
did
we had
began spying the grounds beyond.
The sun was now
high and exceedingly hot.
The
country before us presented a curious aspect of low volcanic-shaped hillocks I
could
flowing side,
distinguish
through
due south of
us,
the soil was arid and red.
Suok River
a wide
my map showed me hills.
;
steppe,
in
the
distance,
and on the other
stood a higher range, which to
be
the
"
Several fine-lookine corries
Bain-Khairkhan in
that
direction
i
AFTER WILD SHEEP
48
seemed
happy
promise
to
THE ALTAI
IN
hunting
and
grounds,
snow here and there gave me the im-
patches of
pression of the right altitude for sheep at that time of
Eastwards
year.
ran
Mongolian Altai with snow.
thought
I
its
lofty
down and pointed
some 800 yards below.
way up
from
pastures
above.
and seemed try
of
and cut them
of
rams
They were making
their
they
very
off
down
out
a
couple
towards the
were advancing slowly, fair horns,
we decided
we
fast as
reached
would
saddle,
a
certainly should
pace
at
under cover of
which
Had
we expected
have been unable
the next five minutes.
We
and, seeing no sign of the sheep,
corrie.
so
;
ridge
commanding
Though we
carefully as
we
we as
ridge,
this
till
we
animals
the
moment
they done so at that
me
I
for the
to shoot,
which we had gone rendered
over the
A
both sides
lay,
could lay our feet to the ground,
cross.
to
from the higher ground.
down from where we
the slope,
to visit
when Taba suddenly
which were covered with loose shingle
ran
for
As
to carry
steep ridge ran
peaks of everlasting
rocky ground
dry
the
the
of
ridge
was hardly worth while
it
the lower boulders beneath us,
squatted
main
the
breathless
waited some time,
moved
a view
of
spied every ledge
cautiously
the of
could there was not a beast
whole
rock
as
in sight.
TABA AT A LOSS The wind had been and Taba was
Many
tracks
>4<>
favourable during our manoeuvres,
at a loss to find a clue to the
and droppings showed us
mystery.
that the place
was by no means uninhabited by sheep, though the dryness of the
soil
seemed
to render
it
unattractive
"WE RAN DOWN THE
SLOPE.
i
AFTER WILD SHEEP
5o
to
A
them.
THE ALTAI
IN
now awaited
long climb back
us.
It
took us about an hour under a tropical sun to cover the distance which had taken us ten minutes downhill. I
know nothing more
disappointing" than a climb back
an unsuccessful
after
sportsman
Taba gave me, poor
little
came
share
will
the
as usual, a bit of his
experienced.
I
mind
in
English
he was the keenest hunter
fellow,
I
;
ever
reached the spot from which we had sighted
the two vanished rams, inspect the other corries
and on halting
in
order to
spied a herd of six sheep
I
"Taba,
the distance, about a mile lower down.
Kotchka^ answer
;
said
heard
"
I.
lok"
that
in the
natives use
Now
djeran
it
"No," was the
Caucasus and
it
a term
is
in Asia.
to express either
to the
have often
I
In the former the
Chamois or Antelope
;
Kalmuks and Kirghiz
the eastern Russian steppes
apply
is,
"djeran" as he carefully replaced the telescope
on the grass.
in
daresay that every
I
feelings
across.
We
in
and
stalk,
Saiga antelope, the same for Russian
Turkestan, where both the Saiga and the Antilope
guthwosa are that
we were
to in
be found.
I
therefore
concluded
the presence of antelope, but being
too far off was unable to identify the animals. on, during our return journey,
we came
Later
across large
herds of Antilope guttiirosa on the Kosh-Agatch plain,
THE SAIGA and secured several.
know
if
151
was very anxious
Littledale
and being keen
as Mongolia,
on our return to camp
;
Saiga,
drawing
we
their
swelling on the beast's nose.
Saiga exists animals
the subject
did our best to attention
the
to
hardly think that the
I
and
Mongolia,
in
it
but no useful information was
be got from them, although
describe the
made
to shoot one,
Kalmuks on
a point to cross-examine our
to
to
the habitat of the Saiga extended as far east
suppose
we saw must have been Antilope
the
that
gutturosa.
Seeing that there was no sport to be obtained on the low ground,
try the hills to the
Happy
Valley,
So we struck a
numerous
ridge,
and
in
a stony plateau
commanding
of about
every
two
attracted
or
my
three
miles
attention
stiff
ravines.
in
owing
diameter, to
patches of bright green fresh grass it
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a
likely place for sheep.
to spy,
work.
I
feet
on
over a large of grim-
walls
and broad
side,
snow running down the steep hills,
11,000
a view
rocky country, with
looking crags on
at
a couple of hours found
elevation
of
corries outside
where Littledale was
ourselves at an
stretch
we might
that
westward, and spend the remainder
of the day in inspecting the the
Taba
suggested to
I
the
slides
A
of
basin of especially
occasional
scattered
over
accordingly sat
down
and soon discovered a herd of rams feeding
1
AFTER
52
WILT)
SHEEP IN THE ALTAI Taba nor
Neither
slowly up the opposite slopes.
I
could distinguish the size of their horns, nor estimate that
at
decided,
distance
the
feasibility
neither
delay,
Taba
a good pace
at
led
the rocks and loose shingle, and though
way over
we went
us
of
anything- about the ground, and trusting in
Providence to get safely back to camp. the
We
stalk.
however, unanimously to try our fortune,
and started downhill without
knowing
a
of
we took over an hour
to
reach the bottom of the valley.
My off
companion's primitive leather mocassins scored
my
after
best nailed shooting boots on these stones, and
many
a
fall
I
me
from one rock
in
the bed of a
Taba's movements and wonderful
dried-up stream. agility struck
found myself
finally
here for the to
first
time
;
he would jump
another, alight on a sharp edge,
stand motionless for some time where a Chamois would hesitate,
The
performing marvellous feats of equilibrium. gravitation
force of
on him, and
I
found
it
seemed
to
have no
effect
a difficult job to follow
him
over the steep, broken ground.
Another
half- hour
brought
400 yards of the sheep, and great
when
I
to
a ridge within
disappointment was
saw before me eight rams,
five years old, but not
"Kitchinek"
us
my
(" small
all
one of them worth a "),
whispered Taba.
four or shot. "
Yes,"
START FOR THE HAPPY VALLEY thought
We
I,
"and we
way from our
are a long
dinner."
watched the animals feed over a boulder, and
Here again Taba
started in the direction of camp.
showed himself equal
to his task,
of the tents just as
sight
a hard three hours'
had
153
failed
to
that
we
and we were within
was getting dark,
after
was back.
He
Littledale
pull.
approach two
shifty wind, so rifles
it
fine
old
rams owing
At dinner we held
out of their covers.
council
with the ladies, and decided to send one of our to the nearest
secure,
if
Chinese
to
had neither of us taken our
post, or "
karaoul"
men
in order to
possible, a guide acquainted with the country
beyond, none of our Kalmuks having ever crossed the
Moreover, the day's
Siberian frontier.
shown
that our
result
grounds were not promising
having
for sport,
and as we had both sighted a fine-looking range of hills to
map
the south, which
with the
seemed
to correspond
on our
Bain-Khairkhan range, we thought
advisable to shift
camp
it
as soon as possible, or rather
as soon as the Chinese officials
supply us with the guide
would condescend
we had
sent
to
But we
for.
could not expect him within two or three days, a delay
which had to be endured, and which we spent
in
revisiting our old grounds.
On early,
the following morning, at
3.30
a.m.,
towards
June the
27th,
I
Happy
started
Valley,
AFTER WILD SHEEP
i.S4
Littledale taking the country
day.
THE ALTAI
IN I
had
tried the previous
During the night
was a lovely morning".
It
there had been a hard frost, and
found the water frozen
our
in
when
woke up
I
I
Unfortunately
tent.
the stove was of no avail, owing to the scarcity, or rather
of dried,
of
the quality,
to
the
fuel,
horse or camel-dung, native
of which would have rendered our inhabitable. Vassili,
may mention
that
despair for the
same
I
was
in
which consisted tezek, the
smoke
home
entirely un-
the
poor cook,
reason, our roast
kotchkor usually bearing a strong smell of tezek smoke. It
took us a long time to reach the entrance to the
valley,
land
our ponies stumbling over the marshy table-
we had
among
to
to
with
out
me
for
on either
some
side,
useless.
and discover game I
left
my
We
"second-
time,
followed the bed of the
examining carefully the slopes
and stopping now and then
ravines, at the
rams enjoy
planet,
charge of the ponies, and started up
in
the nullah with Taba.
lateral
Taba had
to eye-soreness, yet could see
any man on our
man"
ourselves
Littledale having
for the day,
where telescopes seemed
stream
found
him a hunter named Lepet, who,
though he was subject as well as
horse
only
the well-known buttresses at 6.30.
been conceded taken
and
cross,
to
spy the
bottom of which the wily old
their siesta,
but there were
no signs of
A HOPELESS ERRAND sheep
At
we had gone almost half-way up
till
this stage, just as
we had passed
a lot of about fifteen rams
yards ahead of
came
our
in
that
might
fate
Naturally
crawled
it
down,
lay
did
along
alter
the
stones
being; discovered.
waited
direction
nothing of
the
wind kept
the
and there was no
backs,
and
some 500
into sight
means of making a dttour without both
the valley.
a sharp turning,
Unfortunately
us.
blowing steadily
So we
155
the
we saw
sort,
hope
the
in
of
wind.
the
and
as
we
whole herd
the
get up, cross the stream, and trot up the opposite slope, I
till
they
all
disappeared over the
watched them the whole way with
ridge.
last
my
glass,
and
found that two or three of them would have been
most
how
satisfactory trophies.
and there was no time that day
which would have taken us
five
So we continued on our
make.
quite prepared to see in
were now
front
of
a loss
at
kept blowing up the
proceed, for the wind
to
valley,
We
or
for a circuit,
hours
six
hopeless
any sheep that might
us speed mercilessly away,
to
errand, still
be
when Taba
suddenly stopped me, pointing towards a small grassy boulder,
some 800 yards ahead
of
us.
It
stood at
the very junction of the two streams forming the main river,
which divided up two narrow rocky
gullies.
crouched down, and soon found that we were
I
in the
r
AFTER WILD SHEEP
56
presence of another not
tell
;
so
it
for
fifteen
my
was probably
beckoned
I
bed of the fairly
of
rams,
but could
whether they carried good heads or
any case
day
lot
THE ALTAI
IN
river,
Taba
to
I
at
not.
In
for
the
me down
to follow
whose banks
steep, and, as
chance
last
another few hundred yards.
keeping as close as possible
we were
we had
the sheep,
in
this
I
had
manner by bank of the
to the right
obliged, in order to keep
under cover, to wade knee-deep others
we
In five minutes
expected that we might advance
In places
were
thought, might afford hiding
were out of sight of the herd, and found as
stream.
to the
place
this
in icy-cold
water
;
in
to crawl over the stones in full sight of
but happily only for a few seconds,
The wind was
another slope hid us from view.
wrong, nevertheless
till
still
hoped that we might get within
I
shot before the rams suspected anything, as they were
some way above
We
us.
soon found ourselves within
400 yards of them, but here ended the protective slopes,
and
we
could
being discovered.
I
advance no further without
took out
my
" Zeiss
"
to
examine
the herd from behind the last corner, and found that several of the
beasts were quite shootable,
none of them carried
quietly grazing towards us, solution of the
heads.
first-class
and
dilemma than
I
though
They were
could see no other
to wait
on the chance
A TREACHEROUS WHIFF of their to
1
coming within
aba as best
my
look from "
shot.
could, but
I
explained
I
my
was met with a
design
sceptical
companion, and the laconic answer,
yaman" which meant "Wind bad." thinking that the little man was perhaps
Salkhyn
just
and that we might be scented I
157
saw him make up carrying off
view,
his
my
at
was
right,
any moment, when
mind and creep on
precious
I
rifle.
I
in
full
could
but
so.
We
follow him.
went
All
right
for
a hundred yards or
crouched motionless every two or three steps, watching the sheep with one eye, and with the other picking
At
out the next large stone for a halting-place. a treacherous whiff brought
danger, and suddenly lifting their heads they
gazing intently
in
last
them the forebodings of
No
our direction.
all
began
time was to be
Putting up the 200-yards sight, and taking a
lost.
hurried aim at the one which to
my
staoorer for a second. 00
A
ram,
I
fired,
and
I
took to be the oldest
greatest surprise
moment
appeared with the others over
They gave me, however, poor one,
I
must own
after
the
he had
nearest
a second chance
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and
saw him dis-
ridge.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; though
a
the result was a broken
hind leg for one of the smaller rams.
Taba now wanted but
I
thought
it
to follow
them up immediately,
wiser to wait, and not frighten the
AFTER WILD SHEEP
158
one
considered
I
had wounded,
I
would separate from
down
lay
in
some neighbouring So
and forcing him
coat,
who kept "
my
explain
to
tried
Not wounded."
I
to
Baalou
ravine,
where we
my
hunter by
caught sit
intentions "
repeating
which case he
in
companions, and probably-
his
might stalk him again. his
THE ALTAI
IN
clown by the
to
iok
Evidently his
my
side,
man,
little
"-â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which meant was
idea
to
get
another shot at the animals by making a dash to the ridge over which they had
brought
me
entirely
unfit
the
to
place
take aim.
to
my
noticed the result of while,
as
sat
I
low, the
a mile in front of
and
shingle,
I
us,
who was
the others.
My
;
and
In
shot.
came
panting,
he had
Moreover,
herd
would have
this
breathless
first
in
not
the meansight about
making up a steep slope of
found that
its
number had now
Behind came
creased to over thirty. youngster,
gone
my
in-
three-legged
struggling hard to keep up with
rifle
had awakened the rumbling
echoes of the valley, and several
lots
of ewes were
galloping furiously up different slopes.
When was
they had
all
re-established,
disappeared from view, and calm
we
started slowly
up the grassy
bank towards the place where our sheep had been feeding,
and
whatever.
to
My
my
dismay found no blood
-
tracks
companion's triumphant look seemed
THE WOUNDED RAM "Baalou iok" though
to repeat
quite
humbled
at
must acknowledge
I
that he did his best to prove he
159
was wrong.
moment, and was the
that
felt
I
first
to
give up the search for invisible blood-tracks.
we made
Calling him away, sat
down
I
believe
Of
lunch.
to
upon the mess
stream and
for a small
course our thoughts turned
had made of the whole business, and
I
we hardly
uttered a word,
when Taba, who
was perpetually on the qui vive and constantly looking round about him, pointed up a narrow gulley which led
down
where we
to the place
distinguish stones piled
sat.
could only
I
up one over the
presently spotted one which
the others, about 300 yards
other,
seemed more yellow than
Up
off.
went
my
" Zeiss,"
followed by an exclamation, " Kotckkor /"
had turned, and on
my
side.
half-hour
in
this
had been quietly
full
view of
him
!
The
tide
time the triumphant looks were
We
within shot of
and
sitting for the last
my wounded
The
ram, nearly
brute was lying on the
stones with his head towards us, evidently very sick. I
loaded
my
rifle
and was
of the torrent, hiding
was not dead
yet,
off in a
where
and as
slowly and started away.
I
But the animal
I
was about
I
ran on as fast as
could carry me, just in time
round a boulder.
second up the bed
could.
Naturally
to
my
see
to
fire,
got up
my
legs
him disappear
two shots were of no
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
i6o
avail in the heat of the chase
and breathless as
Again
rolling- stones.
followed on over the
I
was.
I
Luckily
the banks were steep on either side, and the beast
could only go along the bed of the stream.
headlong pursuit lasted about an hour, and till
was not
I
saw my
reached the very top of the gully that
I
ram slacken
his pace
and
Heavy
down.
lie
blood had greatly weakened him, and
This
it
I
loss of
can hardly
which of the two was the most exhausted when I
finished
him
His horns taped
at close quarters.
well, the following
being the measurements
along curve, 46
girth at base, i8f
My
first
in.
;
shot had smashed
produced by small-bore bullets
and has caused
me
Taba proceeded
to lose
my
had
before now. 1
left
went back a long
way
He
of Takhua,
fast
in
the
asleep and
brought them back, however,
an hour's search, and we started towards the
dead sheep.
we loaded
badly
a great disadvantage,
many an animal
whom we
name
the horses gone.
so
2 5 in.
and entered
second hunter, who rejoiced
pleasant-sounding
after
Length
the nullah.
found
I
is
to grallock him, whilst
fetch the ponies,
to
thigh
his
:
spread,
;
fairly
Absence of blood from such wounds
the stomach.
down
in.
tell
at last
wanted
Taba had
already cut up the animal,
the ponies with the meat, which was for
the
kitchen,
sending
Takhua
THE COLD INTENSE straight for
camp
to
tents at 6 p.m. without
but
up a small
started
river
Littledale, as
expected, had found nothing
young rams and arkhar,
washing
busy
morning.
ewes.
i.e.
drying
them
we had brought
halfpenny novels
June
the journey.
in
There had been a hard
had
gathered
the
numerous
off-day
from
tired to
to
the
remain
eastward
previous bed,
in
not
did
from
stores
Littledale
the
when
exertions,
come from
off
the
at
More-
sport.
to
fetch I
writing
in
an
decided
I
thought
I
Cristo
new ground
the
as
Joseph
afternoon
had started
had
send
Kosh-Aoatch, and
spend
usefully
day's
promise to yield to
me.
Feeling very
6 a.m.
at
especially
we intended
over,
news
wake me up
us for for
during the night, and
frost
a bitterly cold north wind was blowing in
whole
out with
was an
28th
had
ladies
the
linen
they
afternoon
the
In
and
flowers round camp, pressing
came
the
having seen any more game I
Taking advantage of the weather, the been
in
home, and crossing a pass reached the
direction of
that day.
As
our well-earned quarry.
with
we
ourselves,
161
early
Chinese
more might letters.
hour.
post,
and
No we
eagerly expected our messenger with the guide he
was
was
bring
to
intense.
M
back
with
him.
Our Kalmuks were
All
day the cold
constantly ordered
AFTER WILD SHEEP
i6 2
THE ALTAI
IN
about by the demitcha to gather in at
our only
tezek,
Ongudai
;
damp, owing
unfortunately
precious
the
a heavy snowstorm
to
from
tained
came
that
was
mutton
Roast
it.
question that day, and
we had
came
in
with a
The
his
out
the
of
ourselves
Towards evening
head, saying he had
fair
wounded another and a much been unable to follow up
on,
to be ob-
to content
with tinned tongue and sardines. Littledale
was
stuff
and there was more smoke than warmth
my
fuel,
the large leather bags that had been lent to us
ram,
finer
tracks
following day brought no change
the
in
had
but
storm.
the weather
in
;
barometer kept low, and a regular gale blew from Nevertheless
the west.
ing to
I
went out
camp drenched and
half
at 8 a.m., return-
frozen
afternoon, having seen but three ewes
Joseph had started
of marmots.
for
late
the
in
and a couple
Kosh-Agatch
with four ponies, letters and instructions to catch us
up either
Karaoul Suok, or
at the
at the foot of the
Bain-Khairkhan range, which we next intended try
for
candles
Ovis Amnion. to
warm
themselves,
during the whole day. to discover his in in
a ÂŤ>
The
ladies,
never
Littledale
wounded
having left
lit
their
to
their
tents
somehow managed
animal's
trail,
and brought
most satisfactory head, measuring 18^ inches irth.
There
beine
still
no
news
from
the
A LAST CHANCE we
karaoul,
coming
decided
all
our
to
wards and interview the Chinese using
my
one
more day's
the event of
in
no one
continue our march
to
relief,
have
to
and,
that place,
outing" at
163
Russian survey
map
as
official
east-
ourselves,
our only guide.
A DAYS REST.
I
went out accordingly
at
daybreak next morning,
taking with
me Taba and one
The
had
night
was quite old
settled
ground a
my way
been
last
very
again.
of the other hunters.
cold I
deciding
and the weather
intended chance,
to
and
give to
our
make
as far as possible in a south-western direc-
AFTER WILD SHEEP
i6 4
so as to get
tion,
of
tract
that the sheep,
the main
Valley.
neither
and
us had yet explored,
of
Happy
country which
behind the
well
There was a large
THE ALTAI
IN
was quite probable
it
frightened by our frequent visits to
might have shifted
nullah,
their quarters
over the ridge southwards, where a great number
would afford the old
ravines
of
We
they badly required.
rams the shelter
therefore crossed without
dismounting, or even spying the two broad
which
had
I
come
only
and
hours that path,
across
I
had
I
young rams and ewes (arkkar),
was not before we had ridden
it
valleys
on the 26th, and where
visited
good
for three
considered myself on the regular war-
and began
We
advance cautiously.
to
now
found ourselves on a small tableland, at an altitude of
the
about 9,000
Happy
melting
fast
under
the gravelly
verted
ponies, incapable of
I
sun's
soil
into
much
southern
ridge
powerful
of
muddy swamps
the
to
to spy.
patches
of
trickling
along the bottom
grass
;
our to
my Kalmuk
care of
went on with Taba, and presently
fine
con-
rays,
exertion, soon refused
Numerous stony
A
the
the
Leaving them
work. gillie,
under
feet,
Valley, and the long stretches of snow,
sat
down
corries lay before us, with
below, into
and the
small
Suok
herd of sheep soon came into sight
;
streams Valley.
they were
UNSUCCESSFUL TRIALS
165
mostly ewes, feeding on the slopes of a deep ravine
some 800 yards
below
amongst them seemed
These had evidently slumbering
the
in
At
watch.
first
I
Two
us.
or
fair trophies.
and were
their meal,
finished
open whilst
rams
three
promise very
to
spouses
their
kept
decided that they must be young
rams, the larger ones generally keeping apart from
arkhar
time
that
at
of
Yan
kotchkor
(big
mistaken
vented
the
un-
we advanced on
making a
and,
them from another side
were stopped by the straight
down
to
the
in
round
way was
I
in
to
finally
lay
might come towards us
crawled
all-
here
but of
of
the meantime,
a most trials
again
grass
Some
back
tried
dttoiir,
our approach.
After several unsuccessful other directions,
;
herd.
siderably interfered with
veered
long
stretch
fiat
had fed up towards us
the wind
We
concealment.
further
accordingly,
only
my
statement
Taba was seldom
soon broke into an abrupt descent, and pre-
fours,
stalk
about
they were
Unhappily,
!
which
over
was
I
said
which Little
judgment
his
in
slopes,
shikari
rams),
telescope soon confirmed.
dulating
and
year,
my
abandoning them, when
to
we
leading-
the
ewes
and conMoreover,
dangerous way.
to get
nearer from
convinced myself that the
low and wait, later
on
in
in
case
they
the day or feed
1
AFTER WILD SHEEP
66
As
into easier ground.
they showed
closely,
thought
at
the
after
slowly
other,
better
was
I
when towards
mentally,
THE ALTAI
examined the rams more
I
far
and
first,
IN
heads than busy
1.30 they lazily got
They
was a good omen.
now and
stage
this
positions,
as
up one
ever on the that
At
alert.
we should
our
shift
sheep were heading to our
the
So we crawled back
and,
This
uphill.
kept advancing steadily,
again,
Taba suggested
them
themselves,
stretching
shaking their bodies, started feeding
looking up
had
I
taping
left.
silently out of view,
and striking
across a slope of loose shingle squatted
down some
a small depression, where
two hundred yards lower,
in
a grassy plot in front of
me
for
my
rifle.
and waited.
Here we both Presently
presented a capital rest lay
flat
on our stomachs
rams came up within
the
range, and carefully drawing a bead on I
let go.
The thud
so well
known
ear answered instantaneously
;
largest
to the sportsman's
the animal staggered
moment, but picking himself up
for a
the
trotted away.
The
other two rams, strange to say, abandoning the
rest
of
the
straight 1
fired
misses.
herd
which
up towards us
two shots
pelted
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and
away
here
in
downhill,
my
excitement
at sixty yards, resulting in
There was no time
ran
two clean
for reloading again, for
they soon popped over a ridge and disappeared.
I
A BROADSIDE SHOT was very sick having
of
followed
performance, but as
at this
the
hit
ram,
first
by Taba,
the
in
direction
We
soon found blood.
The
along the slope,
but as
a
col dividing
small
he had
taken.
we reached
some
two
the
we
corries
foot
could
no more red -stained blades of grass to direct
find
Now
us.
was the dilemma
scramble over the ridge,
gone down
;
considerable
who was but
still
sight of
my
miles
delight
least
off.
I
fire,
succeeded
he
con-
I
four hours of
I
chose the ridge,
when from
my ram
yards before he noticed
about to
at
lying on
Creeping down
alive.
him
?
the
got
in
my
stealthily
approach, and as
in
the snow.
my
Purdey, dropping him stone dead I
I
in
full
going another hundred
As
had expected,
of
But he
up slowly and gave
broadside shot as he stood
top
the edge of
some 300 yards below me!
a snow-drift,
was
the valley
with a doubtful issue, and our
toiling
caught sight of
I
to so,
disposed to favour the latter
meant
this
camp was now many and great was
had he managed
;
being unable to do
or,
the bottom of
to
sulted Taba,
alternative
it
closely
off,
tracks led up for
the
sure
felt
I
rushed
I
time of
167
in
I
was
me
a
Off went his tracks.
found him to tape
well,
the
horn measurements being 52 inches along the curve, 19 inches girth,
and 38 inches spread.
Taba
pro-
1
AFTER WILD SHEEP
68
ceeded to cut
by turns up the
carried
was
meat
left
out
entirely
of
was
daylight
as
us
We
the
failing
our
of
sight
at
The
place
being
A
couple
where
ponies.
now made
for
camp,
and heartily greeted
fast,
tents
slopes.
the
high plateau
of
the
to
horses awaited us.
the
precipitous vultures,
reach
the
brought
hours
of
the
to
we now
head, which
his valuable
off
THE ALTAI
IN
On
p.m.
7
back Taba said that he had counted
at
our way least forty
ewes (arkkar) and about twenty rams (kotchkor) the herd
had
we had come
In
across.
the
in
skirmish
I
failed to count the deserters.
found the ladies
I
was so warm that we
high
in all
spirits.
The evening
dined out of doors, discussing
the clay's events, and the important question of the
morrow's brought
in
only a
morning, July
1st,
Cristo,
aspect.
Nicholas, and
from
Littledale
start.
6
a.m.
all
small
our
had had bad
On
head.
Russian
our
our Kalmuks were
loading
the
ponies,
and preparing everything
tents,
following
the
camp presented a most
Gabriel,
lively
interpreter
busy
pulling
and
luck,
at
work
down
for the start.
the
Our
demitcha, Yakoub, though a thorough gentleman of his kind, his
had
was not up
men to
to his mission.
He
kept ordering
about, but these obeyed reluctantly, and
depend almost
entirely
we
on our servants and
SKULLS OF SHEEP Taba, who made himself useful
We
round.
but the packs did not start
off at 9 a.m.,
According
all
169
map
the
to
the
till
were 1
1.
Chinese karaoul lay
about ten miles due south, but we soon found that it
was much further than we had expected, so did
the horses, for
was not
it
until 3 p.m. that
Kha's yourts (Kha
sight
of the
to the
Governor of a karaoul),
twenty-five the
way.
The
cipitous
on
we caught title
given
march of about
after a
Our
miles).
route
led
Boro-Burgassy Valley almost the whole rocky and
country was
cliffs
either
(sixteen
versts
down
the
is
Pre-
barren.
with grassy tablelands above stood up
growing
side,
lower
gradually
as
we
advanced, and turning eventually into an undulating steppe, through which, a few miles
flows the
Suok
numerous
skulls of
now and we as
region.
We
not
offering
coloured
Perhaps they were meant
imagine. to
the
gods,
ribbons hanging
None
spied
several
hot,
corresponding to
on trees
in
the
Kalmuk
the
of these heads were worth picking up.
but saw no rams.
scorching
That day we came across
sheep strewing the ground, and
again piled up in heaps, for what purpose
could
an
River.
beyond the karaoul,
and
ewes on the surrounding
The weather was I
believe this
march we had during the
slopes,
lovely, the sun
was the warmest
entire trip.
A
few miles
i
7o
before
a
AFTER WILD SHEEP reaching
the karaoul
THE ALTAI
IN
we were met by
dozen Chinamen on horseback,
picturesque costumes.
We
been sent by the head
or Kha, to
They wore
coats of different colours,
half
most
understood that they had
official,
us in Chinese territory.
the
in
all
welcome
sheepskin-lined
by no means
tight-fitting
SKULLS OF SHEEP TILED UP IN HEAPS.
breeches entering into Russian leather embroidered top-boots
with
turned-up
points
various-shaped caps, over which their respective ranks in
these men,
at
the
toes,
Chinese hierarchy.
who appeared
to
be
and
coral beads denoted
in
One
of
command, wore
a silver belt around his waist with numerous trinkets attached to
it,
such as a pipe-case, a small box, a
THE "KARAOUL" of
bit
etc.,
flint,
all
171
mounted.
silver
This
was
belt
later on to form the subject of long and
destined
unsuccessful bargaining between the Littledales and
The
owner.
Their
rifles,
slung on their shoulders, were primitive
The
flint-locks.
length of their pig-tails was also
in
Naturally our conversation
proportion to their rank.
was of the
its
others also carried belts of lesser value.
though
briefest description,
I
several times
put questions about kotchkor, of which they seemed to
be entirely ignorant.
karaoul.
It
We
now soon reached
At the
and there along the banks of the stream. further end of the village stood a
looking yourt, into
the
consisted of a few yotirts scattered here
surrounded
more
respectable-
wooden
by a
palisade,
which were stuck several red and yellow
This was the Kha's palace.
We
flags.
decided to pitch our
camp some two hundred yards away from
the yourts,
so as to avoid the close neighbourhood of
unwelcome
insect
pests
that
make acquaintance
would be only too delighted with European blood.
ponies not having yet arrived, to inspect the native dwellings, dirtier
than
Chinamen
we had
sat
smoking
I
Our pack-
went with
my
long
A pipes
few
ragged
round the
fireplace,
and the combined smoke rendered the
stifling.
They
all
wife
and found them even
anticipated. their
to
seemed very astonished
at
air
the
AFTER WILD SHEEP
172
and made a
sight of us,
THE ALTAI
IN
round
circle
examining
us,
us closely, fingering- our clothes, and paying special attention above
We
had
explain
was about
when we saw
At the head of uniform,
with
Our
came
a small
followers,
peacock
in
his
Chinese
feather
in
By
his
The
sight
After
the
sent
his
an
us,
tobacco
tacit
interview.
expressions
with regard to conversa-
that,
interpreter
filled
karaoul
the
marched behind.
imposing
bows and
;
our old friends
recognised
meet
be his
to
and
ours,
there was a
from Kalmuk to Chinese.
gap was soon the
and
pipe
quite
we found
link, viz.
at
to
promised
between
be
his
preliminary
of friendship
missing
boy (who turned out
whom we
in
who had been
to
Kha
traditional
carrying
interpreter),
this
the procession approach.
walked the
the
were
tents
cap as an emblem of his governorship.
his
side
tion
it
signs
their
come and greet
to
the distinguished white foreigners. up,
to
they were
articles
we understood from
as
that the head official
hardly
crop.
Needless to say that we shortened our
in.
especially
visit,
wife's riding
on our pantomimic powers
use of the different
the
interested
my
things to
all
to rely entirely
Luckily
by a Kalmuk who happened at
the
time,
and
who was
acquainted with both languages, having had frequent dealings
with
the
Kobdo
merchants.
His
name
EXCHANGE OF
CIVILITIES
i73
was Daniel, and we forthwith engaged for
Mongolian journey
the
month.
per
roubles
In
of civilities went through finally
the
at
this
his
rate
services
twenty
of
manner our exchange
four stages before
comprehended on both
sides
;
it
was
thus Littledale
jfeu*ai
"we were met
spoke
to
me
Russian for for
Daniel,
Chinese
for
in
by half a dozen chinamen."
English,
Nicholas,
who
the boy,
I
who turned
next translated
who
the comprehension of the
Every sentence took about which
which
it
translated it
into
into
Kalmuk
Mongolian
eventually brought
Kha
in
it
to
pure Pekin idiom.
half an hour to
considerably lengthened
into
the
go round,
interview.
Our
AFTER WILD SHEEP
174
main object was
obtain a reliable guide for the
to
we intended
country
to explore, but the old
question,
avoiding- the
THE ALTAI
IN
man
kept
and on being summoned
to
give a definite answer said he was unable to comply with our wishes without having previously received
On
orders from the authorities of Kobdo.
the other
hand he gave us a most lamentable description of misfortunes,
private
saying
his
he had been sent
that
through the intrigues of jealous
to this distant post
compatriots, and that he had had to leave his wife
and children
Finally he rose and departed,
at Pekin.
though not before having asked us
to
produce our
passports.
Towards evening
and
Littledale
I
returned
his
Bringing with us the precious passports, which
visit.
had been duly visdd by the Chinese Legations
London and interpreters,
yourt.
Our
St.
we
solemnly
firm intention
supplied with received
Petersburg,
a
evasive
native
entered
was
guide
answers,
to
but
;
and
Governor's
the insist
upon
being-
here again
none of
the
knowing anything about the country or the game was
to
be
inspiration.
found,
we had
to
The Kha's yourt
in
and followed by our
rely into
we suite
that
on our personal
which we were
introduced was larger and more comfortable than the others.
It
was hermetically closed by
felt,
strewn
DANIEL
175
with carpets, and the furniture consisted of a small
and a common
writing-desk, two or three low stools,
wooden cupboard carrying an ordinary guinea in
the corner were piled
ments of various
The gentleman
of
;
and shapes, which looked more
sizes
instruments
like
clock
up numerous brass imple-
than
torture
and
basins
jugs.
with the peacock feather greeted us
warmly, but the conversation under such conditions could
hardly
be
lively,
We
used
all
fiasco.
in
diplomatic
someone acquainted with the
obtain that
and ended
our
we were
complete
people
if
knew
they
that
according to our position,
we had
etc.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but
our
in
country, and that our sovereigns would be very
annoyed
to
saying
region,
important
ourselves
a
resources
much
not been treated
The
in vain.
all
constant reply was that he had received no orders
from Kobdo. passports,
them
to
Moreover,
having perused our
after
he told us that he would have to send the
authorities
of
that
town
to
be care-
fully
examined, and that we should be obliged to
wait
till
weeks'
they
stay
were returned, the
at
to this ultimatum, for his courtesy,
of
our
starting on
karaoul.
which implied
Paying no attention
we solemnly got
and
up, thanked
retired with the
the following day.
new Chinese
three
interpreter Daniel
him
firm intention
In this
dilemma
came up
to
us
i
AFTER WILD SHEEP
76
IN
THE ALTAI
and proposed himself as a guide, saying he knew the country well enough, and asking us not to repeat this
to
any of the karaoul
accepted
his
services,
officials.
thankful
to
We
naturally
have got out of
the difficulty.
The evening was still
quite
we found
that our ponies
the previous day's long
up
warm, though we were
at an altitude of about 7,000 feet.
all
hopes of
work.
It
rest
had been so exhausted by
march that we had
leaving
twenty-four hours'
Next morning
to
give
the karaoul until another
should
was only one day
render them lost
after
all,
fit
tor
and we
CHINESE CURIOSITY
moment
expected Joseph every
from Kosh-Agatch
with a month's stores
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; reinforcements
The weather
required.
177
which we badly After
continued beautiful.
luncheon our friends the Chinamen strolled up to our
camp with
a view of ascertaining" our plans, but
we
kept on the defensive in a most Machiavellian way.
Their curiosity was otherwise hardly a thing"
in
them going so
of
buttons,
and
satisfied, for there
our tents they
boots.
left
as to feel
far
The excuse
the ladies' skirts,
they gave for paying
we had spent a
us this visit was to learn whether
comfortable night.
They
was
untouched, some
professed to apologise for
not being able to supply us with a guide, and took
roundabout
Emperor
we .
turns
lives
that
such as
object,
:
Our
are quite ready to comply with your wishes, but
.
etc.
Here Mrs.
best
opportunity
.
the
already described. for
with
on very good terms with yours, and
it,
Littledale thought for
She
to entice
him
quainted with
into
might be
silver
man 60
offered the
and we produced sixty new
it
the
securing"
silver coins,
belt
roubles
hoping
the bargain, but he was not ac-
Russian money, or
at
least
appeared
not to be, and sent to his yourt for a pair of scales in
order to weigh the metal.
weighed be
all
it
When
he had carefully
he appeared to suggest that
silver,
it
might not
and that there might be lead
inside,
AFTER WILD SHEEP
178
whereupon we
IN
THE ALTAI
said he could cut one in half to assure
himself of the contrary.
Evidently he did not conFinally he said he
sider us trustworthy customers.
would not part with
his belt for less than 57
Chinese
oulans (114 roubles), but as Mrs. Littledale refused to ^ive such a
sum he brought
it
down
to 100 roubles.
A TAME YAK.
While
this
was taking place the others had each something
the
caught hold
of
every
with the greatest interest
article
seemed it
to frighten them,
towards them they
wards.
After this
all
in
examining
tent, ;
the camera
and when Littledale pointed
made
decisive
a sudden rush back-
trial
of
standing-
their
powers they took leave of us and departed. minutes
later
a
special
messenger from
A
the
few
Kha
PRESENTS brought
me
a
tin
of
tea
as
Excellency, saying that the
79
a
present
Emperor
from
of China and
a few favoured mandarins were the only people
had ever tasted such a beverage.
His
I
who
immediately
sent Nicholas to present the Governor, on
my
behalf,
^^^^^^m [TTLEDALE TRYING THE YAK.
with a pair of field-glasses and a Waterbury watch.
Thus ended our dealings with
The evening was covered
in
the karaoitl
officials.
lovely, the hills in the distance
were
a dark blue mist, and the undulating steppe
around us reflected the bright red hue of the setting sun.
As we were dining one
of the natives
came up
AFTER WILD SHEEP
180
to us with his
journey;
tame Yak,
Littledale
IN
THE ALTAI
offering his services for our
them,
declined
politely
though
not before he had tried the animal, which refused to
advance a stores,
our expectations
regard to letters
On
Joseph turned up
step.
but
the
at
not
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; he had found none at
the following
towards
were
morning we
Bain
-
lifted
Khairkhan
plateaux seemed to promise
fine
6 p.m.
in
Kosh-Agatch.
camp
range,
with
realised
at 9 a.m.
whose
lofty
hunting-grounds.
—
CHAPTER
V.
— Camp at foot of Bain-Khairkhan Range —Wild Sheep seen — An unsuccessful Stalk —Antelopes seen — Sand-grouse — Wolves — Plover — Grayling fishing — Snow-cock Littledale's success — More Stalks — Shift Camp — Russian Merchant — March by Kobdo River — Hares — Marmot — Horses footsore — Kirghis Yourts — Marmot Skins — Crossing Tchagan-Kol River Chinese Karaoul — Valley of the Sumdairik — Muss-Taou Range —
March
to the
Suok River
Suok Valley
A new
Our
Guide
departure from the karaoul on the morning of
somewhat of a sensation
July 3rd must have produced at the
Chinese
permission at
till
post, for the
it
impossible for us to continue
our route without the guide
of
yourt on
his
but
stream,
we had
so unsuccessfully-
Our caravan passed solemnly by
for.
his
our passports had been duly examined
Kobdo, deeming
applied
Governor had refused
the
the side
its
way down
old
gentleman made no apparent
the
Boro-Burgassy
objection to our advance, and his passive opposition
showed
Our
itself
only by his not bidding us farewell.
intention that
Suok
to the
we
country N
2
day was
River, and pitch
to
make
camp by
a short march
crossed was barren and sunburnt 181
The
its side.
;
it
was
AFTER WILD SHEEP
i82
an undulating steppe on either
side,
map
aspect of a geographical
THE ALTAI
IN
for
and presented the
The now
the blind.
higher grounds of the Tchagan-Burgaza were hardly visible in the distance behind us a few miles ahead, the range of
hills
in front rose,
;
known
as the
Bain-Khairkhan, which we were so anxious
to
in-
vestigate, whilst to our left ran a series of low table-
which
lands,
I
explored later on, and found several
These were the Beliou mountains.
rams.
Three hours brought us Boro-Burgassy and Suok
camp
noon
at
The wind blew
after
at
the
foot
a short
furiously,
erection of our tents.
the
of
to
the junction
rivers,
of
the
where we pitched
march of twelve
miles.
which greatly hindered the
We
now found
ourselves nearly
massive range we
intended
to
inspect on the morrow.
The
valley of
the Suok, bordered on
west by the Bain-Khairkhan lofty wide, Mat
steppe than
was
and promising
clear
slow,
owing
was here
in
for
Grayling, the
twain,
for the first time, the its effects.
and we had much
timber to replace them.
water current
the ground.
to the gentle slope of
that,
the south-
was more a
The Suok
a valley.
ness of the climate showed
broke
crest,
It
exceeding dry-
The
bed-poles
difficulty in finding
Luckily
we discovered
small clump of trees, the only one within
many
a
miles,
HERDS OF ANTELOPE mostly pine and larch, growing opposite
axe
an
with
He
back
bring
to
which
ones
succeeded
were soon
in
dry,
our
serve
a most intelligent manner, and
we
it
But these had
into shape.
was some days before they were
Meantime we had
to
the whole afternoon.
the
strap
fit
broken
Rain poured
ones together as tightly as possible.
down
purpose.
possession of a couple of poles which
in
and
use.
for
two or three of the
might
were ultimately worked to
a ravine on the
in
and immediately despatched Taba
slopes,
straightest
183
There was no
to
fuel
be obtained on the spot, and our dinner that night consisted of dried "Julienne" and tinned tongue.
the following started for the
we found
On
morning, at 3 a.m., Littledale and hills.
easily
We
fordable
I
crossed the river, which close
to
and
camp,
reaching a small plateau half-way up, separated
on in
different directions.
In
three hours
land, about
we found
ourselves on the table-
1,500 feet above camp-level.
Although
our tents appeared to stand at the very foot of the range, yet
so deceiving
steppe, that the hills
was the distance over the
seemed gradually moving away
from us as we advanced over that endless our
way we came
plain.
On
across several herds of antelope,
probably A. gutturosa, and here for the
first
time
we
1
AFTER WILD SHEEP
84
IN
THE ALTAI
met with antelopes of a much smaller
also
my Kalmuks
which
a few hundred yards from us and
start at
some time on the same spot
like
know
that
curious
this
we
shooting sheep,
We
beyond the Suok steppe,
our return journey, antelope.
species
do not
animal has ever been
did not see any of the valley of the
where, however, on
plain,
we bagged
them
Kobdo,
several of the larger
should estimate the height of the smaller
I
to
I
sorry that, being intent on
in
Kosh-Agatch
nor on the
for
did not endeavour to secure one
two specimens.
or
little
am
jump
india-rubber balls
before dashing off at a tremendous pace.
described before, and
species,
They would
"Suite."
called
be about twenty inches at the withers,
roughly speaking, and the coat was of a dark brown hue,
growing
lighter
When we
had
under the stomach.
finally
crossed the
dreary steppe
we began ascending one of the numerous
parallel
ravines leading up to the higher grounds, and our
ponies steep
found
it
marshy
by no means easy
slopes.
There was
to
toil
up the
no avoiding
it,
however, and at 6 a.m. we landed on a broad plateau,
which a promising sheep country came
from view. the
Two
or three heads of
wild sheep strewed
ground, and gave us hopes of success.
we drew
lots,
Littledale
and
I,
into
Here
and parted on our
AN UNKNOWN COUNTRY exploring
fortune sending
trip,
my companion
took
the
me
185
to the right, whilst
opposite
The
direction.
scenery in front of us was a wild and desolate one long arid distance
;
succeeded each
tablelands
other
in
;
the
occasional rocky boulders springing out of
them broke the monotony of the view, corries
with
divided
the
banks
precipitous
from
plateaux
of
one
whilst deep
stones
rolling
Small
another.
streams trickled at the bottom of the ravines, with patches of grass on -either side, and wide stretches of
snow melted
sun, the in
under the rays of the rising
fast
whole conveying the impression of a drawing
Not a creature was
black and white.
save a few
which
Plovers,
fluttered
sight
in
round
us,
en-
deavouring to draw our attention from their nests,
and a herd of Yaks, which had been abandoned on
summer grazing by some
the high grounds for
Kirghiz
suddenly took
fright,
and started
off
in
a
gallop with the noise of a charge of cavalry.
Taba nor my
other
country, and the
word
"
in
lateral
this
manner
corries,
mounted
at the
for
Bclbess" to
my
some
("
I
of the
do not know")
We
questions.
time,
frantic
Neither
Kalmuk knew anything
was the constant answer on
stray
As we advanced on horseback they
tribe.
crossing
spying on our way, and
edge of a steep descent
finally in
rode
several dis-
order to
1
AFTER WILD SHEEP
86
inspect
more
no game was
when
the ground
carefully
and
visible,
half
before
into the
my
it
of
field
up
my
an inch above an intervening ridge.
Sure enough these were wild sheep ing
But
us.
was about giving
I
came
a few grey specks
telescope,
THE ALTAI
IN
sight to the utmost
I
at last
managed
to
Strain-
!
make
out
the large spread of their horns, and counted ten rams
lounging
my
turned
some two miles
in front of
our
Taba's face gleamed with joy as he
re-
the open,
in
position.
glass,
and
could
I
examining the nullah below
us,
him anxiously
see
and mentally making-
plans for the forthcoming stalk.
In a
moment we
got out of sight, descending over the rolling stones,
and dragging our ponies
after
There was a
us.
noisy dislodging of boulders, and the ponies refused several times to advance, but the sheep were a long
way
off,
trouble,
of
and there were no other means of proceed-
This dangerous scramble succeeded
ing.
and we found ourselves
down
under shelter of
question ridge
again, following
the stream the best part of a mile so as to
get well round the place where herd,
much
safe in the depths
Here we mounted
the nullah.
after
now
the
arose whether
unnoticed,
we had
opposite
we
located the
slopes.
The
could cross the next
and whether the further banks of
the second ravine would conceal us from
the com-
A DILEMMA
187
mandirig view from the plateau on which the sheep
were
lying.
the stalk was possible, for
If so,
I
had
detected a hollow which led up to within a hundred
yards
So we
them.
of
but
on,
toiled
on
found,
peeping over the summit, that further advance would
mean sight
whole herd was
certain failure, for the
some 800 yards across the
carried splendid heads,
were grand old
in
full
The rams
corrie.
and two of them especially In
patriarchs.
this
dilemma we
decided to retrace our steps, and try the same ridge
down
further in
good
order,
we crossed
We
cover. I
first
Taba
the valley.
many
a
Taba.
expected,
under
entered a wide grassy nullah, which
we made
slip
to
valley with
horses
we had
ridge,
now
as
straight
on seeing no sign of
'twixt
the
"
at
opposite side,
very edge of the
But
lying.
cup and the
leave the ponies
my
the
for
to the
on which they were
decided
way back
and another half a mile lower down
where a long ravine ran up plateau
the
the
carefully inspected, and,
the sheep,
led
"
lip."
the bottom
second horseman
"
there
is
I
had
of
the
and go on with
As we were half-way down
the slope the
showed signs of nervousness, the cause of
which was soon explained,
for
saw a Wolf within 40 yards of
on looking round us,
I
crouching low on
a patch of snow, evidently on the warpath.
As we
1
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
88
approached, he quietly gazed
at us
and walked slowly
apparently disappointed at our interference, and
off,
now and
looking reproachfully back at us
was
omen
ill
when up
indeed, and hardly had
from
sprang,
behind a mass of rock, a
couple of ewes, and trotted off
had chosen at the
my
feelings
No
!
had intended
I
vent to his rage
As
moment. in his usual
my
for
he gave
Taba,
broken English vocabu-
A
which by no means helped matters.
lary,
we
to take
words can convey an idea of
that
at
the direction
in
approaching the rams, disappearing
for
very point from which
shot
This
then.
we advanced
faint
hope, however, inspired us that the sheep might not
have
been completely scared away,
might perhaps I
left
Taba,
still
them
that
we
the neighbourhood.
in
the horses by the stream and, together with
followed
up the gully
wind was blowing be,
find
and
and had
it
in
in
low
spirits.
our faces as steadily as could
not been for those ewes
should have given
The
my
rifle
a
chance.
I
certainly
When we
reached the top, however, we found that our precautions were useless,
for
the sheep had vanished,
and we soon stood on the place where they had been
lying,
numerous
now on
evidence of this being afforded by the
fresh droppings on the ground.
a lofty plateau at the back of
We
were
the highest
OUR BILL OF FARE
189
Snow had
summit of the Bain-Khairkhan range. by
this
time almost entirely melted, thus destroying
our only chance of discovering- the direction which
We
had taken.
the herd
ground
examined the
carefully
a mile round the plateau, excepting in
for
the direction from camp, as
it
was getting
Suok
miles separated us from the
and
late,
River.
But
though we used our glasses with the utmost
care,
ten
inspecting every corner in the depths of each nullah,
was no
there
game
be
to
We
vanished like ghosts. retrace our steps, and,
seen
mounting our
Littledale
busily
He
engaged
allotted to
proposed should I
had
Mrs.
that
the
He was
I
found
new bed-
try
shifting
the
to
following
unexpectedly come
Littledale
convinced that the
him was not worth
before
have a so
fitting
in.
had come across a few ewes, but had
returned empty-handed.
ground
in
to
steeds, reached
the tents just before darkness had set
poles.
had
sheep
the
;
accordingly decided
new day
and
visiting,
quarters at
across.
the
he
herd
Moreover,
was suffering from a bad headache,
and we accordingly decided upon another day's
rest
My
wife
before starting for the
Muss-Taou
had been fishing
stream and had causrht a few
in the
range.
Grayling, thus giving us a change in our customary bill
of fare,
which invariably consisted of pea-soup
i
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
9o
consomme
Maggi's
or
4
and
mutton,
,
tinned
fruit.
Littledale was off early next morning, whilst
mained
camp with
in
simply overpowering-,
degrees our
The
ladies.
The
it
belozo
zero
fell
begins to
stopped the whole day
I
130
soon
as
;
tell,
Within
worth noting.
is
from
20 in
and
it
sun
the
as
may
return, but at 9 p.m. there
sets
freeze at
morning
appeared
at
six
however,
him, and
was
there at
7
the
in the distance,
Littledale's
when we awoke no
Littledale.
three
horsemen
and great was our
with a decidedly triumphant
air, for
relief
riding in
front
there sure enough
out a magnificent ram's head tied at the
back of Taba's saddle.
Littledale forthwith
an account of his twenty-eight hours' outing
He
had found
beyond the
ill-fated
direction
succeeded
altitude
any moment.
still
a.m.
when we recognised our companion
we made
or six
five
was no sign of him, nor of
Taba who had accompanied
Ultimately,
in
degrees above to 3 degrees
Towards evening we anxiously expected
only
1
extraordinary variation of temperature
these regions
hills.
was
sheltering from the scorching- rays of the
hours
next
re-
I
heat
my thermometer showing
the shade.
in
tent,
sun.
the
in
I
my
in
the
herd a couple of miles
plateau
had
gave us
failed
in
a small nullah in the
to
approaching them
examine, and
had
late in the afternoon,
A SPLENDID HEAD
191
not before he had realised the actual size of the two
One
largest rams. rifle,
19?,
fallen
his
to
spot,
inches in girth at the base, 60 inches length along
and 40 inches from
the curve,
he thought was a perhaps shorter
the
as
still
he
said,
had not
frightened by his single shot.
The
been greatly reason he had
rocks,
where further advance was out of question both
men and
in
a steep gorge, and he found himself
in
a cul-de-sac amongst inaccessible
in
me
to secure
night was that darkness had set
all
while he was shut up
other
and he strongly advised
and make an attempt
animals,
stayed out
The
tip to tip.
more massive head, though
in length,
off directly
to start it,
of these had then
and the horns measured, as taped on the
He
ponies.
for
had accordingly squatted down
with his hunters under a protruding ledge and waited
A
dawn.
for
small bit of chocolate divided in three
had constituted
their
evening meal
;
were kept up by the day's success. the possibility of I
decided
started
my
on
to
behalf,
whole night me. a
But
failure.
take
my
chance
We
hearing of
without
delay,
and
Taba, who was most anxious
and who, though he had spent the
in the open, insisted
this
On
coming across the other large ram
J.30 with
at
but their spirits
upon accompanying
hurried departure was
doomed
to be
covered that day miles and miles of
i
AFTER WILD SHEEP
92
country, and rode far first
had
Littledale
had
a wide, grassy
at
p.m.,
7
passed the very spot
the day before,
killed
had seen the animals
I
was highly disgusted
camp
We
but no rams.
leisure,
where
I
we reached
I
where we found several herds of ewes grazing
a mile from where
to
beyond the plateau where
spied the sheep, until
valley, at
THE ALTAI
IN
at
my
after
bad
We
luck.
hardly
lying,
and
returned
twelve hours' continuous
without having caught sight of anything worth
riding,
a shot.
Thus ended our hills.
The
was
result
Bain-Khairkhan
sport over the
but
small,
the
satisfactory,
trophy obtained being that of the largest Ovis aniiuou yet on record, trip.
and the second best during the whole
Next morning, July
a general
7th,
camp was
and
lifted,
was made down the Suok valley
start
with the object of pitching tents
if
possible at the
Kobdo
junction of that stream with the
River.
Our
Chinese interpreter, Daniel, who was acting as guide,
had come up he thought
above the
to
me
might
I
left
the night before saying that
find
me
range, thence bringing
it
in
He
added
a day,
in the
slopes bordering the
volunteering to take
place.
sheep
and
that I
lower mountains
Suok
steppe, and
to a fine nullah in the Beliou
me on
to
we could
our next camping just
manage
naturally assented
to
the
to
do
pro-
HERDS OF ANTELOPE made no
Littledale
position.
193
objection,
and said he
would manage the march, so accordingly at
with
a.m.
3
spicuous
red
Daniel,
and
coat,
who was
dressed
I
started
in
a conLepet,
hunter,
Littledale's
poor Taba being done up with the hard work of previous
the
we met with larger
and smaller kind.
coursing round
across the steppe
They would
us,
us approach
let
start off at a great pace,
and stopping
at times to
watch our
A
couple of hours brought us to the
hills,
when we be^an ascending a narrow
proceedings. foot of the
way
our
400 yards and then
to within
gully,
On
day.
several herds of Antelope, both of the
which gradually widened as we advanced, and
eventually turned into a broad stretch of stony tableland. for
was a
It
bright,
itself felt at 7
a.m. as
we came
dismounted.
Numbers
presence, ran
in
of the
We
sunny day, too bright
in fact
easy stalking, and the heat was already making
Marmot
were now
sea-level
;
the
front
of
Hares,
To
ground and
startled
and the
of us,
shrill
by our whistle
alone broke the silence of the morning. at
an altitude of about 9,000
hills
our
feet
presented an aspect of
boulders, covered with shingle
of grass.
into likely
left
and occasional patches
rose a
pinnacles with perpendicular
above rolling
huge mass of rocky
cliffs
some hundred
high, at the foot of which lay traces of snow.
feet
Before
AFTER WILD SHEEP
194
we discovered
lis
broad
a
THE ALTAI
IN
valley
affording
pasture grounds, and at the bottom of
stream
Beliou
towards as
due
with
it
we moved
eastwards.
now advanced
I
both of us spying carefully
Lepet,
on,
good
flowed the
it
and leaving our friend Daniel, with
his bright red stalking jacket, in
charge of the ponies.
He
to
I
seemed highly disappointed
be
behind, but
left
explained to him that his conspicuous array would
considerably handicap us, and might compromise the success of our stalk in case
But he was not
we came
the plea that he was
following us at a distance on responsible for our safety. the plateau
the whole
On
reaching the edge of
came
valley
Lepet immediately pointed out rams,
across game.
and would keep
to be thus despised,
lying in a corrie about
into
me
to
a
Seeing us suddenly squat down, Daniel,
by sheer
and
for himself,
force, for
up
had
totally
us.
unable
to us in order to to
keep him
low-
he moved his head up and down
which threatened
a most careless fashion, the sheep's attention. carried
I
of seven
800 yards below
to restrain his impatience, crawled
have a peep
view, and
lot
I
saw
that
in
to attract
two of the rams
good heads, and were worth trying
for,
but
the open ground on which they lay prevented further
advance.
Just as
I
was considering our next move
the animals got up and started off at a gallop.
I
was
A DIFFICULT PATH
195
convinced that they had seen Daniel, and was about vent
to
give
me
that they
my
to
when Lepet assured
feelings,
were only shifting
to cooler quarters for
shelter from the scorching rays of the sun, under the
rocks
had previously
I
believe him,
behave
for
noticed.
I
though they ran
was disposed
to
they did not
fast
frightened animals, which generally after
like
a sharp gallop suddenly halt to take breath and look
round
in the direction of
off again
and
it
at
full
the intruder, and then gallop
They never turned
speed.
became evident
that they
rocks.
But we should now have
place.
When
we decided
were making
once, for the
to find their hiding-
had disappeared over a ridge
they
mount our ponies and proceed down
to
the corrie and up to the place
where we had
lost sight
of them, leaving the horses again below the ridge.
The
ravine
owing
we had
to negotiate
to the rolling stones,
ground, which that this
we had
was too much
this
its
bottom.
for the ponies,
The
difficult
at places soft
to cross at
and went on with Lepet. left
and
was a
"
red
I
man
marshy Seeing
dismounted "
was again
behind, and happily this time did not object. stage
I
one
At
found that the wind was blowing steadily
at our backs, so
I
suggested a long detour which took
us an hour to make, and of the next corrie
when we reached
we were on
the top
the far side of the
1
AFTER WILD SHEEP
96
THE ALTAI
IN
rocky buttresses, among" stretches of melting snow.
A
Snowcock
large bird, reminding one of a
away
fluttered
gallus),
seven or eight young ones.
was
called
;
"
he answered
of
front
in
I
(
Tetrao-
by
followed
us,
asked Lepet what
Ullar"
it
a whisper, for no
in
hunter took greater precautions on the war-path than
On
Lepet.
advancing a
little
further
I
the sheep, lying about 500 yards
away
began crawling towards them on
all-fours.
was no approaching them,
grew
So
of us.
I
trusting to fortune. I
now
could
dip
the
of
every
moment
within
shot
patient,
waited amongst the larger rocks,
One
of the rams, the only one
our direction, and
in
Again
ground.
but
waited,
in
right.
in
expecting
nothing came, and, growing im-
this
manner the edge
of the
the herd had
;
Here Lepet caught me by
On
the
hollow,
I
moved away
arm and pointed
!
to
Sure enough there were three sheep,
some 400 yards below evidently
disappeared
the sight of a pair of horns emerging
found no sign of game
our
I
crept on, after taking Lepet's advice.
I
reaching
;
But there
for the boulders presently
got up, and slowly stretching his
see,
limbs walked a
and
left,
and an open slanting slope extended
scarcer,
in front
soon found
to our
making
for
us,
playing and fighting, and
a
perpendicular
which separated us from them.
Two
rocky
wall
were young
A RUNNING SHOT the
males,
covered
in
and
the morning,
we should
fident
As we reached
could not
I
My
cliffs.
find them,
as they did not
it,
seem
to
As soon
tell.
rather doubted
I
inclined to settle down.
we began
the edge of the precipice
Lepet suddenly stopped
move forward
to
I
depths
the
like
but
;
dis-
companion was con-
though
me
peering carefully over into
me
we had
from view we rushed, Lepet
hidden
towards the
I,
Whether these
ram.
old
fine
or part of the herd
lot,
they were
as
a
third
were a fresh
197
and
below,
a statue, beckoning to
had hardly time
come
to
up when out of the crags dashed the three rams wild confusion
took fully
when
my
aim and
50 yards
1
I
A
some hundred yards beneath me.
running shot was
my
By
only chance.
and great was
saw him stagger
for a
the time
I
sheep he was
fired at the biggest
off,
in
my amazement
second and, consider-
ably slackening his pace, walk slowly away,
whilst
the two younger rams halted and kept looking back,
But the poor
apparently waiting for their superior. old fellow
hollow.
was very weak, and soon
"Jakski, baaloii" ("Bravo,
lay
Lepet with a triumphant smile, as he watch the animal through his
now abandoned
their
plainly distinguish
glass.
comrade
from where
down
sat
The
a
was
his
down
to
others had
to his fate. I
in
wounded"), said
I
could
shoulders
i
AFTER WILD SHEEP
9S
THE ALTAI
IN
and head, which he swayed from one side feeling evidently restless
Lepet
in his
the steep
commanding
cliff
position,
As
proceedings, and
thereby gathered
when suddenly
right,
me
and gave
an easy broadside
inches length by
well (51
A
\$>\
up
second after
found him to be
I
fairly
inches girth), though
were unfortunately broken
tips
every-
that
His horns taped
an old veteran of his kind.
both
looked
I
the sheep got
shot.
motionless to the ground.
fell
half an
could see Lepet on the sky-line intent upon
I
thing was
he
me
took
It
hour to creep within range of him.
my
Leaving
scrambled down
I
and advanced along the plateau, keep-
ing out of sight of the beast.
back
to another,
and uncomfortable.
To my
off.
astonishment Daniel made his appearance with the before
ponies rascal
had been unable
clivities,
thus
Lepet had time
subdue
and had been stalking on
running
gratulated
vent to
to
me
my
the so
risk
warmly
discontent,
friendly manner.
of that
come
to
his
sporting pro-
his
own
spoiling I
account,
He
all.
con-
refrained from invino-
and we shook hands
When my
The
up.
hunter arrived
in
we
a most
joined
our efforts to grallock the dead ram, and cut him up in
quarters.
sleeves,
the
Daniel with his red gown, tucked-up
showing
dismal
look
his
blood-smeared arms, presented
of
an
executioner
in
the
Middle
A TEDIOUS MARCH Ages
199
the fatal axe would have completed the picture.
;
Having- packed the meat and head of the kotchkor
on our saddles, we started
at 2 p.m.
towards our next
The
heat was almost
presumed camping ground.
unendurable as our ponies struggled over the stony
numerous rocky
tableland and across
way we came
On
ravines.
young rams,
across the two
still
our
search-
ing for their lost companion, but no others were to
At
be seen.
marshy of the to
we
6 p.m.
low down
tents,
caught sight of our near a broad,
about three miles from the junction
stretch,
Suok and Kobdo
make
rivers.
We
were obliged
a dtHour in order to avoid getting stuck in
camp
the bog, and reached
The
in.
finally
in the valley, pitched
and
ladies
my
and admired
as darkness
Littledale greeted
well-earned
was setting
my
return,
The march
trophy.
along the steppe, they told me, had been so trying for the horses,
had
been
obliged
to the
to
stop
extreme before
day
successful
last
time.
their
to dinner in the best of spirits, little
the difficulties that lay before us.
our
heat, that they
which was the Kobdo River.
destination,
down
owing
A
valley of
series
the
now awaited
of
tedious
We
sat
knowing
This was to be
for a considerable
long
intended
length of
marches up the
Kobdo, through a gameless country,
us,
till
after
many
a struggle
we decided
AFTER WILD SHEEP
200
abandon
to
IN
THE ALTAI
towards
our journey
Muss-Taou
the
range, and, turning off northwards, found "fresh fields
and pastures new."
On
the morning of
camp,
go
in
spite
them
We
till
of
we
July
Kalmuk's
our
of
8th
struck
unwillingness
and mounted our steeds
further,
waited
the
at
the ponies were duly loaded, and, sending
off in front, followed
them up
at close quarters.
soon found ourselves on the banks of the
Kobdo
River, which at that spot attains a width of 300
and as
is
we
very rapid. discovered
Its later,
the Tchagan-Kol, which
feet,
water was deep and muddy,
owing
to
chief tributary,
its
we reached on
the following-
day, and which flows through sandy and clayey
Above
to
We
7 a.m.
the tributary the water of
perfectly clear,
and afforded
we were agreeably
As we
its
slope
left
small
surprised at the sight of
woods bordering the willow, ash,
Kobdo was
the
capital fishing.
entered the valley and began ascending
soil.
river, consisting chiefly of larch,
and abundance of juniper
in
full
bloom.
This considerably altered the aspect of the country,
which had hitherto been dreary and desolate. with
the
heat
of
the
day and
caravan advanced very slowly.
had gradually worn away most of them
footsore.
What
hard ground,
The unshod
their hoofs,
our
ponies
and were now
Moreover, our men were
A HARD PULL beginning to grumble, and
201
was
it
could do to keep them in order.
snowy range
to reach the
all
our demitcha
We
were anxious
head of the valley
at the
as quickly as possible, but this half-hearted advance
was by no means encouraging, and, though we had arranged with the Zaissan at Kosh-Agatch to supply
we
us with a fresh lot of ponies every month,
expected that they would find us
now
According
exploring.
would take us
at least
meaning white ment,
in
we found
my
to
two days
Kol, or Ak-Kol, River (both
Mongol), ourselves
in the wilds
forty-verst map,
"Tchagan" and
on
its
it
Tchagan-
to reach the
but, to
hardly
we were
"
Ak "
our great astonish-
banks that very
evening after crossing a long steep pass, and having covered a distance of about tw enty miles from the r
Suok
Evidently the map, our main guide,
River.
was as unreliable as our confessed confined
that to
There was to
the
friend
who now
Daniel,
knowledge of the country was
his
caravan
practically
the pass in the
route
to
Kobdo
town.
no path, and the ascent up
afternoon
was a hard
pull
for
our pack-horses, several of which straggled behind,
and had the of
to
be
top a broad
repeatedly reloaded.
reaching
swamp, produced by the junction
the Tchagan- Kol and
view.
On
The former
Kobdo
rivers,
came
into
flowed through a wide and arid
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
202
numerous clumps of its
banks on either
stood
the
whilst
steppe,
alkali
trees
latter
was concealed by
and bushes growing along In the middle of the plain
side.
a couple of Kirghiz yourts,
who was on
a tradesman
annual
his
which
lived
summer
tour,
in
We
gathering marmot skins from the natives. cided
pitch
to
camp by
the
of these yourts,
side
and cross the Tchagan-Kol on the morrow. of
our packs came
upon
7
when we
p.m.
morning as a
I
their
flatly
of
my
our dcmitcha
through Nicholas, the
men
late,
finally
came out
night,
restless
very
in
and
settled
down.
tent at let
Some
was
it
close
Next
a.m.,
5
me
understand
He
said that
ponies had been mercilessly overworked,
were
sore,
after
Russian interpreter, that the
declined to go any further.
their backs
de-
that
that the few sheep, the only
remnants of former prosperity, had been devoured
by wolves during the altogether unfordable. Littledale
rebellion. it.
We
and that the
river
was
This was indeed a piece of
and
I
would hear nothing of
promised them a short march that day, and
said that
all
come by
us,
that
night,
those difficulties would be easily over-
who were "mighty white
no power could stop
us.
The
chiefs,"
and
dcmitcha then
confided to us that the instigator of the whole move-
ment was one of the Kalmuks who had deserted from
REBELLIOUS KALMUKS China
into Russian territory,
and that
if
°3 he was caught
by the Celestial authorities he would be sentenced to death.
him
Whereupon
had him
I
that so long as he
us faithfully
we should
called
up,
and
told
remained with us and served
protect
him against the Chinese
â&#x20AC;˘ACK-I'ONIES.
Emperor
As
himself.
for
the horses,
said,
I
they
a
permanent
camp, and food would be supplied to the
men some-
would soon
how
or other.
recover
while
This seemed
resting
to
in
have a cheering
on them, especially as we expected
encampment a few
miles higher up, where
buy some sheep.
We
struck
effect
to find a Kirghiz
we
could
camp accordingly
at
AFTER WILD SHEEP
204
7
and soon found ourselves on the low banks
a.m.,
of
Tchagan-Kol River.
the
broad at that place
;
but
the
I
it
up
to
its
very sources,
In
ford.
maintain
in
order
and
we should
find
con-
to cross the
unless
that,
we were
we went
no available
to
continually obliged to
our men,
influence
back and abandon
turn
to
whom we
dealer,
dilemma we risked not only losing
this
our prestige, which
having
was high and muddy,
was impossible
river at that time of year,
the
but
also
Muss-Taou
Having no portable boat with
hunting-grounds.
Littledale
kind during that
his-
had had some experience of
for
the
use of our waterproof sheets
first
to
To
purpose.
amazement we accordingly was the
watched shoulders, will
our Kalmuk's
set to work.
Little
Taba
understand what we were about, and,
together with Cristo, Gabriel, and contributed
this
journey through Tibet, and decided
we should make
and bed-poles
us,
some
the only plan was to build ourselves a raft of kind.
feet
suggested trying to find a
Marmot -skin
sulted, assured us that
was about 150
It
the water
and the current strong. ford,
THE ALTAI
IN
to
ensure
passively,
which
now and was
Nicholas, greatly
then
equivalent
never get over that job."
the frame was practically ready
other
men
shrugging
their
The
success.
to
saying,
"
You
In a couple of hours ;
it
consisted of our
MAKING A RAFT bed-poles lashed together
in
and tightly bound
at
proof sheet, which
we used
was then attached possible
;
the
to
the form of a square,
the corners.
this
205
A
large water-
as the floor of our tent,
square frame as firmly as
bottom was strengthened by several
PREPARING TO CROSS THE TCHACAN-KOI
other
waterproofed canvas sheets,
and a long
bit
of rope was attached to each of the opposite corners of this improvised ferry, one end of which
was taken
over to the farther side by two Kalmuks, whilst the other end remained on the haul
the
genious
boat
back
contrivance
after
was
left
each
bank, and served to
voyage.
completed
This
in-
by noon, and
AFTER WILD SHEEP
206
the question then arose
how
this
would stand the force of the
who had
extemporary vessel
current.
been chief engineer, got in
instructions
business
THE ALTAI
IN
it
the
to
was
MRS. LITTLEDALE
men on
to pull
the
Littledale,
first,
other
the raft across
after final
side ;
whose
but just as
AND THE AUTHOR CROSSING THE TCHAGAN-KOL.
he was reaching mid-stream (they either pulled too
hard or the boat was badly balanced) water flowed in
over the
hauled
The for
back,
sides,
and our companion
submerged almost up
to
had
to
the
waist.
be
next voyage, however, proved more successful, the
weight of
the
luggage steadied the
vessel,
CROSSING THE TCHAGAN-KOL which
alighted
safely
some
yards
fifty
The whole
the opposite bank.
s째7
lower
impedimenta crossed the Tchagan-Kol
in this
and the horses swam over without
incident.
this
on
of the caravan and
occupied the whole day, and
it
manner,
was not
But until
A SMOOTH PASSACK.
6 p.m. that side.
We
forthwith dry.
we found
camp
pitched
hung
all
ourselves safely on the other
The Kalmuks
looked
greatest possible respect,
a time.
close
to
our sheets and at
us
the
river,
and
bedding- out to
now
with
and grumbling ceased
the for
AFTER WILD SHEEP
2o8
at
On
the
7
a.m.
morning, July
following
now
perfectly
and
6th,
beautiful.
The water
us.
clear,
Along the
Grayling. rich
1
wo
started
up the Kobdo River again, leaving the
Tchagan-Kol behind was
THE ALTAI
IN
tall
for
banks the vegetation was
passed through sunny glades,
amongst shady groves of pine and grass was
Kobdo
the
and looked promising
river
We
in
The
willow.
and wonderfully green, whilst flowers
of every description and colour completed the smiling picture.
was a pleasant change
It
followed gaily the windings of
joyed the verdure of
to
The
this oasis.
us,
as
we
stream, and en-
the
hills
on either
side were mostly barren, with occasional small larch
woods, their altitude not exceeding 8,000 1
p.m.
we reached
after
meadow on
a small
and decided
of the river,
feet.
At
the very banks
to halt there for the night,
having covered a distance of about twenty miles.
Our pack
-
ponies had picked up a
comparatively easy march
little
over soft grass,
a welcome sight to watch them
come
in
during
and
one
it
this
was
after the
other, neighing joyfully as they were being unloaded,
and
rolling
on the ground
the afternoon
and myself.
we went
in
wild contentment.
out fishing,
my
This was not merely
but to supply food for our men,
more sheep, and were
in
In
wife, Littledale, for
who
amusement, possessed no
a constant state of ferment.
A DIFFICULTY
209
Fortunately, though the wind was strong, Grayling
were numerous, and appeared
Kalmuks,
camp
for
to be as
hours
a couple of
in
we
which
These
fish
capital
sport.
rose
As
amongst
distributed
to
any kind of for
animal
Next morning we were
sharp turn of the
rocks barred further advance.
on both
cliffs
sides.
surmounting the
we decided
difficulty
rately to a long rope
was
The till
it
valley
had been
formed a gorge
There was no
visible
After
detour.
that the only to tie each
means of
pony sepa-
and swim them round the projecting
rock one after the other, whilst Littledale and to the rock with
The
where perpendicular
and the rocks prevented an inland
careful inspection,
6 a.m.
we soon caught them
river,
gradually growing narrower
with sheer
of any sort.
off again at
Littledales started before us, but at a
men.
surrounding
the
game
the
a
and afforded
fly,
life,
country seemed entirely void of
path,
returned to
with sixty fish, averaging three-quarters of
pound,
up
hungry as our
we
one hand and held tight
I
clung
to the rope
with the other, thus seeing the horses round to a safe landing-place.
There was hardly any
foothold,
and we
several times just missed an involuntary bath.
Some
of the horses, on being pushed into the stream
by our
men, refused energetically so violently that their
to advance,
packs came
and struggled
off,
occasioning
AFTER WILD SHEEP
210
double work
THE ALTAI
IN
A
reloading them.
in
swimming one
of the rope while
the latter was immediately carried
Kalmuk
lost
hold
of the ponies,
and
away down
stream,
and eventually secured some hundreds of yards lower
my
down, with
wardrobe thoroughly drenched.
It
took us over three hours to get the whole caravan on the other side, and straits
would ever
We
pitched
we
that no similar
befall us again.
camp
a few miles higher up, on the
banks of the Kobdo, feet,
hoped
fervently
after a short but
at
an altitude of about 7,000
exciting march.
The
valley
was now much narrower, and woods were growing scarcer.
Now
and
we
then, at turnings of the river,
could catch an occasional glimpse of shining, snowclad peaks far ahead of us, the sight of which
our hearts beat quicker. before
us,
prevent
made
Yet we knew not what
and insurmountable obstacles might
us
destination.
one hundred the demitcka,
from
reaching
Towards fish,
evening"
sought
for
we returned with over
which we proceeded to hand over
whose duty
fairly as possible
our eagerly
lay still
it
was
to distribute
amongst our Kalmuks.
them
to
as
Here again
a misunderstanding took place, presumably owing to favouritism on his part, and
threatened to leave
upon
us, for
us.
we knew
some
of the caravan
men
This, however, had no effect that,
besides running short
ol
KIRGHIZ "SLIMNESS" food, they
would have
to find their
211
way back
alone,
which was no easy matter, having advanced so
unknown
into
upon them as Just as
country,
and these
forcibly as
we were
sitting"
we
facts
could.
down
to our frugal
evening
meal Nicholas came up, saying that two Kirghiz
had been sighted, and were riding
We
far
we impressed
in
men
our direction.
decided to seize the opportunity and secure them
But we were doomed
as guides.
Kirghiz
for
" slimness "
remains
The two men
Asiatic tribes.
to disappointment,
among
unrivalled
presently
came up
to
our tent, and appeared frightened at our presence.
The the
striking feature of their tall,
long,
costume was undoubtedly
red heels of their top-boots, fully four inches
which showed that
ride than
to
walk.
it
was more
They wore and low
lined with sheepskin,
their habit to
long, greasy frocks,
fur caps.
Their faces
bore an expression of astonishment, though their eyes
betrayed
When we
cunning.
explained
to
them
through our interpreter that we wanted them to ac-
company
us
to
Muss-Taou
the
hills,
they
flatly
declined to do anything of the kind, saying that they
had pressing business far
out of their
way
to attend to, ;
and that
it
was too
whereupon we gave them
to
understand that their services would be handsomely
rewarded by
us.
This, of course, led
them
to
suppose
AFTER WILD SHEEP
2i2
that
wc
IN
THE ALTAI
could not do without them, and they suggested
might perhaps be tempted by such
that they
the interview
by
telling
them
that
at the
head of the
we had
ascertained from
there were large herds of valley.
Kirghiz sheep
This was our
first
meeting
with representatives of the Kirghiz tribe, and
we found them
that
had as yet come
Kalmuks in
across.
No wonder
must
the
wretched
We
them
ascertained afterwards
two men had returned
that the
I
be the cleverest race we
to
are afraid of their influence, and avoid
every possible way.
to
them they were no longer
wanted, though not before
own
ridicu-
wages that we forthwith put an end
lously high
late
the evening,
in
having agreed to our conditions, but that they had met with a spiteful reception on the part of our Kalmuks,
whose
On and
sole
aim was
to prevent our advance.
the following morning
after
we made an
early start,
an hour's march reached the junction of the
Kobdo River were now
in
with
its
tributary the Sumdairik.
We
an awkward dilemma, and had to con-
sider
whether we would continue our journey up the
main
river,
whose
consequently or turn
valley
difficult
to
was becoming narrower and negotiate with pack-ponies,
up the Sumdairik stream where
eoinoo> and, makingo a dttour,'Jjoin the
fc>
sources.
Our
caravan
men
only
it
was easy
Kobdo answered
at its
our
A DISCOVERY
213
questions by their usual negative expressions of "Iok" "
and
some
Be/dess" (" No," and hesitation
we
"
chose
I
do not know"). the
we advanced a few Chinese
soldier,
as a guide,
we were
;
proceeded
to
across a
"commandeer"
and who announced the pleasant
in the vicinity of
a karaott/.
had
for hardly
when we came
miles,
whom we
alternative,
latter
which, fortunately, proved a success
After
fact that
Although scared
by the number of strange faces round him, he undertook to accompany us to the Chinese post, which took us scarcely an hour to reach.
which we followed
Sumdairik,
The
for a
few miles,
sembled, like that of the Suok, a broad, than
The ground
it
valley of the
fiat
re-
steppe
places
was
white with Edelweiss flowers under our horses'
feet,
rather
elsewhere hills
it
a valley.
was sandy and
barren.
at
Low
undulating
rose on either side and joined at the head of the
stream, forming an amphitheatre, covered with larch
woods, at the bottom of which stood, sheltered on all
sides,
half
large lake.
a
dozen dirty yourts above a
This was indeed a discovery,
entirely ignored both the
of
the
the yourts was others,
and,
karaoul and the
usual,
conspicuous
yellow flags fixed into a palisade round evidently the head
official's
fairly
my map
lake.
One
cleaner and larger than
slightly
as
for
abode.
it.
by several This was
As we passed
the
2i 4
AFTER WILD SHEEP
karaoul
all
THE ALTAI
the inhabitants, fifteen or twenty
women, rushed out
in their
We
pitched
new-comers. carefully
IN
men and
rags to have a look at the
our camp,
after
having
chosen our ground, a couple of hundred
yards above the Chinese post, at an altitude of 7,900
The Kha soon appeared
feet.
bade us welcome
man
than the
;
with his escort and
he seemed a much
less
important
Suok Governor, being adorned with
few coral beads on his cap, but no peacock feather.
He
asked
for
our passports, which he was apparently
unable
to
perusal
to his clerk,
read,
for
a pleasant smile.
he handed them over without
who
returned them to us with
Educated Chinese clerks naturally
acquire great influence over their village, and practically rule the country,
exacting
tributes from
illegal
the wretched Mongols, and often sharing the spoils "
with at
His Excellency the Governor."
this
karaoul was much more willing
The
official
to help
us,
probably owing to his more humble condition, and
we were soon surrounding
and who was
who knew
to
the
to act as our guide,
moderate fee of eight roubles per month.
at the
came
supplied with a native
hills,
He
our tents in the afternoon, and we learnt
from him that wild sheep were by no means numerous
on
the
Muss-Taou
the country round
range,
and that he considered
Lake Dain-Kol
to be
much
richer
OUR DECISION in
rame.
ing
attractive to the
Kol
Yet the grounds we had been endeavour-
reach
to
for
from
the
week seemed
last
that
afar,
we decided
head of the river Kobdo.
district,
southern the bad
it
As
to
to
direction,
that
condition of
for the
taking
into
our ponies and
we deemed
us
so
march on
was so much out of our way,
opposition of our Kalmuks, in
215
Dainin
a
consideration the it
constant advisable,
case of failure on the Muss-Taou, to shift north-
wards and carefully explore the spurs of the
Altai,
between the sources of the Tchagan-Kol River and the Siberian frontier.
In addition to our
new
L>uide
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
216
the
Kha
sent us on the following morning, as
proceeding to of
lift
camp, one of
his soldiers as a
This Chinaman was clad
honour.
we were
in
guard
a bright
yellow frock with a patch of embroidered white silk
sewn
in
made
us give
to
it
both on his breast and back, which
him the nickname of
"
the target."
He
proved of no use whatever, and, having accompanied us half-way to the
Kobdo
lakes,
with gratitude to his native post.
we
sent him back
—
CHAPTER
VI.
— Lakes — Fishing — Muss-Taou — Nicholas sent for Sheep — Sumdairik
Sources of Kobdo River
northwards
Meat
at
— Fresh
last
Ponies expected
at
Hills
— Journey
River
Tchagan
-
Camp
Kol River
of July — No Sport — Fresh Ponies and Men arrive — Moraine of old Glacier— Crossing the Tchagan-Kol back — Camps — Snowstorm — Littledale finds Wild Sheep — Joseph sent for Stores — Olonur Valley — Snow— July 23rd — Shooting— Game at — Antelope — First sight of Ibex (Capra Sibirica)—'$XaS&s> with Taba — Littledale brings a good Ram — Meeting with Zaissan
March on 16th More Marches
last
in
Semion and Kirghiz
We en
left
rotitc
Chief.
the karaoul on for
the
Muss-Taou
the
morning of July 13th Hills.
As
usual
we
were delayed by Kalmuk recriminations respecting the
and
ponies,
were ready
was not
it
to start.
till
7.30 a.m.
Our new Mongol
that
guide,
we
whose
shabby appearance might conceal, as we hoped, a thorough knowledge of the country, took the lead of our caravan, and
after a
long ascent
we found
ourselves at the top of a pass about 8,500 feet high,
from
which
a
magnificent
view
presented
itself.
Beneath us lay two lakes whose waters were joined by a broad
river,
the
Kobdo, the sources of which 217
AFTER WILD SHEEP
218
were now before
much
I
do
what
to
With regard
miles.
fifteen
cannot
regions
these
visited
to
me
to
the
thought was
I
two lakes
to these
quote
than
better
from
passage
a
This well-known
Lieutenant Kozloff's observations. explorer
seemed
lake
had expected, according-
I
map, stretching westwards over
THE ALTAI
The upper
us.
larger than
IN
the
year
our
after
journey (1898) on his way to the Lob-Nor, and his account, which
was read
a meeting of the Russian
at
Geographical Society on November 22nd, the notes
then took there
I
spot where the
My
"
:
Kobdo River forms two
on the banks of which there are
The
encampments.
elongated
irregular
came
party
Kirghiz
2z>
the
it
fifteen islands, of
miles
long.
lake
supposed
to
width
4
its
From
the
distinguish of us,
be;
The upper
lake
proved much its
miles;
pass
length its
is
is
larger
to
wide.
feet
than
it
was
about 16% miles and 18
fathoms."
where we stood we could in
2
connected with
depth attains
Lake Dain-Kol
There
which some are from
by a rapid watercourse 420
lower
The upper
from
miles
east to west, with a width of about 5^ miles.
are in
an
has
lake
10
stretching
to the
small lakes,
several
Kobdo
lower form,
with
tallies
plainly
the distance due south
and on the opposite side of the two Kobdo
lakes ran the snowclad
Muss-Taou ranee from
north-
west to south-east. at
lakes,
and found
it
219
Towards noon we reached
the
the place where
river,
of
A DEBATE
implied a
it
still
it
Hows between the two
so wide and deep that the crossing
more
serious undertaking than that
OUR NEW DEMITCHA AND MEN.
We
of the Tchagan-Kol.
camp on debate
in
presented
this
side
therefore decided to pitch
of the watercourse and
the afternoon on the itself.
The
first
hold a
dilemma which now
question to elucidate was
the presence of wild sheep in those mountains, which fact could
only be ascertained from our
new Mongol
2
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
2o
guide, who, alone of the whole caravan, to
had him
called
up and interrogated him on the subject
through our Russian and Kalmuk
answer
to our inquiries
two months
in
was supposed
Accordingly we
have ever visited those regions.
those
interpreters.
In
he said that he had spent over
hills
catching Marmots, of which
he had found great numbers, but that he had never
come
across
any kotchkor (wild sheep),
habited the eastern spurs beyond
which
in-
Dain-Kol, where
he thought we should be likely to get sport.
These
statements, though perhaps untrustworthy, materially
We
had now advanced
changed the aspect of
affairs.
so far into Mongolia,
overcome numerous
difficulties,
kept our Kalmuks constantly on the march merely
by promises of a permanent camp
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
this with
all
the
sole
view of exploring the Muss-Taou range, and now
that
we were
that
it
within a few miles of
was useless
to attempt
it.
it,
we discovered
Moreover, the
themselves did not
now seem
from a distance.
Their slopes were covered
hills
so attractive as they did
with
pine and larch woods, and the rocks above appeared to
be more suited to Ibex than to Sheep, for no grassy
rolling knolls so attractive to the latter could be seen
through our telescopes.
The Dain-Kol
entirely out of the question. to the south,
It
district
was
was out of our way
and would mean another month through
OUR INTENTION ABANDONED where
a country
with home-sick to
we
all this
it
was doubtful
winter
In addition
snowed
into
in
by the
Siberia,
and a
Chinese kai'aoul was by no means a
a
in
there were sheep,
ponies.
ran the risk of being
up of the passes back
closing-
if
men and worn-out
221
We
pleasant prospect.
also intended to devote the
end of August and part of September Maral and Roe-deer
in
to shooting
wooded regions
the
Altai before returning to Europe.
of the
we had
Besides,
run short of meat, and were obliged that very evening to
Nicholas and another
send
man
to
Kirghiz
encampments on the shores
lake
order
in
other
exploring
knew
of first-rate ground
Looking back, circumstances
would
when
native
have the
for
detailed
I
Taba
original intentions ;
regret
on the
moment
hardly
worth
Ibex.
on the
our
mentioning.
arrived for decision
we
that
faith of
for the other difficulties in
been
us
told
Sheep and
now
and
range,
after a period of three years,
here
abandoned our
unknown
These and
Muss-Taou
long-coveted
the
upper
abandon our idea of
to
our attention northwards, where
turn
he
buy a dozen sheep.
to
induced us
reasons
one of the
of the
we
all
an
way But felt,
unequipped as we were, that further advance would be
foolish.
natives
Great were the rejoicings amongst our
when they
learnt
that
on the morrow we
222
AFTER WILD SHEEP
should
be
was forgotten
all
The evening
THE ALTAI Siberian
the
vent to regret for so
much
vain and so
in
towards
heading
They never gave
IN
many marches
precious time lost
we had
!
was
of that day, which
if
lit
landscape
The
up by thousands of sparks
many diamond
whilst
prisms,
the
the loveliest
in the rays of the setting sun.
through as
be
to
The whole
as yet experienced.
glittered as
a second
in
;
culminating point of our expedition, was
was bathed
frontier.
lakes
reflected
the
hills
opposite slowly changed their colour from bright red to
with
lilac-grey,
intermediate
countless
the sun gradually descended behind them.
hues,
as
Presently
the rosy tops alone were visible, whilst the lakes below
had long ago put out
waves were
rolling
Before dinner
some
we
fine
we
in
before a strong west
tried our luck fishing,
Grayling, averaging
fed the whole caravan.
Nicholas
was
and the dark blue
their lights,
despatched,
i^
As
I
lbs.,
with
which
have said before,
together
guide, to purchase sheep from the
wind.
and caught
with
the
new
Kirghiz tribes
in
the neighbourhood, and with strict orders to join us
beyond the karaoul on the Sumdairik River, where
we intended
to
camp.
following day (July
search of <>ame.
Early
14th)
we
in
the morning of the
started northwards in
Tents were struck with the utmost
NICHOLAS RETURNS now
celerity
the
that
The weather was
knew
we
were
"home, sweet home."
towards
our steps
retracing
Kalmuks
223
bright and
fine,
though a perpetual
stopped blowing.
We
passed the karaoul without calling at the Kha's
yoiirt,
wind from the west never
and followed the the low saddle
bank of the
left
we descended
lake.
Then
crossing
into the valley of the
Sumdairik,* and pitched camp close to the stream at
1
march of twenty
p.m., after a
Here we
miles.
decided nolens volens to give our ponies a
clay's
rest.
Most of them were exhausted by constant marches, and the place we had chosen an attractive one, Fishing
was
afternoon
we
in
in the
our
for
occupation
killed
camp was
as
and
usual,
over eighty Grayling.
stone
of
deep
beautiful
Fish
rose
to
apparently
During
a
the
midstream formed
in
which
pools,
any
fly
without
combination
with
Nicholas
night
which he had bought
sheep,
kopecks apiece (about
some
afforded
difficulty in
* This
is
natives call
the it
five
that
The water
the river was clear and the current strong
blocks
quite
shade of a small larch wood.
at
large
;
intervals
capital
sport.
though
distinction,
red was preferable.
returned for
with
twelve
two roubles
shillings).
He
fifty
had had
finding us, and, being in a hurry
name given
" Kara-Adyr.'"'
to the river
by the Russian Survey.
The
AFTER WILD SHEEP
224
IN
THE ALTAI
had been on the move
to overtake us,
consecutive hours.
We
for
over thirty
remained the whole of the
next day on the Kara-Adyr (Sumdairik), and started only on the morning of the
16th.
wild sheep country.
I
was a most
It
march
and monotonous
uninteresting
in
search
of
kept consulting our guide as
to the
whereabouts of game, but met with the constant
reply
of
kotchkor
followed for
some time the
and, having
River,
We
the right.
(no
iok
That day we
rams).
left
bank of the Kara-Adyr
gone a few
miles,
turned off to
now began advancing through
higher
ground and barren, rocky tableland, where the only
wife, to
our amazement, gave us a
marksmanship,
Here my
were Marmots and Hares.
living creatures
brilliant display of
Hare
for she killed a
at eighty yards
with Littledale's Mannlicher, the betting being twenty to
one against
her.
We
our way.
This was the only incident on
crossed two passes,
reached
a valley, at the
a row
of
haunts.
high
We
and
at
i
p.m.
head of which we discovered
ridges
westwards
and
therefore decided to pitch
likely
camp
ibex
at that
place and investigate the surroundings on the follow-
ing
day,
notwithstanding
statement that
we should
our
guide's
find nothing.
peremptory
We
had now
been many a day without the chance of a
and our bloodthirsty
instincts
shot,
were again roused by
A FRESH LOT OF PONIES
We
the sight of favourable grounds.
next
morning,
realised.
nullah,
and myself,
Littledale
different directions
;
at
and spied miles of country around
THE DEMITCHA,
IN
finding a single animal of I
thoroughly
any kind
till
I
valley
;
then,
Here
we had despatched
Kalmuks back towards
me
without
crossing
similar result in
finally
disheartened.
twenty-five fresh ponies awaiting us.
Q
in
THE BASHKAOUS VALLEY.
met with a
the next valley, and so on
Kobdo
4 a.m.,
but our guide's words were to be
another dividing ridge,
the
started early
ascended the stony slopes of a small
I
JACOB,
camp
225
returned to
we
found
Before entering a couple of our
the frontier, in order to meet
AFTER WILD SHEEP
226
IN
THE ALTAI
which we expected, and direct them
the ponies
their destination,
Kol River.
Before parting with us these two
had refused
to start without arms, saying that
might have
to
Hearing
the
my
this
was stupid enough
I
When we
big revolver.
men and
lost their
that both
we
naturally
way, and, a few days
commissioned one of our hunters
wherever they might
The
be.
to
saw
ponies failed to turn up,
thought that they had later,
men
"they
defend themselves against natives and
wild beasts."
lend them
to
which was the head of the Tchagan-
latter
to find them,
had now joined
us with the fresh lot of ponies, and reported that he
had come across them wandering somewhere about the
Suok Steppe
;
he had also met the two armed
Kalmuks, who declared
him that they were going
to
back to their homes, carrying as a souvenir Littledale
off
my
precious weapon
!
came
in at
about three
in the afternoon,
reporting that he had seen nothing but tracks of Ibex
on very
likely
ground.
fie thought
it
was hardly
worth while remaining at that place, and suggested a start for the morrow, especially as better
Taba promised
ground within a comparatively short
That same day a very
fine
head was picked
measuring 60 inches along the curve by in
circumference at base.
distance.
19J,
up,
inches
AN EASY FORD
We
camp on
struck
and went stream
the following morning at 7 a.m.
some time down the
for
great service to us now, and
long march of
On
it.
valley of a small
Fresh ponies were of
a northern direction.
in
227
we decided
to
make
a
we passed through
our way
a deserted place covered with odd -shaped rounded stones,
which we took
We
glacier.
be the moraine of an old
to
on our way a
also passed
fairly
large
lake which had probably once been about ten times the size, for water-line lakes
well-defined
will
could plainly distinguish the former
Asia, and
in
appear
we
on the surrounding
to
especially
above
line
become reduced
their
Tibet, have
present
level
away, and
drying
be gradually
Most of the
hills.
in
;
in
that
they time
Towards midday
to small pools.
our caravan reached the broad valley of the Tchagan-
Kol River, which we now had
to cross
many
miles
above the place where we had had such trouble during
Here there was an easy
our journey up the Kobdo. ford it
its
;
waters were as milky and dirty as below, and
was hardly 150
forded the river of the tate
wide at
fine
Tchagan-Kol came
this
place.
in sight
As we
at the
head
and made us
hesi-
snowclad peaks
whether we should not march up the stream
towards the sport.
feet
some
hills,
which looked as
\Ye inquired about
it
if
they might afford
from our new guide, who
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
228
answered decisively that there were no sheep about there, so
we continued our journey northwards
having crossed the main its
small tributaries along a narrow ravine with high
banks on either
camp
pitched
side, and,
We
were
off
main
Muss-Taou
still
heading northwards range,
pass into loftier ground. of that afternoon, and
we
the
pitched
camp on
On
The end
kind.
march cheered us up a
the plateau
our way
little,
for,
as
we
we saw of
heads of sheep strewed the ground, and
we had
place where
we had
yourts,
new
struck a
pitched
vein.
it
many
all
on our approach, and morning.
We
camp stood two at
dirty
the
disappeared behind the rocks did
not
reappear
decided that night that
early next day, Littledale to the north
seemed
Close to the
whose inhabitants were so frightened
sight of us that they
that
entered
a narrow valley with a small lake in the middle,
possible that
high
fairly
rained almost the whole
feet.
larger
at
parallel to the
and crossed a It
an altitude of 8,400
day's
fine
hot.
7 a.m.,
of
still
again next day, starting as usual
about
Antelope
having gone up a few miles,
The weather was
at 3 p.m.
and exceedingly
at
and,
began ascending one of
river,
and
I,
until
we should
next start
to try our fortune, for
and north-west rose high mountains and
grassy rolling boulders which
we had
not seen for
;
A SNOWSTORM
Here grumbling began again amongst
a long- time.
our Kalmuks,
they
who
threatened to
probably been
had
229
march next day
discouraged
bad
by the
and especially by the cold that suddenly
weather,
came on during the
night, for
when we awoke next
morning the ground was covered with three inches of snow.
"HEADS OF
SHKKI'
Next morning, July threats,
we
started
different directions. 3 a.m. that there
strewed the ground."
20th, notwithstanding the men's
at
7
a.m.,
Littledale
The snowstorm was
I,
in
so strong at
was no question of leaving camp.
The wind was blowing
a gale from the south-west,
and as might have been expected, afternoon
and
I
returned
in
the
without having seen even tracks of any
AFTER WILD SHEEP
2 3o
kind.
THE ALTAI
IN
was thoroughly damped and numbed by
I
in
head of a
Littledale brought in the
valley.
cold,
a very severe snowstorm at the
having been caught
meat of
a young ram which he had killed for the pot.
He
had seen two or three young ones, but no good
old
males had
come
in
From
sight.
which had prevailed during the
we
lower country
again as
felt
We
middle of winter.
the intense heat
few days
last
we were
if
now decided
in
the
in
the
on the
to start
Kosh-Agatch
next morning, having sent Joseph to
with a letter to our friend the Zaissan Semion, asking
him
to supply us with fresh
men, horses, and sheep
at
a place which we thought would be a permanent
camp, and where Taba now promised we should get
Joseph was also
good shooting. of which
we were running
self to
to
know
back
day's march, but
known
We
guide us towards success.
and camped
at the
Kalmuks
to the
head of which Chinese divide.
is
marched down
the
we
Siberian
bottom of a wide valley
as the Olonur Valley, at the
Nam Daba
Apparently on our
camped on was the Karaimaty. drenched, as
Taba
the way, and took upon him-
the valley, turning westwards towards the frontier,
stores,
Constant rain and
short.
snow accompanied us our whole seemed now
to bring
pitched
camp
at
Pass, the Russo-
map
We 11
the river
were
a.m., rain
we
fairly
and
START WITH RENEWED SPIRITS
an altitude of about 8,200
of
front
not far
away with
revelation to us,
now
the sky-line
as the
showed a much greater
new ground on
we were
search of us
in
and ten men.
forty fresh horses
also intimated that
march of Kosh-Agatch.
our
at
we
These men presently came up and
lis.
informed us that the Zaissan was
They
were now
In the afternoon
feet.
men on horseback on
caught sight of two in
We
never ceasing the whole day.
sleet
231
within two days'
news was quite a
This
map upon which we
We
distance.
relied
intended to try
the following day, but another
snowstorm during the night prevented us from doing so,
though we were now very anxious
new country round
us, especially as
to explore the
Taba appeared
to
be so confident.
We
spent the whole of July 22nd waiting for the
weather to clear up
and fishing
in
;
but
it
was
to
be another
lost day,
a small lake a couple of miles below
camp was our only
occupation.
Towards evening the
weather improved, and next morning, July 23rd, we
were awoke
at 3 a.m.
different
and started
directions,
spirits
in
ground
to the west of our
uphill with
Littledale
camp, whilst
east towards the Siberian frontier.
accompanied
me.
ground
well,
fairly
I
renewed
taking
the
went north-
Taba, as usual,
He now seemed and conducted me
to
know
the
up the valley
AFTER WILD SHEEP
232
for
some
time,
THE ALTAI
IN
when turning north we ascended the
long grassy slope
till
we reached
a series of plateatix
with rolling boulders here and there, separated from
Snowy peaks
each other by deep ravines. seen
could be
the distance before us, as well as westwards
in
where Littledale had gone, and where the ground appeared higher than where we stood. animal came
in
As we advanced along
lopes.
At
first
no
sight but a herd of the larger ante-
these
fine
pasture
grounds the valleys became deeper and rocks more frequent
till,
some very
in
likely
From
Ibex ground.
plainly distinguish the hills dividing
and which, according
to
my
the southern slopes of the place where
we reached
about a couple of hours,
could
I
were most probably
idea,
Happy
we now stood we
here
two great empires
Valley.
could
From
command
over a large stretch of broken country, and
the
a view
soon
I
discovered, on the opposite slopes, nine or ten small
brown
patches, which
I
at first
took for wild sheep,
but which, examined through the glasses, appeared to be a herd of
Ibex feeding about a mile away from
There were
us.
six
heads amongst them. our
side,
ddtour I
in
it
small
males
and three good
There being no
shelter from
was a question of making a very long
order to get the chance
was very keen
to
of
a shot
secure a specimen
or
;
but
two of
FULL SIGHT OF OUR PREY
IN
Capra
we decided
Sibirica, so
233
to attempt the stalk.
We
retraced our steps, and, leaving the ponies with
the
other
Kalmuks,
I
Taba towards
with
started
we thought
a range of steep crags, amongst which
we might advance very
and
difficult,
in safety it
;
but the ground became
was a long job
to reach the other
side of the valley, for there
was many a deep ravine
between us and the rocky
ridge,
were exceedingly
Loose stones were being
steep.
continually displaced by us,
on
my
shoes were
hour's in
After
time.
while the ascents
and the india-rubber
worn out
fairly
many
than an
we succeeded
covering the ground between us and the rocks,
but here our real difficulties began. to
less
in
a scramble
soles
on the top of the
rest
We
sat
down
and spied another
ridge,
herd of Ibex, females and young ones this time, over seventy
in
number,
a mile below
us.
at the
bottom of the valley about
Leaving them
to
our right, we
went down the crags which from the top seemed quite inaccessible,
prey,
we
but,
being
in
full
sight of our coveted
could not possibly follow the ridge, which
would have been much easier work. yards below
it,
after very careful
we found we were
out of sight, but here again numer-
ous long and steep snow
Some
of
them
About a hundred
and dangerous going,
-
slides
had
to
be crossed.
were fairly wide, and the
snow was
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
234 still
hard from the previous night's
frost,
so that there
was no other means of getting across them but
to
take a long run and negotiate them by the strength of the impulse, landing on the other side or sixty yards
were
Some
below.
of these
twenty yards wide,
fairly
and
below was by no means a cheering
Taba was
not to
be stopped
by
tation
making me wait before the
that
been
formed
round
Little
and several us,
my
hesi-
decisive rush.
some yards below long smooth
had
precipice
sight.
some places the snow had given way, and tinguish
fifty
snow - shoots the
this,
times one of these snow-slides divided
some
the
I
In
could dis-
ice cylinders
trickling
water,
whose hollow murmur might have given a shudder
At
to the bravest mountaineer.
way under our
did not give to get over feet
all
feet,
events the snow
and we managed
the disagreeable passages with bruised
and torn rubber
soles.
Another half-hour up
a steep slope, covered with sharp-edged stones and shingle,
valley
brought us to a low pass leading into the
where our Ibex had been spied by
within about 400 yards of where
them slope
feeding. that
stretched
hiding-places,
we should
Here we
halted to
itself
we had rest.
being
us,
last
The
seen
grassy
before us contained few
and the question now arose whether
wait for the animals to
come towards
us
THE
ASIATIC IBEX.
(Capra Silnrka.)
A SUCCESSFUL STALK
237
and hide under shelter of the rocks of the day (which
was the most
the middle
in
likely alternative),
The wind
or to advance as cautiously as possible. being- steady,
We
chose the latter course.
I
had now
been about one and a half hours out of sight of the herd, this
and
it
was quite presumable that they had by
time shifted.
behind,
I
Instructing
started creeping
Taba
soon found myself within what
Two
ing range of the Ibex.
to
keep a few yards
up the grassy
and very
slope,
thought was shoot-
I
more
or three minutes'
creeping, and a fine pair of horns
showed before me
on the sky-line
had noticed from
at
200 yards.
I
the opposite side of the valley that one of the old
bucks was much lighter than the others, and carried a I
somewhat intended,
finer head, so if
naturally
I
could not judge to which of the
three they belonged, but when, a
me
owner got up and gave although not
it
refrain
200 yards
was not
was the one
Seeing now only
possible, to secure.
a pair of horns,
it
my
moment
later, their
broadside
a
chance,
light-coloured friend,
from taking
my
shot.
sight,
and drawing
rolled
him
it
I
Putting up
Jumping up
fired
and
I
just
caught sight of them pelting downhill
lii_>-htninL>-,
but
and
fired
missed him.
the
as fine as possible,
I
over.
could
in
a second, like
a second time at the lighter one
When
they had
all
disappeared
AFTER WILD SHEEP
238
behind a ridge,
we went up
found him to be a very inches along
38 the
the
fair
IN
THE ALTAI and
to see our quarry,
buck, his horns measuring
by
curve
10 inches
girth,
in
wide spread of his horns giving them a larger
appearance
at
reached the
Rewarded
a distance.
my
was indeed
first
Kobdo
successful
at last
This
!
day since we had
River, and both Littledale and
The horns seemed
me
I
had yearned
for
resemble
every way those of a Cashmere Ibex.
On I
in
a shot.
inquiring of
Taba about
to
their comparative
to
size,
understood him to say that he had seen much larger
ones
in the district, so that there is
that they run to fifty inches little
hunter would have
more of them before we Ibex and
left
it
and more that
My
in length.
we should
see
many
Having grallocked our
left.
him with the
every probability
ponies,
we went on
in
the
direction of camp.
The
country being
still
favourable
for
game we
kept on the look-out, but saw no signs of animals of any kind nullah,
till
we reached
the bottom of a deep
where Taba suddenly spotted two or three
Ibex on the top of a ridge to our still
early
in
the
left.
As
it
was
day another stalk was imminent.
Circumventing the ridge on which we had located the animals, I,
in
we found
ourselves presently,
Taba and
a small corrie about 600 yards long, up which
A HERD OF SIXTY RAMS we had
and as
fifty
was
I
yards
front
in
waiting,
coming towards me but unluckily
;
walked very
my
carelessly took
I
of the beast in
1
This took us nearly an hour,
reaching the plateau
just
pair of horns
of breath, having
I
saw him
sight,
he
next
found that
I
whom
and instead of
shot at the only part
and naturally missed.
was
rushing
my
was
this
had already missed
I
suddenly
I
at less than
was quite out
I
fast,
When some
downhill
my amazement
50 yards below me, and great was
when
which
to toil in order to face the direction in
the Ibex were heading.
saw a
239
light-coated
As
before.
friend
well
as
I
could judge, his horns must have measured well over forty
inches.
sight
of,
I
His companion,
We
down
sat
at
just
caught
came up with
presently
this
5
performance, so was
to wait for the ponies, which
the head of the
remounting we started back tents at
I
was a young buck hardly worth shooting.
was much disgusted
Taba.
whom
for
Curiously enough
p.m.
Ibex,
and
camp, reaching the Littledale
came
back almost simultaneously, bringing with him the head of a 19]
ram
fair
girth).
He
told
a herd of sixty rams,
and another
lot
herds of rams
inches along the curve by
(51
us
of fifteen.
we had
that he
almost
all
had come across with good heads,
These were the
as vet seen,
largest
and we decided
AFTER WILD SHEEP
2 4o
that
this
THE ALTAI
camp should be a permanent
being plentiful I
IN
in
one,
game
my
return
the neighbourhood.
found our caravan greatly increased on
by the
arrival of the Zaissan
horses and a dozen
were
to replace our
him a Khirghiz
Semion with
Kalmuks with a
He
men.
forty fresh
who
demitcha,
had also brought with
Abduldho by name, whose
chief,
appearance and stately looks made a great
martial
impression upon our Kalmuks.
In token of friend-
ship he had brought us thirteen sheep as a present,
and
told
us
stories of his
and autocratic
through
our interpreter
nomadic
life.
He
many
quaint
was the hereditary
ruler over about a thousand
Kirghiz,
and owned immense numbers of horses, sheep, and
He
cattle.
rule
had been
and a vassal
for years past
of
the
no suitable ground
finding
under Chinese
Chinese for his
Emperor,
but
purpose on the
he had shifted quarters and settled
Celestial
side,
down on
Siberian territory, having sent in a petition
to the
Russian authorities with a view to becoming
a subject
presence
of
the
Czar.
was not wanted
Apparently, in
Russia,
however, for
not
was there no answer forthcoming from the governor, but
orders had
been given
to
turn
his
only Altai
him
out of Russian territory, where constant frictions took place between his Kirghiz and the native Kalmuks.
THE ZAISSAN SEMION
He now
me
applied to
do nothing
to
for protection.
whom seemed
we
till
and handy
very useful
We
the
difficult one, for
Kirghiz
he
Khan
now found
found the
was naturally a very
himself in the dilemma
which was hardly possible
either of returning to China,
under the circumstances, or of remaining
where he time
As
was not
wanted. has
question
the for
very high
spirits as
usual,
Kalmuks with great
He
Mongols that to
us
told
that
that
all
been settled
him hurry see that
of
represented
territory.
and
joy
to
in
deference.
some
from
for the
This news, he
stray
not
him.
in
He
such
straits
fortnight
past
said,
search of us, and he was
we were
day's success,
be
to
our horses had died on the way, and
foot.
in
in
this
favour.
his
he seemed
learnt
we had been compelled
march on
by
and was received by our
signs
he had
Siberia,
in
that
trust
I
Semion,
Zaissan
the
The
way.
every
in
we asked
that
returned to Kosh-
Agatch, to which he readily agreed.
position of
He
of his subjects,
so intelligent
keep him
his permission to
man
could
I
General Boldyreff at Barnaoul.
had brought over with him several one of
said
I
excepting to hand over the paper
for him,
me
he gave
241
had made
now as
glad to
had been
complimented us on our
and warmly welcomed us back
The men he had
into his
brought, he said, were
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
242
thoroughly
reliable,
and
demitcha
the
he promised
would be more energetic, and keep the men order
He
than
said he
day,
his
meet us to his
would go
duties at
in better
one he had granted us previously.
the
to his
calling
home on
the following-
him back, but promised
to
Kosh-Agatch, and thence accompany us
house on the Oulagan River, where he promised
us CTood Maral shooting.
We
refrained from reporting to the Zaissan about
the constant grumbling that had taken place
our Kalmuks, but told him of the two
He
amongst
men who had
gone away with
my
into the matter,
and said that we should now have
no more trouble.
revolver.
We
parted
promised
with
our
to look
men
that
evening, and promised the Kirghiz chief to
visit his
encampment on our way home, upon which
the two
chiefs
bade us
As we
sat
farewell.
down
to dinner in
high
over the day's events, and turned to
make
morning-.
spirits in
we
talked
early in order
a start as usual at 3 a.m. on the following
—
CHAPTER
VII.
Camp — Stalking Sheep — Weather-beaten
Olonur found
— Lake
Valley
— Hares
Brahminy
and
horns
Geese
Maral
of
seen
— Joseph
Stores— My Wife goes out Stalking— Littledale's Record
returns with
Head— Thunderstorms — Taba's successful Ruse
wound
I
a
fine
— Unsuccessful
Ram— We
Pursuit— Our
Camp
shift
Camp
under the
— Stampede of the Pack-horses— A good Stalk on — Shift Camp over Frontier— More Stalking — The Tarkhaty River — Kirghiz Encampment with great Herds of Horses — get a good Ibex — Return to Camp on the Tchagan-Burgaza River. Nam Daba
August
Pass
2nd
I
Early on July 24th Cristo with the
good
I
tidings that the weather
We
and that the ponies were saddled. started,
Littledale
my
was awakened by
and
I,
towards the sheep-ground which
was
sufficient
room
for
both
of
fine
breakfast,
my companion
inspected on the previous day, and where there
was
accordingly
hasty
a
after
faithful
had
we found
us.
I
was
anxious to get a glimpse at the herd of sixty rams
which Littledale had seen, and perhaps get a shot at a fine old patriarch. fully
my
avoiding
me
Wild sheep had been
for the previous three weeks,
eager anticipation of sport
stood.
From camp we
rode 243
may down
care-
and
be readily underthe main valley
AFTER WILD SHEEP
244
we reached
till
IN
THE ALTAI we
a lateral one, into which
entered.
Great numbers of sheep's skulls strewed the ground, especially under
a
mass of precipitous
rocks,
close
which we passed, and where apparently a regular
to
The
slaughter of wild sheep had taken place.
valley
through which we were passing was bordered on either
by
side
grassy boulders, with
low,
rocky pinnacles
here and there, the whole place appearing to afford a capital winter resort for the animals which were
probably
on the higher ground just perceptible
still
front of us.
in
stream trickled ing
little
ponies
This was our destination.
down
swamps here and
had
to
A
small
the middle of the valley, formthere, through
About a couple
wade.
brought us to a place where we separated
which our of
hours
in different
directions, Littledale taking the country south, whilst I
turned to the right up an easy slope northwards.
Old weather-beaten fragments of horns of the Maral lay
on the ground
in
some
These stags
quantity.
had probably frequented the country years ago, and, living in
such a timberless region, were easily shot
down by
the merciless natives.
ridge,
we came
in
sight
broader than the one small
lakes
glittering
we had in
On
reaching a low
of a parallel just
the
left,
middle
valley,
rather
with numerous of
it.
The
pastures here were as good as could be desired, and
NOT AN ANIMAL
IN SIGHT
a view of fine stony corries at the head of result
Taba and
carefully spied
I
from
length
the
to
to
cross
it
the valley for
commanding came
stood, not an animal
it
in
;
so
entire
its
which
on
ridge sight
promised
But though
our exploration.
a successful
245
we
we decided Here
and examine the valley beyond.
OI.ONUR CAM1
again
we met with
similar
want of success
;
with the
exception of some hares and a few Brahminy geese on the lakes, nothing was to be seen.
we should go inspect in
straight
the plateau,
patches
up
to the
Taba suggested
higher ground and
where the snow was
from the previous winter.
up the stony slopes proved a very
difficult
left
still
The
ascent
one
;
our
AFTER WILD SHEEP
246
horses refused to advance
them
larger
the
lake,
valley,
shore
rendezvous
for
brought
Taba and
us,
manding
the
where, at the bottom
with the aid of
till
I
An
away from
my
could
miles below us.
sat
extended
us,
down
Zeiss glass,
count
made
out a sus-
them some two
of
forty
day
to the
the plateau in open ground.
to
be
We
at
herd Little-
On more
before.
we found them
make
for three
Presently,
Sure enough these were sheep
had seen the
distance,
com-
to spy. I
and very probably belonged
inspection
scramble
hour's
myself, to the top of the
brown speck, then another, then a
picious-looking third,
lay
which was to be our
of
evening.
Here we
or four miles.
dale
sent
I
from which a broad, stony tableland,
ridge,
gradually sloping
last,
dismounting,
so,
;
immense amphitheatre of high mountains,
of an
a
head of the
to the
THE ALTAI
IN
careful
rams, lying on
all
could not, from that
out the size of their horns,
but de-
cided to approach them nearer, under shelter of the crags.
The wind was blowing
steadily in our faces
from the west, which was decidedly but the question arose whether possible
way
land, over six
or
in
of hiding ourselves on the
which we should have to crawl
seven
hundred yards.
our favour,
we should
We
find
flat
any
table-
for at least
advanced under
shelter of the rocks in very broken ground, having
now
ANOTHER STALK and then
to
247
descend a steep gully, the
of us being utterly inaccessible, then climb
and so on
for a couple of hours,
end of the
till
in
cliffs
front
up again,
we reached
the
from which we could distinguish
ridge,
Some
the sheep quite plainly.
of the rams carried
magnificent horns, which served to encourage us on
somewhat daring
our
down
some
for
on the
were
time,
Here we discovered
lying.
now
advance out of sight of them
that
without
we
where they up,
covered.
If
lay.
by chance one of
Two came
;
in
but no.
All
went well
very
necessary to
advance
in
now, as
I
opportunely, crawl
this
on
all
for
cautiously as
we
coveted horns.
horn
was
next half-hour.
availed ourselves,
found
it
and continue the
manner.
within range
more than another
of
and we soon
the steppe are so deceiving that
way
we
fours,
uncomfortable
thought,
bit
for the
or three hollows, of which in
them had
order to look through
and see whether any
glass,
visible
to
ground
we should immediately have been disTaba led the way in a most confident
manner, halting at places the
could
having
crawl, there being a slight depression of the
stood
crept
upon which the animals
grassy steppe
flat
We
enterprise.
and presently found ourselves
;
We
were
but distances on
we continued
half-hour,
in this
moving on
as
could, without catching sight of the
AFTER WILD SHEEP
248
At
this stage
behind, lying
though
still
deemed
I
it
my
to
it.
me was unbroken
when suddenly
right,
and
was gazing
I
I
perceived a move-
two or three rams quietly feeding
between Taba and myself.
spoiled
my off;
I
their
in
moment
fact,
could,
and cocking with
direction
the
shot at the
first
therefore,
my
or,
at
alarm.
head up, another
lifted
his
and a
third.
They had
rifle,
of
any
in
One
of
choosing
rolled
ning.
Jumping
;
in
my
of getting
rate,
followed
them carried a very
him over
it
Suddenly one of them
evidently
broadside -on,
wind
cautiously
as
fair I
go
suspicious,
my
chance.
and as he
head,
let
example,
his
become
so nothing was to be done but to take
was standing
my
the midst
pointed
I
for
largest,
get a whiff of
intention
animal as they passed,
my
This naturally
was now almost
I
Turning round,
of them. as
and already
up,
chance of picking out the
they might at any
intently
there, within forty yards, stood
almost
and be
Taba
on his stomach, and advanced alone,
flat
front of me,
ment
advisable to leave
the grassy line in front of
by any object overlooking in
THE ALTAI
IN
at
him,
and
the others disappeared like lightup,
fired
I
at
a
second
as
the
herd streamed downhill, but the result was a clean miss.
In
the
hustle
I
another good head, and,
was
unable
firing at
to
pick
out
random, saw one
A FAIRLY GOOD RAM tumble
When Taba came
over.
249
up
had already placed a mile between
us.
ram proved
to
ends
of
his
horns
girth
at
base taped almost 20 inches
be a
fairly
the
sheep
My
first
good one, though the
were, unluckily,
broken. ;
their
Their length
along the curve 45! inches.
"two or three rams quietly
FEEDIN'C.
AFTER WILD SHEEP
250
meantime heavy clouds had gathered, and
In the
weather
the
grallocked
looked
began pouring- down
gone
half
in
drenched from head to foot ceased
down
a
was no question of
in
fact,
the
pony
Rain
now
thoroughly
the rain never
and when we got
sending
The second animal
booty.
young
;
one,
the
and before we had
ourselves
of the day,
rest
with
Lake Valley and found our
the
to
there
my
the
for
hurriedly
back with
meat.
torrents,
we found
mile
a
and
head
the
started
Kalmuk
our
sending"
back
bring-
and
we
so
threatening-,
animal,
the
of
intention to
THE ALTAI
IN
I
the
ponies,
man
after
had dropped was
and not worth bringing back.
We
reached camp at about 6 p.m., none the worse for the dreadful
soaking we had undergone, and found
He
Littledale returned.
ground,
about
200
had seen only ewes on
second meeting with kotchkor.
joyed an exciting
his
Thus ended my
number.
in
I
had greatly
en-
and had never before found
stalk,
myself so close to them.
The
following day
I
remained
in
camp, sending
my
a couple of
men
rams
on the previous day, as well as the head
killed
of the large one.
clement,
where
I
back the meat of
to bring
Littledale
had shot
Though decided
my
Ibex.
the weather was to
explore
The two
the
still
two
in-
ground
native chiefs
A NEW HUNTER had
Towards
horses and men.
or three ridges, but
morrow. with a
with
The
unsuccessfully.
promising
cold,
a
whom the Zaissan had whom he had given me
My
Littledale
had seen on the previous day.
intention
over the same rolling
followed
it
and
camp,
down
ing a steep
beyond,
was
hills
on
us, it
a to
moving be a
though
my
left,
my
first
a
passed attempt
small
river
I
Littledale's
began spying the
I
inspected
carefully
glass revealed nothing.
however, and high above
object attracted
fair
We
my
as on
reaching
the rams.
but
the sky-line to
a good
try to find the herd
to
where, according to
left
every corner of the nullah,
On
brought
about eight miles, then ascend-
for
slope,
account, he had
country
the
for
hunter,
and of
this
night was
day
fine
account.
from
of
consequently started early, on July 26th,
I
new
him.
herd
a
and had followed them over two
rams,
exceedingly
found
old
came
evening- Littledale
he had
back and reported that seventeen
homes with our
respective
their
for
left
251
my
attention
;
I
found
ram, and, presuming that there might
be others behind the ridge, we started
The wind was very
unsteady, and
in his direction.
we were
obliged,
therefore, to circumvent the hill for a couple of hours in
order to get to leeward.
Leaving the ponies under
a
rocky ridge
of
suggestive
Ibex,
I
continued
to
AFTER WILD SHEEP
252
THE ALTAI
IN
when suddenly, about eighty yards below
advance,
us,
an average-sized ram started up and stood staring
some
us for
Unluckily, he had taken us un-
time.
my
awares, and,
being
rifle
few seconds to
a
at
in
case,
its
ready to
get
it
me
took
While
fire.
thus
engaged, the animal jumped over to another rock,
and stopping again gave me a doubtful chance. I
we rushed down him
among
he disappeared
fired
to
was indeed aggravating,
we had been
the one
we
course
We
the crags, and though
the place where
we were unable
last,
to
for
I
As
find
we had
him again.
seen
This
had probably frightened
following,
and on resuming; our
naturally found that he
had disappeared.
continued our search over the rolling stones at
an altitude of about 11,000
feet,
with
many ups and
downs, examining numerous corries and
gullies,
the only result of finding a herd of six
young Ibex
with
bucks, which were lying a few hundred yards below
and which we might have
us,
easily
approached
if
they had been worth shooting.
At
2
started six,
the
after
we gave up for
a four
way back
gigantic to
p.m.
back
size,
I
all
hope
for that day,
and
camp, which we only reached hours'
long and dreary
ride.
at
On
found a half-rotten sheep's head of
and putting the tape
measure 63 inches
in
to
it
I
found
it
length by 20 inches girth.
AGAIN ON THE WARPATH had ever seen.
This was the largest
I
had
small
with
returned
a
herd of about twenty, thought, but he failed
head,
remained
a
his stalk.
in
Towards evening Joseph came
camp.
back from Kosh-Agatch, but
ment brought neither instructed
him
to
the error
The
I
which
turned
several boxes of matches, similar cases,
in
hence
my
This
attention to the darker-looking
hills,
thought were a continuation of the backbone
Happy
Valley.
In these regions
I
had found
Ibex and Sheep, and there was every reason
go further
nullahs
I
was
obligingly
I
might come across more.
this time,
very
I
intended
and investigate the numerous
had as yet only seen from anxious
to
get
a
As my
afar.
shot,
Littledale
suggested that he should take her
and they started together
Lake
but
;
was once more on the warpath.
I
to believe that
wife
good supply of
aggravating to empty stomachs.
4 a.m.
I
of the
both
a
had
following day the weather cleared up again,
at
time
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; most
We
short of vegetables
had been packed up
which
our great disappoint-
nor papers.
back
bring
we found
instead of that
to
letters
we had run
maccaroni, as
to
reported
one good one, as he
with in
Littledale
and
rained the whole of the next day, so everyone
It
and
253
Valley.
We
in
the
actually rode,
direction
my
out,
of the
hunters and
I,
AFTER WILD SHEEP
254 till
i
i
IN
THE ALTAI
a.m. without seeing" a single animal in any of
the nullahs
;
but on reaching fresh ground, and follow-
ing a high rocky ridge,
I
suddenly heard a shuffle
on the snow amongst the boulders below caught
sight of
was ready
away.
and as
they were
shoot
to
Another running shot was fired
I
I
By
making downhill.
the rocks and were I
us,
and
two sheep that had jumped out of
my
the time
200 yards
fairly
only chance,
saw the larger one stagger,
distinctly
though he only stopped a second and continued course downhill, and ridge.
naturally
I
his
up again and over the
then
rushed
across
the
corrie
and
reached the place where he had disappeared, only in
time to see him pop over the next ridge.
a desperate chase, and
he was galloping steadily on. be abandoned, noon, and
for
it
was now
The
pursuit
had
ground we had passed nothing,
in
to
a very long
Painfully retracing our steps,
were returning home without
we had found
was
fairly late in the after-
we had gone away from camp
distance that day.
It
we saw him once more when
the morning,
we
over the
precaution
and where
when suddenly my hunter
pointed out a couple of fine old rams staring at us
from a slope above, and presently starting sharp to
trot.
follow
In
my
state
them, which
of excitement
of course was
a
I
off at a
decided
very rash
DECEPTIVE GROUND enterprise, left
on
255
frightened sheep go a long way.
for
in their direction
found them again a mile further
They had now
on.
quieted down, and were care-
though looking back now and again.
lessly feeding,
my Kalmuk,
Leaving
small rocks,
!
My
off again.
start
the wind was shifty,
hopes had gone
now found myself
entirely lost
so that
the
I
ponies.
attention,
had
I
and
from
about
in
this
the ponies and
I
I
had
left
though
yet,
in
men
in
alike.
away
shouted at the
I
time
I
left
within
had
I
left
fifty
them.
had found the ground
those regions, and
forward never to be
wandered
suddenly found
I
down
quietly lying
first
I
every direction, and was
behind the boulder where
most deceiving
direction,
much
very
could get no answer.
manner
This was not the
It
had come,
I
my
notice
to
about giving up the search, when
yards
and had
ground,
could hardly be over a mile
I
my hunters, of my voice,
failed
everywhere
being
Strange to say,
top
that day.
know where
a loss to
at
I
The sheep had engrossed my whole
and
ground
the
broken
in
and
saw them
I
for
the direction from which
was
row of
crept on behind a
I
alas
but,
had not advanced half an hour before
I
I
the ponies behind a small boulder, and hurrying
I
decided hence-
alone again on the steppe.
was now nearly dusk, and
it
was not
until
9 p.m.
AFTER WILD SHEEP
256
we found
that
my
ourselves safely back.
got within 200 yards of a herd of
rams which were already on the move
or three magnificent heads
most anxious
Littledale
the
and
fine,
My
Taba
way,
the
higher range
was
intention
ground straight ahead over the
On my
search of them.
in
on the morning of July 29th,
started towards
I
of camp.
left
amongst them, and was
go out next day
to
Weather being
to
she had fired
added that he had noticed two
Littledale
hit.
;
running animals, but none apparently
five shots at the
were
to
try the
Nam Daba me
pointed out to
which one was a
fine
seemed
to
Pass.
a couple of
rams, three or four hundred yards in front of
smaller,
and
Littledale
They gave me an account
wife had just returned.
how they had
of
THE ALTAI
IN
us, of
old fellow, whilst the other, a
be wounded.
Creeping up
to
within 150 yards, further advance seemed impossible, so
took
I
his
my
shot at the smaller animal and ended
by
sufferings
close to the
ground where
previous day,
wounded by
rolling
I
her,
him
my
As
over.
wife
this
was
was shooting the
concluded that the beast had been
and accordingly sent
with the head and meat back to
my
second
camp with
man
the un-
expected tidings.
Taba and larger
I
sheep,
then advanced in the direction of the
which we
found
again
making
off
A STALK FROM ABOVE
Further pursuit was naturally useless,
desperately.
so
257
we turned westwards
of the pass, and presently
spied five rams standing on a patch of
way up
a
stony
The wind
nullah.
Taba suggested we should
Unluckily,
tiresome that evidently to
as
retired
avoid them.
we the
to I
shifty,
we should have
to
and mosquitoes were very
flies
clay,
being
half-
wait awhile before choos-
ing the direction for the dttour
make.
snow,
found, and the sheep had stretch
of
snow
my
noticed through
order
in
glass that one
of the five carried a very desirable head, and seeing
they would not move,
I
decided to circumvent them,
and come clown upon them from above. two good hours creeping
down
to get well
I
could,
protruding ledge of rock, from which I
ing over, part of the patch of
snow
I
my hands
I
I
I
reached a
thought
I
could see, on peep-
should be within range of them,
tearing
took us
round them, and when,
as cautiously as
yards below me.
It
still
about 400
therefore crawled on
fours,
all
on the sharp edges of stones,
till
found myself within about a hundred yards of the
place
At
where we had located them. this
moment
a gust of wind blew
gully right in our backs,
animals
came
in
siorht
and a second
down
after the five
moving downhill.
mediately fired at the best ram as he
the
I
rushed
impast
AFTER WILD SHEEP
258
me, but a running shot
is
THE ALTAI
IN
Three
always doubtful.
other consecutive shots were of
no
As we
avail.
watched them, however, through our
glasses,
Taba
suddenly shouted, " baalou" which means "wounded,"
and sure enough there was the big fellow struggling to
keep up with the
We
broken.
dismay,
great
one of
rest with
saw him
his hind legs
cross the valley, and, to our
ascend the opposite slope, and
appear over the ridge.
Another chase similar
yesterday was our
Though we found
lot.
and followed them had
to give
up the
eventually
to camp.
The
and energy of these animals when wounded
vitality
Though
extraordinary. steep,
and returned
pursuit,
blood-tracks,
we
for a couple of miles,
dis-
to that of
the
slope
and the animal's hind leg was shattered, he
never stopped once, but galloped steadily away.
was
is
was exceedingly
same ram
fated to find that
again,
I
wound him
once more
in
the shoulder, and eventually lose him.
According
to
a
careful
estirnate,
the length of
his
horns should have been well-nigh sixty inches.
reached the tents at 8 p.m. ladies told in,
me on my
in
very low
spirits.
I
The
return that Littledale had sent
through his second Kalmuk, a note which he had
scribbled
down on
a
flat
bit of
stone with Hint,
in
the absence of ordinary materials, with the following
words
:
"
Wounded
big sheep
;
send small tent and
A MONGOLIAN THUNDERSTORM
The
This was indeed good news.
stores."
Kalmuk back
had ordered the
259
ladies
the necessary
with
things for a night out. In the evening
storm, as
we witnessed a Mongolian
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; very different
European ones
to
It
!
seemed
The continued
the end of the world had come.
if
thunder-
rattling of the thunder, blending with the noise of the
and interspersed with long
gale,
combined
to
produce a
flashes of lightning,
terrible, yet magnificent, display
not easily to be forgotten.
On
the following morning, there being no sign of
Littledale,
and the sky having
cleared,
some
out in the hope that he might find
whereabouts of
camp
in
in
my wounded
eager
in
we
remained
I
At 4 p.m. Taba
expectation.
Half an hour
perceived a small party riding towards us
was Littledale with
this
Taba
clue to the
sheep, while
returned, after an unsuccessful search. later
sent
I
the finest head of
been obtained, and
it
his
Ovis
proved
He
two men.
ammon to
that
;
brought
had as yet
be the record.
Its
measurements, as taken on the spot, were the following to
:
Length, 63 inches; girth, 19^ inches; from
tip,
41^
inches.
He
gave us a most graphic
account of his two days' experiences. across the
same herd which my
with five shots from his
"
tip
wife
He
had come
had saluted
Mannlicher," and to which
;
AFTER WILD SHEEP
2 6o
herd belonged the young ram
He
her.
THE ALTAI
IN I
had finished
off for
had waited a considerable time before the
animals fed into stalkable ground, taking the utmost precaution not to miss the chance of securing
the
magnificent old ram he had "spotted" with his glass.
Having got above them, the whole herd passed below him, and as the large one
had
came up broadside-on, he
fired twice, shattering his
he found, was not
had only been able
hind quarters
sufficient to
;
but
this,
stop him, and as he
to take his shot late in the after-
noon, he had decided to spend the night out, and follow
him early the next day.
seen of him at dusk, after
that,
having
finally risen
much
down
lain
The
he had
last
to his discomfiture,
he had
several times,
and walked slowly over a
was
ridge.
Next
morning, at dawn, he was found lying some hundreds of yards below the ridge in the next corrie,
He
had
into
him before he could secure him.
to stalk
still
him again, and put another
alive.
bullet
The wretched
animal must have spent a most uncomfortable night but such mortal
is
the vitality of these animals that only a
wound
will stop
Next day we I
felt
them.
shifted
camp westwards.
much depressed over
decided to try once more direction,
my
Though
the last days' failures,
I
old ground in an eastern
on the chance of finding the two old rams
A GRAND OLD RAM I
had come across
accompanied success.
was
me,
We
there.
were
Little
263
Taba, who again
and sure of
confident
still
to return
the evening to our
in
next camping-ground, which was to be on the other
Nam Daba
On
reaching the
plateau, after an hour's ride from camp,
we very soon
below the
side
discovered a grand
about two
miles
old
ram
us, as
we were
his in
my wounded
full
his attention
According
approach him was
Taba, the
to
to ride
on
in
we
would be distracted by the ponies, which
being led away. fours,
I
the
my
second
ponies
we
intently
for
could see the as
they
were
In this manner, and crawling on
got without difficulty within a hundred
yards of his resting-place. his horns,
by
This ruse was crowned with success,
crept along behind the rocks
animal watching
to
mighty horns
had come across
to be led in an opposite direction
Kalmuk.
all
to
I
view and slowly drop out of our saddles, whilst
were
as
way
in
him on
sight of
beast, for his
a couple of days previously.
thought
Taba's idea was that
greatly resembled those of the one
only possible
We
head was turned full
horseback at about 500 yards.
he might be
amongst rocks
lying
north of our camp.
he had naturally seen our direction, and
Pass.
As
I
drew nearer
I
judged
which were on the sky-line just before me,
be close upon sixty inches, and just as
I
was
pre-
AFTER WILD SHEEP
264
I
fired.
As he made
had smashed
his hind-legs
off
and that besides one of
which confirmed our suspicion
stiff,
To
We
came up
now come
my ram
just in time to see
On we
we
went
at
full
heading towards a mass of rock, under which
we hoped he might would induce him
lie
to
down
He
slope.
felt
but,
;
alas
nothing-
!
and again we saw him
stop,
up the opposite
our proceedings, and
We
he-
till
corrie as hard as
walking over the next ridge.
toiling
again,
ponies had
and we galloped across the
gallop,
had wounded on
now and
The
disappeared over a ridge.
could go.
I
our dismay he continued moving on at
a slow pace, looking round
up,
could plainly see that
I
his shoulder,
was
a very
availed myself, however,
I
was our old friend which
that he
the 29th.
me
he started up and gave
paring- to shoot,
doubtful chance, of which
and
THE ALTAI
IN
that he
must have noticed was being pursued.
then decided to dodge round out of sight of him,
and, following up a small stream,
got to the next ridge,
making.
The
for
meet him before he
which he was evidently
now
ponies were
exhausted, but
urged them on, and dismounted close of the stream. of the ridge, lying
on the
to
Half an hour brought us below which slope
I
soon spied
where we had
Approaching with the greatest
we bed
to the top
my
animal
seen
last
caution,
the
I
was
him. just
A LUCKLESS PURSUIT about to
fire,
but here
I
when he again
was dead
have been clean misses. sign of
Taba
the
nullah,
and
my
second
Kalmuk and
pursuit,
however,
Having spied every
the
still
On
inch.
of
the
sight
man nor
in
beast.
stopped, for
I
my
Retracing
steps
search of Taba,
this,
which,
to
now came
and
on,
and
if
Taba and
opposite
hill.
explained
to
his
me
in
make
of
in-
ram had betaken
the
Heavy showers
case.
resolved to return
I
pursuit,
On I
home
;
my
reaching once
suddenly caught
pony on the very top of the
Beckoning
seen the animal
tiers
would be out of the question,
more the scene of our wild sight of
stood
river
was the
feared,
I
the
luck had evidently deserted me.
had
my
in
ground,
of
who
continued
hoped that he might bring back good news.
himself, further pursuit
side,
I
neither
it,
useless.
the other side of
accessible crags,
and
in
was now
I
saw no
half-dead ponies,
the
bit
advance was stream
I
had trotted across
and on coming
next corrie found nothing
to
Looking" round
advance another
to
off;
two shots must
remained perfectly helpless with
I
refused
further
my
as for the ram, he
;
and started
rose
and
beat,
265
great
to
him
to
come down, he
excitement
for the
tried unsuccessfully to cut
that
he had
bed of the stream, and
him
off
from the other
where we should necessarily have
lost
him
in
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
266
He
the rocks. of
had been within twenty yards
said he
the beast, shouting- and throwing stones at him,
but that he had held his own, and steadily crossing
amongst the
the stream had disappeared
had followed him
some
time,
Taba
crags.
and then given up
These sheep were, indeed, the toughest
the chase.
animals
for
had ever come
I
across,
and
had gone on
for
day's ex-
this
for the
ram
miles with a hind-leer broken
and
periences furnished the best proof of
it,
a shattered shoulder, and yet our united efforts had
been
unable
tents
We
him.
secure
and dreary journey,
after a long
the
to
pitched
in
at 6 p.m.,
a small, narrow
We
from our I
and found
gully
northwards, on the Siberian side of the Pass.
camp,
reached
running
Nam Daba
were now about twenty-five versts distant camp, and
last
at
an altitude of 8,000
feet.
heard from the ladies that the march had not been
made without
been accustomed exceedingly loth In
quarters.
new
incident, for the to
to
remain
feeding'
all
day,
carry any baggage or
consequence
of
had
horses, which
this
many
to
of
were shift
them
stampeded, with the result of throwing over their loads.
and
One
in particular
Littledale's
packed
on
him,
largest
the
was a most vicious animal, sheep's
head having been
horns several
great danger of being broken.
It
times
were
in
had begun raining
OVER ROLLING STONES in
267
the forenoon, and had continued steadily
day,
all
so that the tents had to be pitched under a severe
which was by no means useful
drizzle,
We
hoped
for
our bedding.
to be able to get out shooting early next
morning, but the weather prevented this
poured
all
day, and
it
was not
until the
Our
in
in
had
felt,
lost
still
his
when
way
he arrived, saying
at last in
the
hills,
day.
I
we both
Littledale
was much
started
lost
2nd, early
went up a valley
in
six hours'
him.
the to
weather
whilst
hills,
westwards into country as yet unexplored by
was freezing hard when we issued from our the day was a promising one. hours,
Taba and
across
swampy
hills,
I,
being-
new ground.
our
a southern direction
towards the higher snow-covered
single animal.
dis-
had wounded,
J
we were now a good
ground where we
Next morning, August bright,
and had been
cherished hopes of finding him again,
notwithstanding that ride from the
evening that
had
search of us the whole
I
it
was
concerted about the big ram which
though
fact,
the afternoon, and want of meat
beginning to be that he
in
cattle-driver
the clouds gradually dispersed.
not turned up
;
We
I
went
us.
It
tents,
and
rode for three
over nasty rolling stones, and
ravines, without catching sight of a
On
reaching a row of grey, craggy
Taba suddenly stopped me, saying
it
was no use
AFTER WILD SHEEP
268
THE ALTAI
IN
continuing in that direction, because he thought there
was a very poor chance of game, and suggested
we should visit
Lake
our old
where we had found so
Valley,
We
much game from our previous camp. accordingly, as hard
reaching
that
turn back as quickly as possible and re-
camp
as our
at 9 a.m.,
having
raced back
could
steeds
lost the
carry us,
whole of the
morning, and, changing horses, quickly started
in
the
opposite direction.
We hours.
ascended a long slope during the next two
As
slipped and
it
my
was very steep and wet, bringing
fell,
luckily without
me down
with
On
serious consequences.
the nullahs with which
we were
horse
him,
but
reaching
already familiar,
I
began spying, and straight away found three rams Taba, who was
lying about half a mile below us. slightly
in
front
of
me, had
to
failed
them,
notice
and having shown himself too quickly on the skyline,
made them
Great was
gallop away.
my
dis-
appointment, as one of them seemed to carry a good head. it
We
was of no
let
them
go, as experience
avail pursuing scared animals,
ing another low ridge eastwards, within sight of an old
rock about a mile steady,
had taught us
in
we
and
follow-
presently
came
ram standing motionless on front of
us.
a
The wind being
we dropped down and decided
to try for him.
AWAITING DEVELOPMENTS
We two
were now on a small plateau,
parallel grassy valleys, separated
boulders, from which sprang here
at
and there rows of
afforded us capital shelter, under which
hide as
in this
we moved
manner
the head of
by low, rolling
rocky buttresses resembling ruins of old
to
269
we were
We
cautiously on.
These
forts.
over half an hour, reaching a
for
able
continued last
clump of rocks about 500 yards from our coveted quarry, which
was
now
ing grassy saddle
only divided
advance no further without so of
we
lay
sight.
down
The
A
standing like a statue.
still
to wait
till
risk of
us,
slant-
and we could
being discovered
the beast should
move
;
out
heat was intense that day, and the
sky cloudless, and
it
was evident that the ram was
pondering over which of the rocks he should choose to
lie
under
As we of
in
the shade.
lay awaiting further developments, a couple
young rams came up
probably likewise
in
to within fifteen yards of us,
search of shade.
We
both held
our breath, fearing to disturb them, and they slowly passed us without having noticed our presence.
had distracted our attention
we looked back
for the big
for
some
time,
ram he was not
These
and when to
be seen.
We accordingly started to cross the intervening ground, and on reaching the rocks where we had seen him standings
we found
that
there was another row of
27
AFTER WILD SHEEP
o
THE ALTAI
IN
we peeped over
buttresses further down, and as
Taba caught me by
rocks
the
sleeve
and
the
pointed
towards a tower-like mass, with precipitous walls on every
ram it
!
side,
again,
some 400 yards
There was my
lower.
standing motionless on the very top of
soon recognised his massive, well-shaped horns.
I
and we presently
Again our only chance was
to wait,
saw him make up
and turning away from us
his mind,
Making
disappear over the rocks.
sure he could not
see us from his hiding-place, wherever
it
might
be,
we
again rushed downhill, and safely reached the buttress.
But here a delicate job awaited me, bility the
sheep had
lain
for in all
ledge on the further side of the rocks, and
have
to
and
him,
find
cliff,
hand and on the ascent,
here could
and had
I
It
I
at
me,
I
at
wall, rifle in
natural steps
my
foothold,
I
I
Moreover, the place,
this
breathless, from corner to corner,
yards below
some
top.
the animal any moment.
close
rather a perilous
could get
never have reached the
wind kept blowing round start
was
not been for
it
should
Leaving Taba
scrambled up the
alert.
and there where
I
probably get within
quarters before discovering him. the foot of the
proba-
down under some protruding
slowly
till
caught sight of
and might advanced
suddenly, forty first
a pair of
horns, and then of the whole of the animal's body.
AN EXCITING CHASE
my
In
excitement
took a quick, standing shot at
I
down
him, and fired again as he rushed
Taba was by my
In a second
watched
till
said he
the rocks.
and as we both at
full
He
went
speed we on,
how-
he reached some steep crags on the opposite
where he
side of the valley,
made
side,
running away
beast
saw that he was wounded.
clearly
ever,
the
271
had located him
;
up the ponies, we
so, calling
his direction
off in
in
Taba
finally lay clown.
order to approach him
again from above.
But the
ran
down
now was
difficulty
from another
side, for
from the top ridge.
parallel
we made our way through over the rocks,
to recognise the rocks
numerous rows of
similar crags
Dismounting,
the broken ground, peeping
suddenly we heard the rattling of
till
stones and caught sight of him as he dashed the slope.
Bang went my
of breaking a leg
but this only gave him greater
;
impetus, and following him
down we got
of the valley in less time than I
now thought
vent to
my
beast out to hill.
that
we had
despair,
me
down
again, with the result
rifle
it
lost
to the
bottom
takes to describe
it.
him, and was giving
when Taba calmly pointed
the
standing on a ledge half-way up the
He seemed
unable to
move
;
I
could distinctly
see the blood flowing from the wound, and thought I
might go on and
finish
him
off,
but Taba's plan was
AFTER WILD SHEEP
272
He
different.
THE ALTAI
IN
ordered the second
Kalmuk
to circum-
vent the crags, and cut off his retreat from the upper
This manoeuvre having been accomplished,
rocks.
he beckoned still
me
proceed towards the animal, which
to
We
stood motionless on the same spot.
found,
however, that he could move,
soon
we
for before
could approach him he turned round and rushed away.
Running
we again
as fast as our legs could carry us,
reached the top just as the animal had been turned
back by the mounted Kalmuk, and as the ram passed within
fifty
over with a bullet
memorable well
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 51
spread.
me
yards of
I
neck.
his
in
chase.
rolled
him
Thus ended
this
at full gallop,
I
found that his horns measured
inches in length, 19J inches girth, $3 inches
was
I
shots had told
and the
the thigh,
being wanted
by the
also struck
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; two in
of
last
them one
camp, we
foxes and vultures, and
we brought back
to
fact that
in the
the neck.
in left
camp
Meat
the carcase
only took
my
four
stomach, one
his
at 6 p.m.
to
in
not the
head, which Littledale
had
come back empty-handed. Next morning,
at 9 a.m.,
and pitched our tents feet, after
we
noon
shifted at
camp eastwards
an altitude of 7,800
a short fifteen versts* march.
August although
at
4th I
was an
went out
in
uninteresting
day
for
me,
eager expectation of finding
THE TARKHATY RIVER the big
ram
several
herds,
we were doomed
we attempted
every time
we came
In
had as yet seen
I
of them
order to get a
country,
peak below
the
I
discovered
to
find
made
I
to
;
the heat of the intrude upon the
thought were worth shooting.
command
full
Taba and
in
be
to
we expected
day had probably caused them
None
came across
across several rams amongst the most
broken ground
Ibex.
I
approach them, and on
to
ridge where
reaching a high Ibex,
Though
had wounded.
I
275
of the surrounding
the ascent of the highest
and discovered about a mile
district,
lying on a grassy cul-de-sac, six very fine
us,
old rams, perhaps the finest
lying close to each other,
I
all
had
They were
seen.
resting their heads on
the ground, probably tired of the weight nature had
imposed upon them
We
to carry.
waited
till
5 p.m..
hoping that they might get up and feed towards
us,
but seeing that they had no intention of doing
so,
we
started
day.
As
of him.
back
for
and hoping
disturbed,
for It
Littledale
camp,
my wounded
was
leaving
find
to
the
herd
un-
them again another
one, there were no signs
pitch dark before
we got
to the tents.
was back with two good heads.
Next day we
shifted
camp down
the
Tarkhaty
River, passing our friend Abduldho's Kirghiz encamp-
ment,
but
omitting
to
call
upon
him
for
fear
of
AFTER WILD SHEEP
276
We
wasting time.
THE ALTAI
IN
marched up a small
the aforenamed river, and about
We
camp.
now had
prospect
in
as well
had
I
following
on
visited
new range
a
as
the
for
day both the same ground which the previous day,
tributary of
p.m. pitched our
2
of
hills
running northwards of us on the other side of the
Tarkhaty
haunted by
were
Taba
Ibex;
frequented
ever
These
Valley.
them.
supposed
intimated
sheep
no
that
began
It
raining
be
to
the
in
afternoon, and so continued the whole of the follow-
Consequently we resorted to
ing day.
Grayling rose
we
caught
few
but
weather cleared
up,
That day
night.
yourts, and found
had come
across
I
Towards evening
fish.
and
but
visited
the
the
hard during the
froze
it
them by in
fishing,
the Tarkhaty River, and
in
listlessly
several
of the
than those
far cleaner
Kalmuk
Kirghiz I
Large
country.
herds of horses and cattle (some thousands together)
were grazing round the encampment, which showed
how much
richer the
Kirghiz are than the wretched
Kalmuks.
On
the
following
towards the
hills
morning
on the
left
started,
I
at
4
a.m.,
side of the small stream
on which we were encamped, and presently reached a
high
tinguish
tableland,
the
from
which
Kosh-Agatch
I
Plain
could in
plainly
the
dis-
distance.
WADING THE TARKHATY RIVER came across
large
found no shootable rams.
We
That day
Taba and
I
I,
Bain
the
sight,
as
rivers,
herds of ewes,
went on a
reaching the scene of our
The Happy
with Ovis amnion. -
Tchagan
as
well
Mongolia.
way,
long-
Tchagan
now
-
in
Burgaza
we
which
over
pass
but
adventure
first
Valley was
and
low
the
277
crossed
into
we were
so soon to quit these happy hunting-grounds
and return
to civilisation
;
sorry to think
felt
I
but our time was up, and
autumn was announced by the
the approaching
wind that swept across the high Mongolian
We
were being turned out by a
turned to camp late without
having
come back with that he
that
in
fired
cold
Altai.
late season.
re-
I
the evening in pensive mood, off
my
the meat of a
rifle.
Littledale
had
young ram, reporting
had seen several Ibex (female and young).
but had failed to discover the fine herd
I
had seen
two days previously.
Next day, on coming out of my
tent,
I
found
it
to
be a beautiful bright sunny morning, and decided with
Taba
to cross the
lofty
spurs,
solely
Tarkhaty River and investigate the
which the hunter said were inhabited
by Ibex.
the large rams.
Littledale
We
waded
went back
in
search of
across the river at 5 a.m..
and gave the ponies a severe
trial,
as
we ascended an
exceedingly steep slope for a couple of hours.
On
AFTER WILD SHEEP
278
IN
THE ALTAI
our way two female Ibex watched us for some time,
and then disappeared
now
in
the rocks.
The ground we
sighted was apparently devoid of grass
edged,
volcanic-like
corries,
and joined together by rocky
peaks,
intercepted
sharp-
;
by
stony
gave
ridges,
the country an aspect of solitude and desolation
seemed
;
it
if
an earthquake had turned everything
upside down.
Sundry plateaux here and there en-
as
abled us to continue our course, and as a high saddle which
stony nullah,
I
spied a dozen female
the opposite slopes about a mile
we ascended
ponies,
we reached
commanded a view over
a
steep
a wide
Ibex lying on
Leaving the
off.
over
slope
rolling-
boulders and shingle, and in about an hour reached
another and higher plateau, at an altitude of in
feet,
order
to
inspect
an adjacent
1,000
1
where
corrie,
Taba assured me he had always seen Ibex strange to say, sometimes Maral stags.
and,
This time,
however, we found nothing there, though we carefully
The
spied every nook and corner of the rocks.
horses had been led round over easier ground, and
we mounted again
to
cross
explore the nullahs beyond. lay
everywhere
them, Just as
sinking
;
our ponies
now and
we reached
a
large
tableland
and
Large patches of snow were obliged to cross
again
up
to
their
bellies.
the ech^e another herd of about
A HERD OF IBEX came
forty female Ibex their
way
snow
They were making
in sight.
slowly up from their feeding ground below,
and were evidently heading the
279
We
patches.
for the
neighbourhood of
were now within 400 yards
them, on horseback, and stopped in order to
of
them
Strange as
pass.
discover
us,
moment
I
and
it
walked
may
seem, they did not
slowly
saw a
suddenly
let
fine
At
that
buck,
then
away. old
another, and a third, following the last of the herd. I
now made desperate
signs to
Taba
to dismount,
and get the horses out of sight as quietly as he could,
which
being
noticed
small hollow, quietly
he
we
making
the
beasts.
for the rocks, till
without
Crawling up
to
and we watched them
they had passed out of sight.
With Wild Sheep we should never have been to
get off so easily.
particularly attracted
the
broken
As
others
off,
;
my
attention,
and
I
was very
me
larger
the tip of one of his horns
was
but the other looked a very good one.
they disappeared round a corner,
as quickly as
my
I
followed them
legs could carry me,
and could now
just see the tips of their horns
steep crags.
able
Three of the old bucks had
anxious to secure one which seemed to than
a
The Ibex were
waited, motionless.
a long time
for
accomplished
successfully
by
They were
moving amongst the
evidently about to
lie
down
;
AFTER WILD SHEEP
28o
leaving Taba,
so,
THE ALTAI
IN
crawled on over the rolling stones.
I
The wind was blowing
steadily downhill,
so
was
I
obliged to circumvent them from below, and crept for
about half an hour down the bed of a small stream till
They were
reached the bottom of the ravine.
I
now
out of sight, and huge rocky boulders, one on
the top of another, stood like a broken wall
Amongst
of me.
these
front
in
now began crawling
I
up,
and presently found that two or three young bucks
were lying amongst them within 200 yards of
me
facing towards
the
me, but
could see no sign of
I
There was no
larger ones.
possibility of
without being discovered, so in
waited
I
a most uncomfortable position
start slumbering.
I
had
till
I
an advance
fairly
saw them
behind
the
highest
boulders,
reached a corner which afforded
On
looking back a
not
been
yards
disturbed,
me
above
longer horns, the
utmost
my
in
was
in sight
somehow
to
time
face,
I
me
and
now and finally,
till,
the
saw that they had
some 300 the
sky-line I
tips
made my way
The wind was
still
young bucks,
I
of
with
blowing
and though now and then
of the two
I
better shelter.
and now appeared
towards which
steadily still
last
against
caution.
lazily
to seize the opportunity,
crawled on for over half an hour, hiding again
an hour
I
managed
get within 200 yards of the old ones.
A GOOD HEAD I
281
took over an hour to advance 100 yards, but could
go further
venture to
not
against a bit of
me
gave
so
;
and waited
rock,
my
steadied
I
one of them
till
a chance by getting up.
rifle
could only see
I
four or five horns against the sky, like the branches
of a tree, and naturally could not distinguish which
them belonged
of
however, one of them I
Presently,
Ibex.
up broadside-on, and
stood
tip of his
immediately recognised the one with the
horn broken
him and
off.
fired
As he
shot which
rolled
On
disappeared.
did
so,
I
drew
my
bead on
almost perpendicularly twice.
him stumble, and had
a
larger
the
to
just time to give
him
The
over.
getting up to
I
saw
him another
others
him
I
instantly
found he had
good head, the unbroken horn measuring over 40
inches in
length and
Taba, who
inches girth.
10^
had been waiting some hundreds of yards
came
He
up,
and helped
was delighted
at
my
samples of his broken not
in
we decided difficult one,
As
to return to
English,
it
and gave
me
soon oft.
further
although this time
which had been hitherto
was getting
it
off,
the animal's head
success,
his usual vocabulary,
applied to failures.
crags,
cut
to
late in the day,
camp, and the road being a
took us a long time to get out of the
and as long again
to
find
the
horses.
At
6 p.m. we crossed the Tarkhaty River, and reached
282
AFTER WILD SHEEP
the tents a
more over
little later.
trophies of fifty
inches.
IN
Littledale
sheep,
pitch
had brought
neither of
to
in
two
them measuring
Next day we bade
Tarkhaty country, and decided
and
THE ALTAI
farewell to the
make
a long march
our tents on the banks of the Tchagan-
Bursfaza River.
KI.II'RN
lO lCHACAN-Bl/RGAZA.
—
CHAPTER
VIII.
Pack -ponies gone astray; replaced by Camels from the Kirghis More Stalking Letters at Last Again in the Happy Valley
— — — Kosh-Agatch Plain — Antelope — Our Bag Start for Bashkaous Valley — Shooting Wild Fowl on the Kosha Wild Swan with the Rifle — In the Agatch Steppe — My Wife Altai Woodlands — Pine, Larch, and Birch — After Maral and Roedeer — Grayling Fishing in the Bashkaous River — The Zaissan's Home — Kara Kodjur Stream — Unsuccessful Approaches — Wild Scenery— Sorry-Kol Lake — Tracks of Maral and Moose— Littledale Shoots a good Roe-buck — Our Camp at Vulientash— Absence of Deer — September 6th — General Retreat to Ongoudai — Meeting with Major Wissmann — Homeward Bound. Weather breaks up
kills
Late
The
in
the
morning of August 9th we struck camp.
cause of delay was that eight of our pack-ponies
had somehow gone astray, and with our demitcha met us as
we stepped
this
bad news
out of our tents.
His report implied that they might have been stolen during the night by the Kirghiz, who, he addicted to such proceedings.
was
that
the
Our
for
though an energetic man
in
who
were
Kalmuks themselves had concealed
them with the view of making us pay demitcha,
said,
opinion, however,
kept his followers
in
them.
The
every way,
thorough good order, had
2S3
AFTER WILD SHEEP
284
shown signs
IN
of craftiness, and
the look out for
some
THE ALTAI
we were
We
trickery.
therefore on
let
him know
that
we
and
that the entire responsibility before the Zaissan
lay
could
with him.
the Kirghiz
and
in
no way answer
Four camels were brought
encampment
at 10 a.m.
for their negligence,
we were on
had despatched two of
the move.
his
men
in
the
Kalmuks
soon
from
The demitcha search
ponies, with strict orders to " find them," ally
in
replace the lost ponies,
to
reappeared
of the
and natur-
with
them.
THE HAPPY VALLEY Having passed the ground we knew our tents
the afternoon at our
in
and forthwith sent Joseph a
to
>8 5
so well,
first
we
pitched
camping
place,
Kosh-Agatch with
half
dozen ponies laden with our numerous trophies.
The
was
evenino-
clear
and
bright,
and on the
follow-
Happy
Valley
nullah
south-
OUR CAMI
ing morning again,
whilst
wards.
Alas
and though the nullah, day,
was
I
I
I
off to inspect
Littledale !
I
followed
the the
found the place entirely deserted,
followed the stream to the very head of
saw but three
fair
rams during the whole
though there were numbers of
ewes on the
These stood
crowning the
slopes
on
both
sides.
AFTER WILD SHEEP
286
came down
heights, staring at us, and as
we had
passed.
THE ALTAI
IN
camp
returned to
I
soon
to i(-cd as
at
p.m.
6
thoroughly disappointed, and Littledale had met with
no better success.
Next day he went stopped
bed
in
Happy
to the
Valley, whilst
Though
and disheartened.
tired
blew a gale, he returned
in the
1
it
afternoon with a fine
massive head, saying he had come across a small herd of old rams, out of which he had succeeded in secur-
ing one. letters
as yet
In
received,
devouring the
previously
which
lor
news,
account
had
which
of
of
the
taken
Queen's Jubilee
place
The weather was
the autumn,
my
most
the
two
following day, August 12th, was to be
incessantly.
with
with
in
we had
months
!
after kotchkor.
up
first
and we spent three or four hours " latest "
important was an procession,
The
Kalmuk came
evening a
the
and papers from Ongoudai, the
and a
Littledale
wife, whilst
Taba.
together with
I
bitterly
went
to
my
last
evidently breaking
the
cold
wind blew
Happy
Valley
went up the Tchagan-Burgaza
We
had hardly advanced an
hour from camp, when we came across a herd of ten
rams feeding carried
in
a small lateral ravine.
Some
of
them
good heads, and the wind being favourable,
we attempted
to stalk
them.
As
they fed slowly over
A PACK CAMEL a boulder,
we
287
started in their direction, following the
bed of the stream, and carefully avoiding discovery by a
lot
of ewes at the entrance of the gully.
we descended
out of
sight,
about 300 yards ahead of
I'AKA
us,
the rams were feeding
and so
WITH A PACK
small ridge from which
I
I
approached a
CAMKI..
hoped
to get
on peeping over with the utmost caution tion they I
had taken,
I
carefully,
dismay, a rattling of stones to I
my
shot, but
in
the direc-
found that they had gone.
continued to advance
thought they had scented
As
us,
my
I
heard,
my
Naturally
right.
and as
to
As
I
continued
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
288
carelessly on, suddenly to
my
up within
and immediately
yards,
fifteen
left
a fine ram jumped
whole herd were rushing downhill.
after
had
I
the
to take a
standing shot at the running animals, which
all
away
rolling
uninjured.
the
noise
of
got
had heard had been caused by some other
stones
I
Sheep
that
I,
Apparently
had seen
We
us.
went
Taba and
on,
up the valley and over the saddle, reaching a stony
plateau, out of which rose a steep mountain covered
with reddish
soil
and
shingle.
Here we found the
rams again, and made a long dcHour of about three hours to get to leeward of them, but when we again
saw them, at the
after a desperate scramble, they
very top of the
was now getting
It
camp on
foot,
succeeded
in
hill
late,
having
lost
in
were lying
an unstalkable position.
and we had
to
our ponies.
My
one, which, however,
On August
wounded
was not secured.
13th the temperature had gone
we decided
Burgaza River, and the
to
wife had
approaching within 200 yards of a herd
of about thirty rams, out of which she had
so fast that
return
Kosh-Agatch
to
lift
in the
Plain,
camp down
down
the Tchagan-
afternoon pitched tents on with
the
intention
of
de-
voting the following day to the pursuit of Antelope.
Heavy
leaden clouds were rolling
a regular hurricane
we
left
in
the sky, and
in
the higher ground and
HUNTING ANTELOPES bade farewell
own
that
it
to the
was a
289
Wild Sheep country
relief to find oneself
and
;
I
must
once more on
the lower steppe.
Next day the weather was again cessively
warm.
Littledale
and
Not
sides of the river after Antelope. I
and ex-
fine
went
I
to
different
from camp
far
found a herd of about a hundred with some good
bucks amongst them, but as there was no means of
approaching them on the be
should
they
driven
flat
plain
I
suggested that
towards us by
Kalmuk, who was instructed
to
make
my as
detour as he could before showing himself.
second
wide
He
a
had
not gone far before the whole herd suddenly got up,
and, strange to say, darted at headlong" speed towards the place where as
I
was
lying.
I
took a running shot
they passed within a hundred yards of me, and
dropped one of them, which buck. the
I
found to be an old
Taba, who was an old hand at
best
way
to
towards them, they rush direction,
in
in
this
game, said
secure one was to gallop straight
which case, instead of running away,
confusion at right angles to the hunter's
and then begins an extraordinary chase, the
Antelopes making an outward gallop parallel to
them
in
circle, whilst
an inner one.
the ponies
As soon
as
they are near enough, the hunter drops off his saddle
and
shoots.
In
this
manner we galloped towards
AFTER WILD SHEEP
2 9o
them as
as
fast
succeeded
IN
our ponies
THE ALTAI
could carry us, and
I
securing a couple after half an hour's
in
breathless ride.
It
was a curious
sight to see these
small animals tearing along the plain, while the faster
we were
they went the nearer
two others, which made a
Littledale brought in
bag
able to approach them. fair
for the day.
On August
15th, at noon,
Here we were met by our
we were friend
Kosh-Agatch.
at
the Zaissan,
We
greeted our return with signs of joy. to take
who
proceeded
photographs of our bag, which consisted of
the heads of thirty-two
We
Antelope.
who was most
Wild Sheep, two
and
Ibex,
found a new Russian Customs civil to us,
and greatly assisted us
The whole
of the
in
Maral
the preparations for our next journey to the country.
five
official,
following day was de-
voted to packing our trophies, which were carefully
wrapped up
in
felt,
leaving the smaller heads, which
were not worth taking, and sending ones straight to to
Ongoudai.
to their destination.
twelve ponies not too start
spent
the
off
the larger
was instructed
We T
accompany them
them
Daniel
many
found
and saw
for the purpose,
well loaded the following morning.
afternoon
in
settling
accounts
with
We the
Zaissan for the ponies and men, and decided as soon as
possible
to
go
after
Maral.
According
to
the
DUCK SHOOTING
'93
Zaissan, there were two passes into the Valley,
Bashkaous
and he strongly recommended the Koukouriou
Pass, to which, in our ignorance of the country,
agreed.
The
other way, he said, was
and the path more
difficult
for
much
the ponies.
we
longer,
In the
ACKlNi; HORN:-
afternoon of the preparations,
1
7th
August we had
finished our
and went out Duck shooting on one of
the
numerous lakes of the Kosh-Agatch steppe.
still
hoped
to get the rare
by
Mr.
several, they
were
look
for
Duck
Alpheraki, all
of
had been asked
I
but
common
though
species.
we
I
to
shot
Littledale
AFTER WILD SHEEP
294
wounded a Wild Swan. paid us a
official
visit,
in
the country,
Russian
and having learnt from him
wanted was not uncommon
I
with him
left
I
THE ALTAI
After dinner the
Duck
that the species of
IN
my
coloured plate of
the bird, together with three or four skinning knives,
and
return got
in
three months,
his
solemn promise
elapsed,
Duck
should receive a skin of the
I
Two
question at St. Petersburg.
in
years have since
and the Duck has not yet been heard
Next morning we
within
that,
of!
to
Kosh-Agatch,
and, crossing the Tchouia River, which
we now found
fordable, followed
We
it
said
good-bye
down along
Ongoudai
the
path.
pitched camp, after a twenty-five versts' march,
Kouekhatonar, where a small
at the first station, called
log hut was built for the few travellers or tradesmen
who happened
to pass that way.
Kosh-Agatch
Plain
my
chance of showing her licher at
to
The
off.
bring
Happily
knee-deep at
left
with Littledale's
bird
in
it
it
I
the
was afforded another
wife
skill
the water stone dead, and
cold.
we
a Wild Swan which was swimming on
a hundred yards
started
Before
dropped
its
Manna lake
neck into
forthwith stripped and
back, though the lake was very
was shallow, and
the mud.
We
Kouekhatonar, and were
I
waded through
only remained that night
off next
morning
at 9 a.m.,
branching away from the Tchouia Valley northwards
A LONG AND WEARY MARCH up a steep
lateral
Snow had
valley.
fallen
during the night, and the ponies found
work
get
to
The
on.
changed.
entirely
denoted that
'95
it
heavily slippery
aspect of the country had
Numerous
we were now
trees
on either side
entering
wooded
the
)KNS START FOR ONGOUDAI.
country
;
pine,
frequent.
and
larch,
About eleven
some 8,000
feet
high
;
birch
o'clock
were
the
we reached
most a pass
on either side were rows of
rocky ledges, probably inhabited only by Ibex.
The
descent from the pass was a long and weary one, and as our horses were tired after their long march,
decided, at
1
p.m., to
camp on
we
the banks of a small
AFTER WILD SHEEP
296
mountain
torrent,
Karasou.
Our
THE ALTAI
IN
which
Kalmuks
our
the timber-line, and next morning-
and
dale
surveying crossed
steep slope
and
soon,
On
plateaux. in sight,
the
had
continue
till
way
our
we reached
inhabit
it,
from our
higher
the
a couple of female Ibex
The
and we passed them unnoticed.
to
the
leave the horses very
to
Very
above was broken and desolate.
seemed
on
country
almost perpendicularly
naturally to
took
companion
accompanied by Taba, ascended a
I,
rising
We
camp.
and
stream
the
started, Little-
My
neighbourhood.
the
whilst
right,
we
about 4 a.m., with the intention of
at
I,
called
were accordingly pitched on
tents
and
we saw
all
little
that
came
country
game
day was
a couple of young Ducks feeding on a patch of grass in
a large corrie below
cold, to
and
I
The wind was
As we descended
camp.
banks
us.
was half frozen when
at
full
speed,
at the ankle, the
my
foot
I
the precipitous grassy slipped,
was a bad
result
bitterly
decided to return
and,
sprain.
turning
Luckily
we were
within a few hundred yards of camp, and
though
suffered agony,
I
tent,
where
dale
came
had
shot,
He
I
lay in
in at six,
with
bed
I
was able
for the
to get
back
next few days.
to
my
Little-
bringing the head of an Ibex he
horns
had been on very
measuring thirty-four inches. difficult
ground, and had not
DENSE FOREST come
297
He
across any desirable trophy.
had met with
a Roe-deer in the woods, but had missed him.
The I
next day snow lay thick around the camp.
naturally remained in bed with
and Littledale thought out,
weather
the
it
being
my
sprained
foot,
hardly worth while going
most
unfavourable,
with
autumn showers.
occasional cold
On August
22nd
Littledale
went out
weather having somewhat improved.
early,
the
In the evening
he gave us an account of what he had done, and
though he had come across a herd of thirteen Ibex, with a fine old buck amongst them, he had been un-
owing
able to approach them,
to the shiftiness of the
The higher ground he found was very
wind.
to that of
Cashmere
;
similar
the scenery quite lovely in the
region he had explored, and the locality well suited to Ibex, though the inaccessibility of the crags
prevented him from examining
Next to start
my
day,
down
struck at
foot being slightly better,
we decided
the Bashkaous River.
Camp was
to
10 a.m., and
about three hours.
dense forests
we had 1
p.m.
to
;
We
we descended were now
in
the valley for
the midst of
the path was at times so narrow that
grope our way through the woods.
we came
Bashkaous
had often
carefully every ravine.
to the junction of the
rivers,
and found the
At
Karasou and
latter to
be a wide,
AFTER WILD SHEEP
298
THE ALTAI
IN
clear stream flowing through dense tracts of timber.
The
higher
had now vanished, giving place
hills
We
low, cedar-covered boulders. at
the
snow peaks
took a
in the distance
That day we
and halted
hours,
five miles
at 3 p.m.
come
in,
for
another couple of
on the banks of the
Some
to
when one
them,
to
his
The
arm.
wonder what
Kalmuks
of the
brought us the news that Joseph had
pony and broken
had not
of the packs
and we were beginning
had happened
river,
Here we pitched camp
lower down.
on a nice green lawn. yet
We
across several fresh tracks of Maral stags.
proceeded down the main valley
some
glimpse
last
behind us as we
entered the heart of the woodlands.
came
to
fallen
off
his
doctor presently
turned up with the invalid, and told us that the arm
was broken above the
The
wrist.
fall
had been
occasioned by an unexpected jerk of his treacherous
We
pony.
were very sorry
poor Abbas, and
for
decided to send him straight back to Ongoudai,
company with able to ride. ling,
In the afternoon
and turned
in
early
we caught a few Gray-
in
order to start on the
following morning after Maral. both,
search
many
Littledale
of
in
the doctor, as soon as he should be
At 4
a.m.
we were
and myself, scouring the woods
Roe-deer or Stags.
tracks of the former, but
I
noticed
in
a great
saw nothing the whole
INVITATION FROM THE ZAISSAN day.
had spied a
Littledale
above him, but had
mile
owing-
to
the
Stag about half a
fine
approach him,
to
failed
of his
carelessness
299
who, on
shikari,
arriving near the spot where they had noticed the
animal lying, went on without precaution, and startled the beast, which they heard get up with a crash in the
dense underwood close by. fine
and warm, but
friend the Zaissan,
it
The weather was now Our
almost froze at sunset.
who was accompanying
strongly induced us to visit his
home on
us,
now
the Oulagan
River, a small tributary of the Bashkaous, promising
We
us plenty of Maral in the neighbourhood.
were
and made
naturally delighted to accept his invitation,
a long march next day clown the main river (about
We
thirty versts). in
some
of the
fished on the way,
my
wife and
I,
deeper pools we came across, and
caught several Grayling, averaging a pound each, but
on the whole our fishing
Bashkaous was not
in the
very successful, though we came across pools.
The
hills
had now
practically
and the woods grew thinner pasture
ground
settlements were
stretched
;
large
before
more numerous.
we saw some smoky Kalmuk
us,
many
likely
disappeared, tracts
and
Now
of low
Kalmuk
and again
yourts, with
two or
three haystacks in the vicinity (for the hay had just
been gathered), as well as many horse and goat skins
AFTER WILD SHEEP
3oo
THE ALTAI
IN
hanging on long poles as a pagan
we had
if
The
sacrifice to their
The weather was now warmer
gods.
Oulagan
from winter to summer quarters.
shifted
next day
we
River
pitched falls
camp
into
The
again.
In the evening fact
we
that
we should
Next
we
which
the valley, in
some
places,
country had entirely
savage aspect, and the scenery, were
cedar woods, bore a
another
Bashkaous,
Here
had grown narrow and gorge-like
its
where the
at the place
the
twenty miles lower down.
became wider
than ever, as
it
lost
not for the
most commonplace character.
tried for Roe-deer, but in vain; in
could hardly realise the Zaissan's statement find
Stags
day, however,
in the
neighbourhood.
we went up
the Oulagan Valley
and reached the Zaissan's house, which,
in
comparison
what we had seen before, was quite a comfortable
to
lodging.
His wife and children flocked around
and an exchange of presents took
place.
us,
presented
I
our powerful ally with the big revolver that had been stolen
from
me by
the two runaway Kalmuks, and
which the Zaissan had managed somehow I
presume
to retrieve
after a severe swishing of the culprits.
;
On
my
eager inquiry about the number and whereabouts
of
Maral
in
the vicinity,
I
was staggered by the
Zaissan's answer that there were seventeen.
He
had
been talking the whole time of
an
en-
Maral
in
PROMISE OF GOOD SPORT Having accepted a Bear
closure.
301
which the
skin
Zaissan had kindly offered me, with his good wishes,
we bade him
down
hurried back
on
farewell
following
the
day,
and
the Oulagan in search of wilder
Our days being now numbered, we were
country.
disappointed at having lost our time up the Oulagan River, though a visit to the Zaissan
could do,
if
continually
him
to our
our way, as
shown
Orders had been given by
us.
we passed
mile march,
his yourt,
we were
as
and
after a fifteen-
camp
pitching our
at
the
Kara Kodjur stream with the Bash-
we were met by
who was now pluck,
we
least
former demitcha (Jacob) to meet us on
junction of the kaous,
was the
only to thank him for the civility he had
in his
this old
own
acquaintance of ours,
country, and
and quite another man
what we had seen of him
in
in
seemed
full
of
comparison with
He
Mongolia.
gave us
a brilliant description of the country at the head of the
Kara Kodjur
River, and told us that
not only in Maral and
Roe
known as Sougoun, the
(in
Kalmuk
latter as
Moose, which he called Boulan.
it
abounded
the former
Ic/ik),
but also
is
in
This made us most
eager to continue our journey towards this Eldorado,
though from experience we
Kalmuk
statements.
felt
rather mistrustful of
Jacob had provided us with a
couple of native hunters,
whom we met
on the follow-
AFTER WILD SHEEP
302
way up
ing day on our
we
he inquired whether
sure to have to put our
On August
some hope
the
rifles to
we were
test.
River, and found that the
Having been
wilder.
woods round camp swarmed with Roe-
told that the
our
of success, for
we pitched camp some twenty
29th
scenery had grown decidedly
deer,
seemed
of these
could shoot, and said
Kara Kodjur
miles up the
One
stream.
a sharp fellow, and gave us
THE ALTAI
IN
we went
new men
both of
out,
us,
in
the afternoon with
search of game, but returned
in
in
the
we were again on
the
evening without having seen a single beast.
Next morning,
at
9
a.m.,
move, following the banks of the stream.
It
long march, though the Kalmuks had said close to pass,
at
prospect.
lake
sources.
its
about
2
About
known
On
p.m.,
reaching the top of a low
we came upon
half a mile
as the
was a
we were
a
beautiful
ahead of us lay a large
The
Sarry-Kol Lake.
hills
all
round were covered with dense forests of pine, cedar,
and especially larch on every
side.
Large glades of
low, thick bushes of a reddish hue lay here in their midst,
reminding one greatly, were
the trees, of the Scottish Highlands.
and there it
not for
In the distance-
rose a higher range of mountains, half-powdered with fresh
snow,
in
an immense semicircle.
The whole
picture decidedly bore a touch of loneliness and wild
LAKE SARRY-KOL desolation.
303
In places the broad stretches of timber
had been destroyed by wood
and the grand
fires,
branchless stems rose hi<>h over the boulders, causing
them
to resemble the
backs of gigantic Porcupines.
After a long search for a suitable place,
we
pitched
OUR CAMP ON THE BANKS OF LAKE SAKRY-KOI
camp was
close to the
dull
drizzle.
and
cold,
We
were
banks of the
The weather
lake.
and towards evening in
it
began
and though the rutting season had not yet begun, was not improbable that we might in
the open at early dawn.
of our
camp
to
to
great hope of finding Stags,
I
be about 6,000
find
made feet.
some
it
feedino-
out the altitude It
rained almost
AFTER WILD SHEEP
3 o4
all
and as we
night,
THE ALTAI
IN
started, Littledale
and
I,
at 5 a.m.
next morning, an icy cold wind chilled us to the bone.
The
hills
tents, it
and
were white with snow, almost down I
certainly should
had not been
hunters that for
we
for the
have remained
there
half-burnt
white
with
of
poles
snow,
On
country
the
As we
reaching a
before
bit of
about half a mile ahead of out,
higher
boulder
necessary, and
to our
sight of a
Roe-buck
found
impossible
I
it
and confidently followed Taba
we now attempted.
the approach
greater
As we reached
precaution
we crawled up
a
low-
my new
open country,
us.
us
through the
toiled
Taba both caught
make him
and
The ground was
we were soon thoroughly drenched up
hunter and
to
followed
of the lake,
which rose here and
trees.
giving
fantastic appearance.
knees.
if
charge of a Kalmuk, ascended
a long, slanting slope, out of
bushes,
We
should get some sport.
in
bed
repeated assurances of our
some time the northern bank
leaving our horses
to our
in
seemed
to the top of
it,
to
in
a
be
but on
peeping over found that the animal had disappeared.
Taba
On
attributed this
to
the shiftiness of the wind.
reaching the spot where the
we found
its
resolved
my
ceeded.
We
Roe had been
fresh tracks on the snow, a fact
seen,
which
doubts on the subject, and so we pro-
wandered through the woods
in
this
NEW MODE OF HUNTING way
for a
long time, peeping cautiously into likely
glades between the trunks of
We
success.
stags, but that
and as
I
;째5
larches, but without
tall
came across a few was
was by
The wind was
all.
this
tracks of
Maral
bitterly cold,
time thoroughly drenched,
I
SIBERIAN ROE-BUCK. (Capreotus />ygargus.)
decided to return to camp, which after
midday.
On
the whole
of hunting most difficult
I
we reached soon
found
but slight chance in favour of the dale,
day,
this
new mode
and aggravating, and with
who had gone westward,
hunter.
returned late
and reported that he had only come
Littlein
the
across three
AFTER WILD SHEEP
306
IN
THE ALTAI
Roe-deer docs, and although he had scoured large tracts
had met with
timber,
of
very
few
signs
of
Stags.
Next
September
day,
daybreak.
starting" at
we exchanged ground,
ist,
was a
It
and
frosty morning,
a thick mist covered the whole country, clearing up
As we advanced through
towards 6 a.m. nothing came
in
sight for a couple of hours, during
which time we had journeyed the lake.
my
down
sat
I
to
On more
careful examination
I
be two Maral hinds with their fawns.
Jacob with that
I
me
should
that clay
shoot
;
at
matter,
amongst the
my
least
other hunter
trees
had taken
a
hind.
naturally
I
we were
discussing
suddenly pointed out
some 200 yards ahead
I
saw
it
was a doe.
of us
a
As soon
as
But
not to be our last disappointment that day.
made our way through place
came almost up
me
only just affording
this
was
As we
the high bushes, which at this to our necks, a
buck and a doe
suddenly sprang out and disappeared without giving
the
in
found them I
Roe-deer with two kids quietly feeding. the animal moved,
corrie,
the fellow was very anxious
restrained his impetuosity, and as the
from
five or six miles
spy a broad, open
glass revealed four animals feeding slowly
distance. to
As
the bushes,
in
a
second,
the slio-htest chance of a shot, and
me
the glimpse of a pair of
fine
VALLEY OF THE KATOUN RIVER
A
horns.
the
of
me
further on Jacob pointed out to
little
tracks
307
Moose
a
(Boulan),
and
sure
there,
enough, on the mud, were the well-known footprints
!
On
our way back two more Roe-deer sprang out of
the
brushwood a few yards
the
same
yet returned, but
and
at
had sent
came
head of a
we decided
to
day,
to
entrenchments round them
On at
9
buck,
up towards
cleared
it
on
the
Unfortunately,
poured continuously the whole of next
and we were obliged
water,
fair
have another try
following day before striking camp. it
in
had not
saying that he had seen
Rain now came on, but as
however,
was back
I
Littledale
in the.
in
noon
buck, but had failed to get near him.
fine
evening,
at
disheartened.
p.m. he
3
another
and
result as before,
camp thoroughly
front of us, but with
in
keep in
to our tents
and dig
order to carry off the
and keep the insides dry. the
morning of September 3rd we struck camp,
a.m., in
north-westerly direction, and again
a
pitched tents at
1
p.m., after a fifteen-mile march,
the banks of a small stream at a place natives as Yulientash.
We
known
now found
again in the valley of the Katoun River.
hunters
still
to the
had crossed a low divide
separating two watersheds, and
here was very similar to that
on
we had
just
promised us sport with
ourselves
The
country
left,
and our
Maral.
The
AFTER WILD SHEEP
308
IN
THE ALTAI
ground, indeed, seemed suitable for them a range
of us ran
snowclad
of
hills,
westwards
;
whilst on
all
other sides the low, undulating country was covered
with
woods and great
fir
of
the
stopped.
As
sides
stretches of reddish brush-
Towards evening, clouds
wood.
higher it
mountains,
it
was not
until after
get
in
search
of game.
nothing but a Capercaillie.
bark, in
but
had
rain
On
day
that
saw
I
found tracks of Deer,
noticed
no fresh ones.
signs
Maral
of
branches.
unsuccessful
make
to
had succeeded
Littledale
and had shot the doe by
stalking a couple of Roe,
as
the
of the following
small trees, which were stripped of their
mistake, unable thick
but
out the horns amidst the
Another attempt next day proved previous
the
as
suggested that we might find
ones.
game
in
Taba had the direction
of the higher ground westwards, towards which
now
directed our course.
bad
state of health,
after her.
As
for
Owing
the only living creatures
p.m., thoroughly
remained
to look
scrambled half-way up the
I
I
mountain range, where
saw during the whole day
were a female Ibex with a 2
we
to Mrs. Littledale's
my companion
me,
steep slopes of the western
at
the
luncheon that we could
I
however, and occasionally Stags on
hung on
snowed the whole
morning, out
still
kid.
sick
of
returned to
I
this
camp
God-forsaken
MEET TWO EUROPEANS we unanimously decided
country, and to
make a
309
in
the evening
general retreat to Ongoudai.
Next day a long march
of about twenty miles over
broad stretches of moorland and a low pass brought us to the banks of a small tributary of the
River,
we
where
pitched
camp
at
Katoun
The
p.m.
3
weather was now evidently breaking up, and we were anxious to get back to
all
next day versts)
Pass,
down a on
(about forty
small stream, and reached the Sakljar
Ongoudai-Kosh-Agatch
the
As we descended
after 2 p.m.
the
Consequently,
civilisation.
we made a very long march
path,
a
little
the steep slope into
Katoun Valley we met a caravan with two Euro-
peans,
who were on
found
them
to
their
Doctor Bomuller, with words.
They
way
be Germans
to
Kosh-Agatch.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Major
We
Wissmann and
whom we exchanged
were intending to cross the
a few
Mongolian
plateaux into the Zaissan's country, and then proceed, via Tashkend, to Merv.
We
warned the well-known
African explorer of the difficulties he would have to encounter, owing to the late season and roughness of the
autumn months on the high
Altai,
him a good journey, parted with the
we had come
and wishing
first
Europeans
At 4 p.m. we
across for a long time.
reached the ferry over the Katoun, which we crossed,
and camped on the steppe close
to
its
Next day Ongoudai was reached
banks. in
the afternoon,
AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI
3io
the last few miles
being accomplished
which had been kindly placed friend the Zassedatel
away on
leave.
entire journey
iarantass,
in
at our disposal by our
Meyer, who had himself gone
Here we discovered
we had
that during our
miscalculated the days of the
week, and that Mrs. Littledale, who, as she supposed,
had been keeping Sundays most
religiously,
mistake been observing Fridays instead that our trophies had
safely
arrived,
had by
We
!
found
and had been
carted on to Barnaoul.
IKIMKWARD
The
IIOUM).
next day was entirely devoted to paying off
our men, and making preparations
back to Barnaoul. demitcka,
and
on
We the
for
the journey
bade farewell to Jacob the ioth
Ongfoudai en route for Bisk.
September
finally
left
HOMEWARD BOUND On
14th
the
we were met
at
Boldyreff and the Ispravnik,
3i3
Barnaoul by General
who
greeted us warmly
and complimented us on our safe return from our
We
journey.
of the Governor of the Altai, civilly
in
long-
remained a couple of days as guests
who helped
our preparations for the
start,
us most
and
after a
OUR SPECIAL LUGGAGE VAN FOR TROrHIES AND PACKAGES.
hearty good-bye,
Here
fresh
we reached
trouble
registering- of our luggage.
over forty-six poods. cussion,
we were
the
Ob
River a day
awaited us with
The
regard
the
horns alone weighed
After a long and weary dis-
supplied with a special luggage van,
and on the 16th September slowly steamed wards Europe.
later.
to
off to-
,
APPENDIX OF PLANTS FROM THF ALTAI MOUNTAINS
LIST
Collected by Mr. and Mrs.
St.
George
Received January,
Anemone
Pulsatilla, L.
Ranunculus aquaiilis,
Mu
long/mulls, C. A.
,,
C
pulchellus,
Lychnis apclala, L.
rr.
Mey.
Stellaria
A. Mey.
gramine a,
Cera stiu in
L.
lithospei -m ifoliu in
Fisch.
Aconitum napellus, L.
Cerastium trigynum,
Anthora, L.
,,
L.
Seguieri, Yill.
,,
sulphureus, Soland.
,,
Littledale
Clayton/a sibirica, L.
plantaginifolius,
, ,
R.
898
Dianthus supcrbus,
L. (2 forms).
Cymbalaria, Pursh.
,,
1
Trollius asiaticus, L.
Cherlcria sedoides, L.
Papaver alpinum,
Silene tenuis,
Corydalis
striata,
L.
Steph.
,,
Parrya exscapa, Ledeb. Cardamine pralensis,
Draba
glacialis,
,,
incana, L. /u'rta,
Chorispora
Geranium ulassovianum,
O nolo ycb is
Hedysarum polymorphum, Ledeb.
sibirica, 1)
Capsella Tliomsoni,
Fisch.
sp.
Astragalus alpinus, L.
L.
C.
sp.
Smebncskia calycina, C. A. Mey.
Hesperis
\\'ilid.
repens, Patrin.
Bicbcrsttinia adora, Steph.
L.
Adams.
â&#x20AC;&#x17E;
Yill.
sp.
Hook,
sp.
Oxytropis,
f.
Dryas
?
2 sp.
ociopetala, L.
Spiraea hypericifolia, L.
Viola altaica, Pall. 3i4
APPENDIX Glaux maritima,
Potentilla anserina, L.
L.
multifield, L.
Androsace
grandifolia, L.
Rhododendron daouricum,
,,
.,
3i5
septentrionalis, L.
Sibbaldia procumbens, L.
Campanula
Saxifraga melaleuca, Fisch.
Pokmonium cxruleum, Gentiana
,,
oppositifolia, L.
,,
Hircn/us, L.
,,
Parnassia palustris, L.
„
Sedum Rhodiola,
D C. I )
DC.
leucanthus,
,,
C.
M.
L.
B. L.
altaica, Pall.
barbata, Froel. tenella, Fries.
prostrata, Hacnke.
„
(juadrifidinn, Pall.
„
Umbilicus spinosus,
Steveni,
Olivier/',
,,
Griseb.
Swertia perennis, L.
Myosotis sylvatica, Ehrh.
Epilobium latifolium, L.
Eritrichium villosum, Bunge.
Galium verum,
Castilleia pallida,
L.
Leontopodium alpinum, Cass. sibiricum, Cass.
,,
Pedicularis verticillaia, L.
Erigeron, alpinus, L. yafi-/^'
near
jt/.
5".
Marrubium
eriostachyum, Benth.
Leonurus lanatus,
DC.
Senecio flammeus, ,,
foliosa, L.
,,
alpiua, L.
,,
comosa, L.
„
alpinus, L.
Saussurea pygmaea, Spreng.
Artemisia rupeslris, L. glacialis, Willd.
Pers.
Dracocephalum palmalum, Steph.
goringensis,
Hemsl.
Kunth.
Veronica spicata, L.
,,
grandiflorum, L.
Thymus Serpyllum,
L.
i-W/.v Myrsinites, L.
Brayi, Ledeb.
„
Pyrethrum pulchellum, Ledeb.
Ephedra monostachya,
Scorzonera radiata, Fisch.
B liturn
virgatum, L.
Leoutodon autumnale, L.
Rumex
Acelosa, L.
Youngia pygmaea, Ledeb.
Polygonum alpinum,
,,
diversifolium, Ledeb.
Statice spcciosa, L.
Primula ,,
L.
All.
,,
viviparum, L.
,,
Bistorta, L.
nivalis, Pall.
/«i
farinosa, L.
Lloydia serotina, Salisb.
Tigridia, Bunge.
.
APPENDIX
3*6
Hordenm
Allium silnricum, L. Semenovii, Regel.
,,
tenuissimum, Ledeb.
Eriophorum Carex
Scheuchzeri,
rigida,
violaceum,
Boiss.
and
Hohen.
â&#x20AC;&#x17E;
Hoppe.
Good. Wahl.
,,
stenophylla,
,,
melanantha, Turcz.
â&#x20AC;&#x17E;
melanantha, C. A. Mey.
Stipa orientalis, Trin.
Bromus
inermis, Leyss.
Agropyrum Woodsia
cristatum, Bess.
iloensis,
R. Br.
Cy stopfer is fragilis, B er n h Equisetum arvense,
var.
alpinum.
Deyeuxia, near D. lapponica.
Bryum,
cf.
Trisetum subspicatum, Beauv.
Mnium
rostratui/i,
Triticum caninum, var. altaicum,
Amblystegium Jluviatile, Schpr.
Griseb.
Hyp nu in
B. caespitosum. Schwaeg.
uncinatum, Hedw.
INDEX Abbas, Joseph,
2,
100, 161, 162,
breaks his arm, 298. Abduldho (a Khirghiz chief), 240, 285
Asia, 6, 15, 16, 150, 227.
33, 61, 62, 92,
5,
177, 180, 230, 253,
boundary
„
of,
15.
Asiatic tribes, 211.
;
Aurochs,
14.
275.
Adar
Ak
kotchkor
(kill
Baggage, 6. Bain-Khairkhan
sheep), 102.
(white), 60.
Ak-sou (white water), 143. Akmolinsk country, 24. Alexander I. the Beloved,
162,
Bain-Tchagan, 28, 29.
107,
112,
4,
153,
97,
100,
103.
139, 277. 118, 124.
20, 23, 25, 26, 31, 33, 34,
„
departure from, 35, 39, 3io,3i3-
83. 293.
36, 47, 61, 241.
Altai district, 25, 26, 31, 33, 34, 36, 49, 53, 54, 56, 78.
„
mountains, 1,2,14,45,54,215,
„
peaks, 47.
„
Museum,
„
welfare and education of
people
221, 309.
Bashkaous River,
„
pine forests, 31.
„
scenery, 63.
,,
sheep.
See Ovis.
13,
301.
15,
Beliou mountains, 182, 192.
sheep.
;
of, 34.
297, 299, 300.
Belbess (don't know), 112, 1S5.
Altaiskoie, 48.
Antelopes, 89,
34.
Valley, 225, 293.
Bears,
Altaisky Zassedatel,
289
the,
147,
192.
Barnaoul,
Alps, 95.
288,
Hills,
189,
Bain-Tchagan Valley,
Alpine flowers, 68.
Alpheraki (a Russian naturalist),
Amnion
182,
180,
58.
150,
sight
183,
a
Bia River, 193,
herd,
our whole bag, 290. A niHope gutturosa, 89,
228 232
Bielukha glaciers,
;
,,
150,
33, 36, 45, 47.
Bielokourikha, 47. 39, 43.
range, 68.
Birch trees, 25, 295.
151,
Birds on the Volga,
183.
Arkhar (ewe), 60, Ash trees, 200.
stream, 194.
.,
See Ovis.
9.
Bisk, 3^, 36, 39, 42, 45, 47, 56, 61, 310.
95, 161, 165, 108.
Black game, 7
1
5.
INDEX
u8
Boldyreff,( General, 25, 31- 5,241,313.
Madame,
Boma
(a
Cumberland, Major,
87,
2,
1,
100,
140.
33.
dangerous path),
67, 78, 79.
Czar of Russia, 240.
Bomiiller, Doctor, 309.
Boro-Burgassy River,
142, 181, 182.
Dain-Kol
Valley, 169.
„
Boun, or Ibex,
,,
Deer parks
sibirica, 34, 82,
10,
1
18, 220,
226, 232-5, 237-9, 250-3,
<
56,
13,
221,
13.
153,
288, 299.
Demitcha, 92, 94, 139,
162, 168, 201,
202, 210, 219, 225, 240, 242, 283,
297.
Caucasus,
6, 91,
Cedar woods,
Djeran, 150.
Dutchinas, or communes,
Cashmere,
32, 47, 48, 301, 302.
Eagles, 108.
Eastern hospitality,
150, 152.
„
Emperor
„
proposed route from,
of, 179,
203, 240. 26.
Ekaterinburg,
23.
Ekaterinburg,
S.S., 9.
177, 213, 214,
Ekaterinburg Shooting Club, Elk,
13, 15,
Europe,
56.
„
frontier, 99, 144.
„
territory,
124,
141,
142,
1
1
1,
16.
15, 16, 45, 88, 221.
„
boundary
„
return
to,
European Russia,
170, 203, 241.
Cold intense,
14.
301, 307.
Ermak, the adventurer,
216.
Chinese, 55,
16.
Elizabeth, Empress, 23-
trade with, 54, 55. 171,
2,3-
Siberian galleys,
„
China, 92, 147, 203.
170,
56, 5S.
150.
Central Russia, 41.
Chinamen,
142,
Dogs, 53, 215. Ducks, 60, 83, 89, 293, 294, 296. round Kainsk, 24. „
297, 298, 300-2, 304-8.
Caravan, our, 92.
Chamois,
19, 20, 92,
3,
140,
284, 301, 310.
8.
Cap) coins pygargus,
Cariboo,
1,
132-4,
108,
224, 253, 256, 258, 259, 266, 286, 1
275-9, 290, 295-7, 308; sight a 1
the Altai, 53.
161, 162, 168, 189, 190, 199, 208,
Capercaillie, 14, 308.
1
in
DemidofT, Princess,
Camels, 27, 285.
herd,
192-5, 198,
201, 290.
245.
107,
221,
Lake, 214, 218.
Daniel, 173, 175, 176,
82.
Brahminy Geese, 60, 108, Brown Bears, 13. Bunge (a botanist), 34.
Cap) a
district, 215, 220.
of, 15.
313. 34, 41.
122, 161.
Constantine, Father, 65.
Fir trees, 94.
Copper,
Flowers, 32, 68, 140, 161, 213.
13.
Cranes, 60, Cristo (Author's valet),
5,
92, 98,
139, 143, 161, 168, 204, 243.
Gabriel, Mr. Littledale's servant, 6, 92, 139, 168, 204.
INDEX Kaams, or Kalmuk
Geese, 83, 89. Gold near Taguil,
24.
182,
189, 208,
209, 222,
223, 276, 298, 299.
Grebes, Eared, 89.
Greek Church,
Kalmuk
country, 56, 65, 276.
„
matrons, 26.
,,
peace offering,
„
priest, 75-8, 82, 85, 86.
,,
punishing one,
Kalmuks,
57.
Gultcha (wild ram),
Valley, 97, 98, 107, 112, 116,
121, 124, 132, 133, 140, 143,
151
;
106,
115,
124,
138-40, 143, 150,
151,
153,
161,
164, 168, 169, 172, 184, 185, 200,
202, 204, 205, 207, 209, 210, 212, 215, 217, 220, 225, 226, 229, 230, 233, 240-2, 250, 255, 258, 259, 263, 265, 272, 276, 283, 284, 286, 289,
springs, 47.
296, 298-302, 304.
Iaksht (good), 60. (bad), 60.
Ian miiss (big horn), 220,
60, 106.
no;
discover a herd,
221,
226, 232-4,
Ibex, 34, 82, 118,
90-6,
104,
102,
144,
277, 285, 2S6.
Iaman
87.
26, 32, 45, 53, 54, 56-62,
start for, 153, 164, 232, 253,
Hares, 100, 193, 224, 245. Horses, 86, 143-5.
Hot
5,
71, 72, 300.
65, 66, 68, 75-8, 82, 85-7,
60.
98, 99,
Happy
priests, 76-8.
Kainsk, 23, 24.
13, 16.
Granaries of Siberia and Russia, Grayling-,
3J9
235,
Kama, 10. Kamlanie (a ceremony), Kara (black), 60.
76.
Kara-Adyr River,
See Sum-
224.
dairik.
Karaimaty River, 230. Kara Kodjur, 301, 302.
our 237-9, 250-3, 275-9, 281 whole bag, 290, 291, 295-7, 308. Imperial Geographical Society, 4.
Karaoul Suok, 162. Kara-sou (black water),
Inia River, a small tributary of the
Kasan, the great Tartar town,
;
Katoun, (no),
Katoun Valley, 1
„
50.
Iron mountains,
13.
Ispravnik (chief of the police), 26, 27, 29, 31, 32, 40, 48, 49, 56, 60,
85,91,313.
Ivan the Terrible,
16.
Jacob, the dcmitcha, 225, 301, 306,
Jakshi Joseph.
(well done), 106.
See Abbas.
Juniper, 200.
309.
River, 36, 45, 47, 66, 7 307, 309
13, 17.
Iron-ore at Taguil,
66, 75,
9,
10.
71.
lodro, 75.
Iok
143, 296-7.
Kha,
169, 170,
;
1 ,
72,
crossing the, 67.
172,
173,
174,
179,
Kirghiz, 26, 58, 60,
117,
124,
150,
214, 216, 223.
Kiachta, 26.
185, 202, 203, 211, 212, 221, 222,
240-2, 276, 283, 284; encampment, 203, 218, 284. Kitchinek kotchkor (young rams), 147.
Kobdo town, 201.
26, 55,
174, 175, 181,
INDKX
320
Kobdo
16-8,
122,
lakes, 216, 218.
1
„
merchants,
142, 144,
„
river,
172.
142,
208, 210,
199-201,
192,
215,
212,
217,
31-3,
[62,
16S, 171, 173, 174, 178, 180,
183,
224-6, 228-32, 238,
239, 243, 244, 246, 250, 251, 253, 256, 258, 259, 266, 267, 272, 275,
Pass, 48.
277, 282, 285, 286, 289, 290, 293,
25, 26, 36, 58, 62,68,
84, 88-90,
161,
294, 296-9, 304, 305,
162, 177, 180, 201, 230, 231, 241,
record head, 260, 261.
71, 72,
82,
138-40,
184, 189, 190, 192, 193, 199, 202,
Valley, 184, 199, 225.
Kosh-Agatch,
1
I53>
'54, 161,
204, 207-9,
218, 227, 238.
Komar
124,
'5P
140,
Littledale, Mrs.,
242, 253, 285, 290, 291, 293, 294,
307, 308
3, 5, 19, 20,
;
32, 33,
45, 61, 92, 107, 108, 140, 142, 153,
309.
Kosh-Agatch
plain,
5,
161, 162, 168, 171, 177, 178, 189,
150, 184, 276,
288, 294.
190, 199, 209, 258,
plateau, 81-3.
„
Lob-Nor, 218. Lomatchevsky, General, Lubimoff Company, 9.
steppe, 293. Koslot'f,
Lieutenant, 218.
bar
Kotchkor
are
(there
259, 266, 308,
310.
Wild
25, 26, 30.
Sheep), 87, 100, 112.
Kotchkor (wild ram).
See Ovis.
Mannlicher, 224, 259, 294. Maral deer, 34, 49, 5°, 53,
Kouekhatonar, 82, 294. Kouickhtonar, 82, 294.
Koukouriou Pass,
298-301, 303,
293.
Koumiss (fermented mare's
milk),
23.
Kuldja Valley, Kurai „ „
Kvas
1
3,
Medicine made from horns, Melons, 24. Merv, 309. Meyer, Mr., 58, 62, 66, 77,
223, 295,
302, 3°5-
Pedebour (a botanist), 34. Legend of the so-called
"
Mines at Taguil, 20. Mining people's cruelty,
Father
Mohammedans,
133, 154,
Mongolia,
.93-8. 2,
55.
85,
310.
28.
Lepet (Littlcdale's hunter)
45, 46, 100, 193, 202,
224.
16.
250, 253, 268.
Parch, 47, 48, 94, 200, 2
no,
5,6, 19, 32, 33, 45,
55,61,89,90,92,99,107,108,110,
306,
1
Marmots,
Russian beverage),
Littledale, Air.,
horns found, 116, 244.
50.
steppe, 81.
Theodor,"
country, 290.
some seen, 10. Maralnik (enclosure for Maral)
range, 81.
Pake Valley,
„ ,,
„
4.
hills, 68.
(a
305,
308.
60.
Kourgan,
54,
116, 220, 221,242, 278, 290,
J
277.
2,
16.
58.
26, 78, 94,
100,
115, 123, 131, 142, 151,
49,
INDEX Mongolian
frontier, 91, 107.
„
plateau,
,,
thunderstorm, 259.
Mongols,
Ovis a )imon, find heads on
Altai, 141, 148, 277.
„
13, 15, 301, 307.
Moscow,
Mus
a herd of ewes and
young,
26, 56, 78, 124, 142, 214,
217, 219, 241.
Moose,
river-
bed, 100.
84, 139, 309.
5,
32:
100.
rams rams
stalked, 104.
two
fine
located, 103.
heads
se-
cured, 105.
3, 5, 6, 29.
204,
measurement of the two heads, 105. height at shoulder and
Pass, 230, 256, 263, 266.
Littledale secures five
citilus, 46.
Muss-Taou
hills,
189,
200,
211, 214-8, 220, 221, 228.
size, 106.
Nam Daba
Napoleon's invasion of Russia,
Newsky,
Dr., 4,
5,
173,
heads, 107.
found at altitude of
Nicholas (our interpreter), 65, 92, 139, 168,
28.
92, 298. 91,
179, 202, 204,
9,000
feet, 108.
a herd of ewes spied, 108, 112, 169.
211, 220-3.
a fine old ram sighted
Nicholas, Emperor, 29.
Nijni-Novgorod,
and 6, 10.
shot, 113, 114.
eighteen
Nikolaevsky, 30.
cross
the
stream, 115.
Ob
River, 20, 25, 27, 30, 31, 33, 36,
39,45,47, 313-
head, 115, 191. horns in bed of
find
Olonur Valley, 230.
Omak,
measurements of fine
stream,
23.
Ongoudai-Kosh-Agatch path, 294, 3°9-
1
16.
a large herd sighted, 118.
spy a ram, 251.
Ongudai, 33-5,
45, 47, 55, 56, 58-61,
65, 66, 71,98, 162, 286,
290, 295, 298, 309, 310. „
reach, 310.
„
start from, 295, 298, 309.
Oulagan River, Ovis amnion,
242, 299-301.
unsuccessful
stalks,
two
fair
heads, 131.
one found dead,
I.
130.
Littledale gets a fair
„ ,,
length
„
ewe, 95. length of horns lying
of
horns
on ground, Y
the
in
a small head, 130.
country, 95, 221, 289. first sighted, 95.
„
rams
river-bed, 125.
129, 138, 148.
Valley, 300.
„
fifteen
96.
in
head, 133.
herd of sixteen seen, 133-
ground strewed with horns, 140, 228, 229, 244.
INDEX
32:
Ovis
a,
n won, sheep horns on shores of small lake, 144. ,
Ovis ammon, spy three rams, 268. six old rams, 275. „
seven young ramsand
Littledale
two rams,
sight
gets
two
good heads, 275. spy some ewes, 277.
ewes, 147. 148,
„
„
spy ten rams, 286.
,
sightaherdofsix,i5o.
„
our bag, 290, 291.
,
sight a herd of rams,
,
sight a herd of fifteen
,
199, 254, 256.
Pamir steppes,
151, 194.
,
,
a
rams, 155, 156.
Pekin, 174.
ram
Perm,
killed, 160, 249.
Littledale
a
sights
young ram and ewes, 161.
gets
one
Pine forests,
5.
Platinum,
162.
Plovers, 185.
192, 246.
wound and
kill
a ram,
23.
31, 302.
trees, 48, 295.
Plants,
and wounds another, sight a herd, 164, 186,
10
10, 174.
Petnopavloosk,
„
Littledale
1
Parlovsky, General, 20.
20; washings, 16,20.
13,
Ponies bought, 62. „
prices
Purdey
rifle,
of, 89.
102, 104, 167.
166, 167.
skulls on the ground, 169. find heads on ground, find
Rhododendrons,
23.
68.
Rock-cherries, 32.
184.
Littledale sights
some
ewes, 189. Littledale fine
Railways of Western Siberia, 20, Religion of the Kalmuks, 56.
13,
14, 56, 221, 297, 298,
300-2, 304-8.
secures
a
head, 191.
wound
Roe-deer,
a sheep, 197.
Russia, „
9, 19, 24, 28, 240.
Emperor
of, 2>3i
pick up fine head, 226,
of,
4i.
„
convicts, 16, 30.
head and sights a
.,
Customs, 23, Empire, 4.
herd, 253.
252.
240.
Russian colonists, descendants
Littledale gets a small
29, 85, 290.
„
Geographical Society, 218.
spy two old rams, 2 54. spy five rams, 257.
„
Government,
Littledale gets a fine
„
head, 259, 286. Littlcdale's
record
head, 260, 261.
27, 31, 33, 41,
54, 58, 78, 86.
merchants,
26, 45, 49, 62,
78, 84.
„
missionaries, 56.
,,
steppes, 150.
INDEX Russian Turkestan,
Suok
4, 150.
Tzar, Ivan the Terrible,
„
slopes,
97.
1,
River, 142, 143, 147, 169, 181, 182,
16.
Russian- Kalmuk dictionary, 65. Russo-Chinese divide, 97, 230. „
323
199, 143.
201
camp
;
„
steppe, 184, 192, 226.
„
Valley, 164, 182, 192, 213.
Swans, Sable,
189,
on banks,
83, 294.
15, 45.
Saiga Antelope,
Taba, the author's hunter,
150, 151.
95
87,
Saldjar Pass, 68, 69, 81, 309. Salkhyn (wind), 60, 157.
125, 129, 130, 133, 137, 138, 140.
Sardinian Wild Sheep, 95.
144,
147-57,
Sarry-Kol Lake, 302-4. our camp on, 303. „ Semenoff, Mr. P., 4.
183,
185-8.
221,
226,
Semiretchensk country,
24.
Shebalina, 49, 55. Sheleznaia Goro (iron mountain),
159,
190,
230,
l6 °.
191,
231,
Taganrog,
29.
6, 10, 11,
13, 15, 19, 20.
arrive there, 19.
Siberian Altai, 68.
.,
description
Franzensbad, 47. ,,
iron-works,
222, 230,
.,
Lake,
„
leave, 23.
„
River, 13, 15.
23;.
19, 21.
13, 14.
Railway,
„
roe-deer, 13.
Takhua,
steppes, 23.
Tarantasses, 39, 40, 42, 48, 49, 310 Tarkhaty country, 2S2.
Taiga,
6, 20.
14.
villages, 23, 27.
Skinning heads, 6. Slaviansky bazaar, Snow-bridge, 96, Snow-cock, 196.
97.
(water), 60.
Squirrels (Siberian),
„
„
River, 108, 275, 276, 277
„
Valley, 276.
3, 5, 29,
Tartars at Kasan, Tashkend, 309. Task (rock), 60. Tchagan-Burgaza,
10.
the, 83, 93, 94,
10S, 182, 277, 282, 286, 288.
15.
Stores bought at Barnaoul, 61.
Petersburg,
160.
281. 5.
Somoff, a rich merchant, 28, 29.
St.
village
,,
„
Sou
of the
of, 13.
frontier, 3, 26, 45, 58, 65,
153, 215,
234
270, 271, 275-81,286-9, 296, 304
,,
116,
204
233,
308.
Siberia, 16, 24, 28, 221, 240.
„
'63-9:
193,
237-9, 245-9, 256-9, 263, 265-8
Taguil,
'3, '7-
113, 117, 121, 122
107, 109, 112,
174, 294.
Museum,
4.
Suite (Antelope), 184.
Sumdairik River, 212, 222, 224. Valley, 2 n, 222.
Tchagan-Burgaza Valley, 96. Tchagan-Kol River, 200-2, 206-8, 215, 219, 226, 227.
2
preparing to cross, 205.
Tchagan-Kol Valley, 227. Tchagan-Sou (white water),
14^
INDEX
324
Tchibit, a tributary stream, 81.
Ward, Mr. Rowland, 1. West Siberian Railway, White Fox, 15.
Tchichatcheff (a Russian traveller),
Wild Sheep
Tcheliabinsk, 23.
Tchergk, 48,
49.
(see also Ovis), 82, 84,
87,95,220,221,279.
34-
Tchouia Valley,
25, 78, 81, 294.
path, 26, 65.
,,
„
haunts, 87.
„
horns
and skulls on bed of stream, 95. in Barnaoul Museum,
River, 68, 72, 75, 81, 82, 84, 294.
„
Teletzkoi Lake, 36, 39.
Tenga Lake, Tents,
34-
Willow bushes,
56, 60.
94, 200.
Grouse, 132.
„
3.
Tetraogalhts (Snowcock), 196.
Wissmann, Major,
Tezek (dry horsedung for
Wolf,
fuel), 98,
Woodcock
27, 29.
Tibet, 204, 227.
,,
Tibetan plateaus, in
34.
47.
Governor
„
of, 25, 26.
Trees, 25, 47, 48, 94, 200, 202, 213 223, 295, 297, 302, 304, 305.
Turki
habits
Yourts, or felt-covered tents, 57, 66, 75, 76, 78,98, 169, 171, 174, 177,
196. 13, 16, 23, 25.
borders of Siberia,
28.
66.
Zaissans, or native chiefs, 58, 59, 85, 86, 89, 90, 93, 201, 231, 251, 284,
290, 293, 299, 300, 301, 309.
Zaissan Vassili, the cook, 20, 33, 61, 66, 92, 98, 116, 154.
Volga,
6, 7, 9, 10.
4.
Yulientash, 307.
Uliassoutai, 26, 55.
Ullar (Snowcock), Ural Mountains, 6,
94, 139, 168.
Yaks, 179, 180, 185.
181, 202, 213, 228, 276, 299, 301.
dialect, 60.
Urusoul River,
19.
of, 19.
Yakoub, the demitcha,
Yulduz Valley,
„
ponies, 143, 145.
shooting at Taguil,
84.
Barnaoul Museum,
Tomsk, 27-30,
309.
187.
Wolves attack the
154, 162.
Theodor. Father,
Tiger
20, 23.
Semion,
85,
89,
92,
230,
240-2.
Zassedatel Meyer (see Meyer), 310. Zeiss glasses, 112,
1
13, 156, 159,
246
A SELECTED LIST OF BOOKS OK
(Sport,
TErabcl,
^latutal
ant)
^istorn
PUBLISHED BY
ROWLAND WARD,
limited
THE JUNGLE" PICCADILLY, LONDON "
1
66,
Post 8vo.
Bound
in leather.
Price y. 6d. net.
GREAT GAME SHOOTING AND PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY Zhc Sportsman's
Ibanoboofe
TO PRACTICAL COLLECTING, PRESERVING, AND
ARTISTIC SETTING-UP OE TROPHIES AND SPECIMENS TO WHICH
H
IS
ADDED
Synoptical (Suioc to tbe ibimting (Srounos ot tbc Wotli>
WITH MANY ILLUSTRATIONS
By
ROWLAND WARD,
London:
ROWLAND WARD,
"THE JUNGLE,' V
2
-
166,
F.Z.S.
limited
PICCADILLY
Royal 8jw, 477 pp.
Price 25J. net.
TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE
SOUTH-EAST
IN
AFRICA BEING THE NARRATIVE OF THE LAST ELEVEN YEARS SPENT BY THE AUTHOR ON THE ZAMBESI AND ITS TRIBUTARIES WITH
AN ACCOUNT OF THE COLONIZATION OF MASHONALAND AND THE
PROGRESS OF THE GOLD INDUSTRY IN THAT COUNTRY
By
F.
C.
SELOUS
GOLD MEDALLIST OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY AUTHOR OF "A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS IN AFRICA"
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAP
Demy
8vo, 288 //.
Price ior. 6d. net.
SUNSHINE AND STORM
IN
RHODESIA
BEING A NARRATIVE OF EVENTS IN MATABELELAND
BOTH BEFORE AND DURING THE RECENT NATIVE INSURRECTION By
F.
C.
SELOUS
GOLD MEDALLIST OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY AUTHOR OF "TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE," ETC.
FULLY ILLUSTRATED
London:
ROWLAND WARD,
"THE JUNGLE,"
166,
limited
PICCADILLY
Post Svo, 400 pp.
/'rue
7s. Gd.
net {cheap edition)
SEVENTEEN TRIPS THROUGH SOMALILAND AND A
VISIT TO ABYSSINIA
A RECORD OF EXPLORATION AND BIG GAME SHOOTING, 1884 to 1893
By
H. G. C. S WAYNE, R.E.
MAJOR
FELLOW OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL
.SOCIETY
CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIEIY
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS
Post 4to,
134 //.
Price
"js.
THE ENGLISH ANGLER
6d.
net.
FLORIDA
IN
WITH SOME DESCRIPTIVE NOTES OF THE GAME ANIMALS AND BIRDS By
ROWLAND WARD,
AUTHOR OK "RECORDS OF
F.Z.S.
BIG GAME," " SPORTSMAN'S
HANDBOOK," ETC.
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS
London:
ROWLAND WARD,
"THE
JUNGLE,''
166,
limited
PICCADILLY
Demy
Price 2U. net.
Svo, 448 pp.
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN
EAST EQUATORIAL AFRICA
BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THREE YEARS' IVORY-HUNTING UNDER MOUNT KENIA AND AMONG THE NOOROHO SAVAGES OF THE LOROGI MOUNTAINS INCLUDING
A TRIP TO THE NORTH END OF LAKE RUDOLPH
By
ARTHUR
NEUMANN
H.
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS BY
AND
G. E.
J.
G.
MILLAIS,
E.
CALDWELL
LODGE.
COLOURED PLATE AND MAP
Dany
SPORT
IN
8vo,
506 //.
Price 21s. net.
THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR BEING
A NARRATIVE OF AN EIGHT MONTHS' TRIP IN BALTISTAN AND LADAK AND A LADY'S EXPERIENCES IN THE LATTER COUNTRY Cogctbcr witb Ibtnts for tbe (Suioancc of Sportsmen
By
HENRY ZOUCH DARRAH INDIAN CIVIL SERVICK
WITH FIFTY-TWO ILLUSTRATIONS (FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE WRITER) AND TWO MAPS
London: ROWLAND WARD, limited "THE JUNGLE," 166, PICCADILLY
Royal
SPORT
8vo,
356 pages.
Price
8s.
6d.
net.
EAST CENTRAL AFRICA
IN
BEING AN ACCOUNT OF
HUNTING TRIPS
IN
PORTUGUESE AND OTHER
DISTRICTS OF EAST CENTRAL AFRICA
By
VAUGHAN KIRBY
F.
(maqaqamba) AUTHOR OF "IN HAUNTS OF WILD GAME"
//
Medium
7 TH IL L US TR A TIONS
8vo,
336 pages.
HUNTING TRIPS By
E.
DEMIDOFF
WITH
London:
96
IN
Price 21/- net
THE CAUCASUS
(Prince San Donato)
ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAP
ROWLAND WARD,
"THE JUNGLE,"
166,
limited
PICCADILLY
Royal Svo, 524 pages.
Third
Price 30/- net.
edition
RECORDS OF BIG GAME WITH THEIR DISTRIBUTION, CHARACTERISTICS DIMENSIONS, WEIGHTS, AND
MEASUREMENTS OF HORNS ANTLERS, TUSKS, AND SKINS By
ROWLAND WARD,
F.Z.S.
AUTHOR OF "THE SPORTSMAN'S HANDBOOK,"
ETC.
WITH ABOUT 217 ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE OWNERS OF THE RECORDED SPECIMENS
AND FULL INDEX
Medium
\to,
350 pp.
Price
£$
5s.
net
THE DEER OF ALL LANDS A HISTORY OF THE FAMILY CERVID.F: LIVING AND EXTINCT By Illustrated by
also a
R.
LYDEKKER
Twenty-four Hand-Coloured Plates, drawn by
number
Photographic Reproductions of living Deer the
J.
of Process-Drawings of Horns, as well as
Woburn and
in
other Collections
London: ROWLAND WARD, limited "THE JUNGLE, " i66, PICCADILLY
Smit
Uniform with "Deer of
all
Lands."
Price
£S
5s
-
nei
WILD OXEN, SHEEP, AND GOATS OF ALL LANDS LIVING AND EXTINCT By lustrated by
and the
R.
LYDEKKER Plates, drawn by J. Smit and a number of Drawings
Twenty-seven Coloured
late
Joseph
Wolf
;
of Horns, as well as Photographic Reproductions
of living Specimens
Uniform with
the above.
612 //.
Price
£$
$s. net
THE GREAT AND SMALL GAME OF AFRICA BEING A FULL ACCOUNT OF
THEIR DISTRIBUTION, HABITS, AND NATURAL HISTORY
With Numerous Experiences of their Pursuit in the Field
with fifteen hand-coloured plates and numerous other illustrations
CONTRIBUTORS ARNOLD H. A. BRYDEN T. E. BUCKLEY T. W. H. CLARKE LORD DELAMERE .MAJOR
A.
J.
DK. D. G. ELLIOT CAPT. B. T. FFINCH H. C. V. J.
D.
F.
J.
HUNTER
INVERARITY JACKSON
HARRY JOHNSTON VAUGHAN KIRBY LYDEKKER
SIR F.
R.
CAPT. JOHN MARRIOTT A.
H.
A. E. G.
VISCOUNT EDMOND DE PONCINS DR. PERCY RENDALL F. C. SELOUS ALFRED SHARP LT.-COL. WILLIAM SITWELL A. H. STRAKER
MAJOR H. G. C SWAYNE POULETT-WEATHERLEY
General Editor— H. A.
London:
NEUMANN PEASE
W. PENRICE
BRYDEN
ROWLAND WARD,
"THE JUNGLE,"
166,
limited
PICCADILLY
I
'niform zvith
''Deer of All Lands."
Subscription price
£4
4s.
GREAT AND SMALL GAME OF INDIA BURMA, AND TIBET BEING A FULL ACCOUNT OF THEIR AND NATURAL HISTORY
DISTRIBUTION, HABITS,
WITH NJNE HAND-COLOURED AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS By
R.
LYDEKKER, TlUlitb
B.A.,
Contributions
English Edition limited
to
F.R.S.,
bv>
F.G.S., F.Z.S.
Sportsmen
200 numbered and signed
copies
Price £2, 105. net
SPORT By
IN
SOMALILAND
COUNT JOSEPH POTOCKI TRANSLATED FROM THE POLISH By JEREMIAH CURTIN
WITH A COLOURED PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS, IS PAGE PHOTOGRA 'URES 7 TEXT PIG URES, AND MAP 1
London:
ROWLAND WARD,
"THE JUNGLE,"
166,
limited
PICCADILLY
a*Ti& RETURN
MAIN CIRCULATION
ALL BOOKS ARE SUBJECT TO RECALL RENEW BOOKS BY CALLING 642-3405
DUE AS STAMPED BELOW
UC. BERKELEY
LIBI