THE KIANG. 193 



some capital ibex hunting. Fred greatly distin- 

 guishing himself by his excellent shooting at long 

 ranges. The ibex, although plentiful, were very 

 wild and difficult to approach, having been recently 

 disturbed; consequently, all the game killed was 

 by long shots. Twice Fred killed running ibex at 

 distances considerably over four hundred yards, 

 which is the neplus ultra of brilliant marksmanship. 

 From Askrung we marched through Libi over 

 the Mannerung Pass (18,600 feet) to Mana, the 

 first village in Spittee, and from thence along the 

 Spittee river and over the Parung Pass (18,800) 

 into Rupsha, halting for three days at Kiang-dam, 

 on the Choomarera lake, a magnificent sheet of 

 fresh water, about twenty miles long by five broad, 

 situated at an elevation of 15,000 feet above the 

 sea. In the country round about the lake we first 

 came across the kiang, or wild horse, of which we 

 shot a few as specimens. The kiang is about 

 fourteen hands at the shoulders, and resembles 

 the ass much more the nobler quadruped. They 

 are generally of a reddish-gray, with a dark stripe 

 down the back, and almost white under the belly 

 o 



