VALLEY OF THE NATCHIKI 247 



for fresh ground in a north-westerly direction. There 

 were now but few days remaining before the departure 

 of our steamer, and as it was of vital importance to us 

 not to miss it, I had resolved, in any case, to start 

 back for Petropavlovsk on the following day, especi- 

 ally as the Bystraia was in flood and might seriously 

 delay our return. This was, therefore, to be my last 

 attempt in Kamchatka. We rede up the valley, 

 leaving the ponies at the same junction of the two 

 small streams, and struck a deep ravine to the right. 

 Giving a decided preference to the hardened snow, up 

 which we advanced, as compared with tlie dense alder 

 brush on either side, we reached at eight a.m. a saddle 

 on the main ridge at an elevation of 3,000 feet. From 

 there we obtained a good view of the surroundings, 

 and could plainly distinguish, on the distant back- 

 ground, both the broad valley of Natchiki and part of 

 the Ganal range beyond. Here I began to spy over 

 a huge corrie which lay to the north, but finding no 

 vestio-e of oame, I turned my glass more westwards, 

 and discovered five specks a couple of miles off, 

 moving slowly across a snowfield at the foot of some 

 precipitous high cliffs ; the General thought they were 

 rams, so we instantly dropped into a gully and made 

 for another saddle opposite, in order to get a closer 

 and better look at the animals. On reaching this 



