A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



farewell, knowing that it would be many a long day 

 before I looked upon another. 



There are fields here of the usual terraced order, 

 and short green turf grows wherever there is water, 

 but the only crop that I could discover was " grim " 

 (Siberian barley), which had not yet ripened when 

 I passed the hamlet on my homeward journey in 

 September, when the winter's snows were already 

 beginning to whiten the slopes of the Tagalang. I 

 had hoped to have encamped this night in the Gya 

 Nalah, which turns off to the east some three miles 

 above the village ; but, though I had sent Saibra on 

 very early to get things ready, I was disappointed 

 in this, for all the yaks were away feeding on the 

 mountains. The head-man, doubtless impressed 

 by the "perwanas," had displayed more than usual 

 zeal, and had sent off mounted men to bring in 

 these yaks ; but, as they could not arrive before 

 evening, there was no hope of starting till the 

 following day. I got hold of a villager who had 

 accompanied the former occupant of the nalah, and 

 he promised to show me both Ovis Ammon and 

 Burhel, which was welcome news. 



126 



