n8 CHINESE TURKESTAN 



up the valley, but saw nothing worth going after. It 

 blew so hard at night that we dared not have a big 

 camp fire, for fear of setting the whole place alight 

 with flying sparks ; so I turned in early, bed being 

 the only place where there was a chance of keeping 

 warm. The wind lasted all night, bringing snow 

 up with it towards morning ; and all next day it 

 was too bad to go out, so it was an off-day for all 

 hands. 



On the morning after the blizzard there was still a 

 little snow falling ; but the day turning out fair, we 

 moved camp a little further up still, and in the after- 

 noon went out to look for ibex. We saw several 

 herds, and started to try and stalk one lot ; but it 

 was then rather late in the day and intensely cold. 

 So when my boots were frozen hard, and feet quite 

 numb, I gave it up, being afraid of frost-bite. 



Up in the valleys the cold was by now pretty 

 severe. One's hands, if wet, froze instantly to any 

 piece of metal touched, and one's moustache became 

 attached to the edge of the glass while in the act of 

 drinking. 



On the loth we saw lots of ibex, but none within 

 reach, the days being now too short for this sport, 

 as the ground was very steep and much cut up by 

 deep valleys, which made it difficult to get about 

 quickly enough. The snow was just beginning to 

 go in a few exposed places, but clear nights and 

 cloudy days delayed its disappearance. 



