138 CHINESE TURKESTAN 



north side of the Tian Shan range, some detached 

 spurs of which it crosses. Owing to the unusually 

 heavy snowfall, we were able to sledge the whole 

 way, which was lucky, as there is no road to speak 

 of, and, by all accounts, a tarantass, the w r heeled 

 vehicle in use here, is not at all a comfortable con- 

 veyance. What made the journey take so long 

 was a bad buran, or wind, and snowstorm. We did 

 not ourselves encounter it, but it had blocked the 

 road near Ali-outai for some days, and in conse- 

 quence there were more travellers and mails waiting 

 to get on than there were horses to take them. 

 Twice we had to curtail our day's journey somewhat 

 owing to wind. The result of the block on the 

 road was that we had to travel night and day from 

 Ali - outai to Chimkent, as, once started, being 

 caught up by mails meant their going on with the 

 fresh horses and our being left stranded. Very cold 

 work it was. Kuldja has the reputation of being a 

 warm place, but while I was away Phelps registered 

 a temperature of -52 Fahr. one night, so it may be 

 imagined what travelling was like. Other temper- 

 atures which he took at this time were as follows : 



