v.] THE VALLEY OF GUNAL. 103 



when the first heavy snow falls, at or about the beginning of the 

 month of October. If in poor condition the bear is said not to 

 hybernate till much later. According to the natives, the animals 

 are tolerably fat on emerging from their dens, and support them- 

 selves on grass until the arrival of the fish. 



Our road, some time after leaving Narchiki, had led to the 

 west, in order to avoid a range of mountains of no great height 

 which trends in a south-easterly direction from the village of Gunal. 

 We now turned north once more, and entered a beautiful valley. 

 To the east lay the range we had been circumventing, rising to a 

 height of about 4000 feet, its large patches of snow glittering in the 

 bright sun. The outline of these mountains was most picturesque ; 

 and, as we advanced, we opened out a group of aiguilles so jagged 

 as to resemble a mass of inverted icicles. The valley was scantily 

 clothed with juniper-bushes and dwarf birches, and early autumn 

 had already touched the landscape here and there with patches 

 of bright yellow. As we rode over the ruddy ground, which 

 with its brilliant parti-coloured moss is so characteristic a feature 

 of northern landscapes, we put up several coveys of ptarmigan ; 

 and on the outskirts of a small wood we obtained our first 

 Capercailzie, a young bird which, like many other birds of this 

 region, was characterised by the presence of a good deal of white 

 in the plumage. The day was glorious, and so hot that we rode in 

 our shirt - sleeves ; our enjoyment only marred by the almost 

 constant stumbling of our horses over the stumps and roots of the 

 trees. The Kamschatkan ponies, which are generally iron-grey in 

 colour, and stand about thirteen hands, are well shaped and have 

 a good barrel, and are capable of a considerable amount of work. 

 Owing, however, to the rough usage to which they are subjected, 

 they are determined kickers, and obstinate to a degree ; and it is 

 most difficult to make them lead the way, or, if behind, to prevent 

 them from following in the exact track of those in front. No food 

 is carried for them, and not content with the nightly meal they 

 obtain when picketed, they one and all feed in snatches as they 



