Recovering the Baggage. 



The Kirghiz behaved splendidly, working up the precipitous 

 slope, hauhng each other up with ropes, and cutting footsteps in 

 the ice with their axes. A number of articles were recovered, 

 although they strewed the slope for hundreds of feet. How it 

 happened I shall never know, but three bottles of liqueurs 

 carried in one of the yak dans were found unbroken, so the 

 prospects for some Amban to indulge were still bright. The 

 discovery of these unbroken bottles greatly impiessed my 

 followers, and Nadir, holding them up, declared my luck in 

 this connection was good, and that the gods could hardly 

 be considered angry with me. Above this another useful find 

 was made in the shape of a bag of money, ever a welcome 

 commodity. 



Higher up, the slope approaching more than ever to the 

 perpendicular, I scratched out a hollow in the surface and sat 

 down to direct operations, having no desire to qualify for an 

 early grave. 



Some of the Kirghiz chmbed to where the loads had been 

 stacked the previous night and man-hauled everything down, 

 a task only a hardy mountaineer could accomplish, and one they 

 disposed of in a commendable manner. 



The Beg told me the pass was considered exceedingly difficult 

 and rarely used, even by the Kirghiz, to whom few passes come 

 amiss, adding that they would think twice before going over the 

 Qotchkor. It had never previously been crossed by a white 

 man, so I have the doubtful honour of being the first. 



Unfortunately I did not recover my photographic plates, bar 

 the tin holding them, and even that was damaged almost beyond 

 recognition. Some of the negatives were certainly discovered 

 far down near the foot of the pass, but, of course, exposure to 

 the light had rendered them useless. 



On the way back to camp that night we sighted a herd of 

 burhel, the chief telling me numbers were to be found in the Kulan 

 Urgu, and that amongst his people were shikaris who occasion- 

 ally hunted them for the skins and meat. The ground certainly 



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