Across the Roof of the World. 



through the darkness as we cantered on. I mentally wished the 

 Khan somewhere, being tired and weary of the long ride and the 

 search for his apparently phantom dwelling-place, seemingly 

 further off than ever. 



It was nearly midnight when I did at last reach the camp, 

 where, of course, everyone was sound asleep, the only person 

 I discovered not in a somnolent condition being a drunken 

 Kalmuk, who hiccoughed in the orthodox fashion and was of 

 as much avail to me as the proverbial sick headache. But if 

 no people were about, dogs were numerous, and the noise they 

 made simply beggars description. We were surrounded by a 

 yelling pack, the din of which was terrific. 



I rode all round the camp with Rahim, but it was hopeless 

 trying to find anyone ; and though the dogs made sufficient 

 noise to drown a brass band of the most strident proportions 

 it did not worry the slumbering Kalmuks. The ride had wearied 

 me, so entering one of the auls I rolled myself up in my long 

 choga, or cloak, and lay down to sleep thinking what an 

 arduous undertaking it is to carve one's way through the wilds 

 of Central Asia. It was very cold and the wind blew under the 

 ragged sides of the aul until I was nearly perished. 



When I awoke at daylight, after an uncomfortable night, 

 there were two big 12-pointer wapiti heads hanging up in the 

 aul, having been brought in, I was later informed, from the 

 Jirgalan Valley some distance to the westward. These horns, 

 like those of the Yarkand stag, have a medicinal value when 

 in the unformed state, and hence are much sought after. 



I then sallied forth and beheld the camp of the Khan to 

 interview whom I had come so far. This was his home sur- 

 rounded by the auls of his Kalmuk subjects, a people with whom 

 one comes largely in contact when travelling in the Thian Shan. 



The Kalmuks are a race of nomads of Mongolian origin, 

 and though they have come under Chinese influence have 

 preserved their own language as also their national customs 

 and traditions, some of which are peculiarly interesting. During 



178 



