A Lonsf Ride. 



Kazak and his young wife, who pressed me to partake of 

 some boiled horse-flesh, a dehcacy I decHned with many 

 thanks, but which my Kalmuk tackled with great avidity. This, 

 however, was not the only item on the bill of fare, for the owner 

 had recently bagged some marmots — a little animal found at high 

 altitudes and more particularly on the uplands of the Pamirs — 

 and served them up as an entree. I gave the Kazak some silver, 

 at which he beamed all over his dirty face, and then mounting 

 our steeds we rode off to camp, still more than 30 miles distant. 



KALMUKS MOVING AN AUL. 



I arrived there at 6.30 in the evening, tired wdth the long journey 

 and the exertions required to reach the Khan's home, to say 

 nothing of a ride of nearly 100 miles over rough country in the 

 previous 34 hours. Giyani had shifted everything up to a spot 

 nearer the northern edge of the valley, and hard by another 

 group of auls, the occupants of which provided us with milk, 

 and fuel for the fire. 



As there is an entire absence of wood in the Yulduz plains, 

 camel and horse dung is used, and hard material it is to ignite, 

 especially when a strong wind is blowing. 



»8s 



