Across the Roof of tlie World. 



I pushed on the next morning and ascended the top of a 

 high range, part of the way being through a forest of pines b}^ a 

 steep path. On the way I met an elderly Kazak who accom- 

 panied me to the watershed between the two valleys, and I had tea 

 with him at his " aul " situated on the far side. A pretty Kazak 

 girl prepared the beverage made in a Russian samovar, or tea urn, 

 and served in dainty Chinese bowls. The lady in question was 

 dressed in a fur cap and flowing coat fastened at the waist, and 

 wore high-heeled boots like the men, altogether rather a dashing 

 damsel. 



After tea I went along the ridge, past scattered groups of 

 auls, camping late in the afternoon high up on a windy peak, 

 where I found two battered auls. A heavy storm of rain came 

 on before we arrived there drenching everyone to the skin, and 

 reducing the paths along the mountain side to a slippery 

 condition, so much so that the ponies were falling about and 

 having the greatest difficulty in keeping a footing. The wind 

 blew great guns all night, and as there was only sufficient room in 

 the auls for the pony men and servants, I had my tent pitched, 

 a work of art under the circumstances, but which we successfully 

 accomplished without being carried away like a balloon. Towards 

 morning the wind increased in violence, until it was blowing a 

 perfect hurricane. The tent was on the leeside of one of 

 the auls, but at four o'clock it collapsed with a crash, much to 

 my disgust. It was all I could do to hang on to the remnants 

 until Giyani arrived with reinforcements, which relieved the 

 pressure. I then stretched the tent over the camp bed and 

 weighted it down with stones, creeping under to try and sleep, 

 in which I was not at all successful. The wind and rain con- 

 tinued all day, turning the ground into quagmires of mud and 

 water, compelling me to halt there. 



The next morning dawned still and bright so I started on 

 down the Jirgalan Valley and along the river bank, halting at 

 mid-day for a light tiffin amongst the pines. On the way I met 

 a score of Kazak women and young girls all mounted, and 



196 



