Across the Roof of the World, 



It had indeed been a severe and trying journey, replete with 

 much incident, whilst the caravan men with me in the earlier 

 portion of it were a constant source of anxiety, and needed close 

 surveillance. To get through difficult country one must have a 

 good staff, men who are willing and plucky, and I never felt this 

 to be more so than in the later stage of the journey from the 

 Pamirs. 



It was two long marches from here to the mouth of the Agiass 

 Valley, whence I proposed to send for Kalmuk shikaris, and 

 settle the plan of campaign best suited to enable me to get some 

 good shooting amongst the ibex, roe-deer, sheep, and w^apiti, 

 before moving on to the Great Altai Mountains and the Ovis 

 ammon ground. All agreed that shikar in the Tekkes was of the 

 best and I retired that night full of hope for the future, for I 

 had arrived at the happy hunting grounds, and was at last in the 

 far-famed Tekkes Valley. 



