An Arctic Night. 



The Kazaks I had met near the lake told me there were some 

 auls situated on the northern slopes of the range, but though I 

 pushed on energetically till past seven I saw no sign of human 

 habitation. It was dark soon after four, which was the signal for 

 the thermometer to go down with a run, and by the time I decided 

 to give up looking for the auls and camp it was 15 or 16 degrees 

 below zero — not the night to be on the move. The two 

 ponies fallen out by the wayside were abandoned, and their 



THE SHORES OF THE KESIL BACH LAKE. 



loads transferred to spare mounts I had with me. They would 

 be picked up later on when the Kazaks returned to Gum. I 

 expressed considerable surprise at their being left in this way 

 and probably stolen by predatory bands, but the Kazaks said 

 there was no fear of this, since the weather was far too severe for 

 any prowlers to be about on the off chance of securing plunder. 



During the night the thermometer dropped to 25 degrees 

 below zero, cold enougli even for a Kazak, which a strong wind 



369 2 H 



