Across the Roof of the World. 



the Russian Consul who resides at Uliassutai, a town some 

 200 miles to the east of Kobdo, in the heart of Mongolia. 



Outside the hut and hanging on a paHsade which protected the 

 doorway was a very fine red bearskin, which had been bagged about 

 six weeks before on the southern slopes of the Altai. I had never 

 seen a finer specimen of the red bear, the fur being particularly 

 long and woolly. The Kazak chief informed me there were a 

 great many in the forests of the Altai, and that he had often 

 seen and shot them. I take it to be a variety of the Himalayan 

 Snow Bear {Ursus ardus isabellinns), but, of course, very much 

 bigger than the latter. 



Soon after leaving Khurdia we crossed the Black Irtisli 

 River, a solid sheet of ice which would have borne a siege train. 

 The width at this point, some lOO miles from its source, was 

 eighty paces, but at flood time, during the months of June, July 

 and August, when all the tributary streams are rushing torrents, 

 the volume is greatly increased and the river frequently overflows 

 its banks, flooding the surrounding country. 



My suspicions regarding the Kazaks now with me and their 

 evident desire to avoid accompanying me to the north side of 

 the valley were confirmed in the conduct of the man in charge, 

 who had been deputed by the chief to go as far as the point in 

 question. It was past 4 o'clock when we were across the river, 

 whence for several miles a course due east had to be pursued 

 owing to the ground immediately to the north being swampy 

 and impassable. He was a very truculent individual, con- 

 stantly saying I should not reach any auls that night, as the 

 next encampment was situated a great distance away. I was 

 desirous, however, of pushing on, with the object of getting to 

 Shara Sumbe on the morrow, so gave orders that the march 

 was to be continued and camp pitched by the first group of 

 auls in the centre of the valley. So I held on through the grass 

 jungle, and everything went well until past six, by which time it 

 was pitch dark, with a bitterly cold temperature ; such a night 

 as makes marching purgatory and camp a torture. 



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