Wolves. 



portions being cut up with an axe. Such scenes as these throw 

 out in still stronger relief the rigours of the Siberian winter. 



Barnaul, and Bisk, another town some forty miles to the 

 south-east, is also the point of departure for the Ovis amnion 

 ground in the Kosh Agach district and the Chinese Altai. To 

 reach these hunting grounds one can leave the railway at Novo- 

 Nicholaevsk and journey by boat to the above towns, where 

 there is a post road to the Russo-Chinese frontier at Kosh Agach, 



THROUGH THE SIBERIAN FORESTS. 



whence it is only three or four days trekking to the haunts of 

 the ammon. 



In view of the great possibilities of trade with Mongolia the 

 Russians are improving the communications and opening up the 

 country ; steps that are progressing yearly. 



I halted a few hours in Barnaul for a substantial meal and 

 to snatch some much-needed rest, and then later with fresh 

 horses and sledges continued the journey. 



423 



