4 o AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



was by no means an easy matter, one of the planks 

 breaking down under our weight, and if it had not 

 been for the timely impulse given by the driver's 

 whip we should certainly have taken an involuntary 

 bath. The water at that time of year was very 

 high, owing to melting snows in the mountains, while 



the current was very strong. No further accident 

 occurred, however, and we were safely landed on 

 the opposite side. 



Pursuant to the Ispravnik's orders, horses awaited 

 us at every post-house, which helped considerably to 

 lessen the delay. The eight or ten villages through 

 which we passed were literally drowned in mud ; at 



