48 AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



called Altaiskoie about 4 p.m., having covered eighty 

 long versts. We were now entering the mountains, 

 and although the Ispravnik warned us that we had 

 better spend the night here, there being- a difficult 

 pass to cross in the present state of the roads, and 

 a distance of fifty versts separated us from Tcherga, 

 where we intended to halt, we disregarded his advice, 

 and continued our journey. We were sorry after- 

 wards for our rashness. On leaving Altaiskoie, after 

 a quick change of horses, we began the ascent 

 through a small valley, overhung on either side 

 with rocky boulders. The country was well wooded 

 with larch, pine, and cedar, and at places we passed 

 large tracts of charred wood, giving evidence of 

 numerous fires. The advance was very slow, and 

 we soon found that we should have to grope our 

 way in the dark. Towards 9 p.m. the road grew 

 steeper as we began to ascend the Komar pass. 

 The road was swampy and very trying for the 

 horses, the mud in places being deep and sticky. 

 In addition to this it was a moonless night, and 

 our tarantass, though more comfortable, was a heavy 

 weight to drag. Thus heavily handicapped we soon 

 struggled behind, our friend the Ispravnik having 

 caught us up in the dark, on his lighter vehicle, 

 and gone on in front. Finally, at 1 1 p.m., our 





