68 AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



narrow and leads over steep rocks overhanging the 

 stream. ( )ur ponies seemed to be well accustomed 

 to this sort of climbing, and carried us through 

 without the slightest hitch ; as for the ladies, they 

 did not even dismount. We soon turned off to our 

 left and began ascending" a long steep slope leading 

 to the Saldjar pass (5,500 feet), from which we would 

 be able to distinguish the higher mountains in the 

 distance. At 1 p.m. we reached the "saddle," and 

 a beautiful view met our eyes. Snow-clad peaks 

 about a hundred miles off raised their lofty heads 

 against the light blue sky. The horizon was cloud- 

 less. To our right stood the grand, massive, snowy- 

 white Bialukha range, the highest in the Siberian 

 Altai, with glaciers streaming down its sides ; we 

 could just distinguish them with the help of our 

 glasses. To the left appeared the Kurai hills, like- 

 wise buried beneath eternal snow, below which flows 

 the Tchouia, and close to which lay our way to Kosh- 

 Agatch. Here we halted for some time, in order 

 to let the ponies rest. Round us were scattered 

 innumerable Alpine flowers and rhododendrons, to 

 which were tied bits of white and red ribbons. On 

 my inquiring the meaning of this, I was told that 

 this was the manner in which Kalmuks honour and 

 sacrifice to local spirits ; we afterwards found similar 



