"HURRAH! KOTCHKOR!" 101 



of ewes and young ones feeding on the slopes to my 

 right. They were about fifty in number, quietly grazing 

 uphill. We immediately dismounted, and having 

 hobbled the ponies, left them round a corner on the 

 river-bed. Here began a steep ascent for us. Keeping- 

 well out of sight of the herd, we made for a boulder 

 above us, from which I could command a good view 

 of the country. Just before reaching the top, as I 

 peeped cautiously over a ridge, my glass showed me 

 two or three specks on the opposite side of a wide 

 ravine, and in a second I made them out to be rams. 

 Hurrah! Kotchkor! I shall never forget this first 

 acquaintance with the grand Altai sheep as long as 

 I live. Although they had large, strong bodies, the 

 horns seemed to be their main bulk, and every part 

 of the beasts seemed to be concentrated in the 

 mighty heads they carried. They were feeding 

 slowly away, now and then lifting up suddenly their 

 massive sweeping horns, as if conscious of impending 

 danger, or was it to evoke admiration and respect 

 of other animals by their commanding beauty and 

 strength ? Then they would feed again, entirely 

 unsuspicious, showing their dark grey coats, with 

 patches of longer winter clothing on their backs 

 and withers, their lighter coloured rumps, Roman 

 nose, and leers. For some time I was lost in con- 



