n8 AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



certainly not a promising day, and we rode a long 

 way without even expecting to see anything. The 

 valley was a wider one than that of Bain-Tchagan, 

 with more overhanging crags on either side and 

 no nice boulders with fresh grass between. At the 

 bottom flowed a small, nameless stream, forming 

 here and there small lakes and swamps. We spied 

 an immense side-corry to our left, but saw nothing 

 but rocks and snow. A little further I discovered 

 a herd of female Ibex on the opposite side, probably 

 the same which Littledale had seen two days pre- 

 viously, but no signs of males ; in fact, the place 

 did not in the least appeal to my imagination as 

 being likely ground for sheep. There w r ere no 

 rolling hills with suitable pastures, and, should we 

 have found game, it would have been a difficult job 

 to approach it. At a spot where a long gully came 

 down to the main valley I spied a large herd of sheep, 

 apparently all ewes, far above us. Further on we 

 crossed a low divide, and followed down another 

 stream for two or three miles till another herd came 

 in sight some 800 yards in front of us, feeding down 

 at the foot of the right slopes. My telescope soon 

 told me that they too were ewes, together with what 

 seemed to me to be fair rams, though 1 was unable 

 to distinguish them well owing to the bad light. 



