CHAPTER IV. 



Last days on the Tchagan-Burgaza — Pass over the Frontier— Shift 

 Camp into Mongolia — A Blizzard — Major Cumberland's Camp — 

 The Start— Map unreliable- Meet Chinese— Great numbers of 

 Sheep Heads — Karaoul Suok — Chinese Governor — Passports — 

 Chinese Officials — Interpreters — Joseph returns with fresh Stores- 

 Start for Bain-Khairkhan Hills. 



On the morning of June 23rd the weather had not 



changed in our favour. We had decided to shift 



camp over the low pass north of the Happy Valley, 



and everything had been prepared for the start. 



Unfortunately no long march could be undertaken 



that day, and it was agreed that we should wait for a 



better chance. Though dark clouds covered the sky 



and the wind blew persistently, Littledale went out at 



4 a.m. with hopes of coming across his wounded ram, 



whose pursuit he had had to abandon on the previous 



day, and whose tracks he had lost owing to the heavy 



snowfall. As for myself, I thought it hardly worth 



while to attempt a stalk, and remained in bed. 



Towards noon, the weather clearing up, we went out, 



my wife and I, with our smooth-bores after Willow 

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