TREACHEROUS SOIL 141 



head of the small valley along which we were 

 marching. A long slanting slope still separated us 

 from Chinese territory, and the pass appeared to 

 be easily negotiable for the horses. Another hour 

 brought us to the top. Here we were met by a 

 strong gale blowing in our faces and sweeping 

 furiously along the dreary plateau before us. The 

 hills in the foreground were of no great height, 

 but we could distinguish in the dim background 

 the snow - clad mountain peaks of the Mongolian 

 Altai. We now stood at an altitude of about 9,000 

 feet ; in front of us lay a marshy tableland, which 

 we had to cross in order to reach a valley running 

 eastward, under whose slopes we hoped to find 

 shelter from the tiresome cold wind, as well as a 

 suitable place for pitching camp. Unfortunately 

 this plateau proved by no means light work for 

 the horses, for it consisted of patches of grass 

 intermingled with shingle, soaked through either 

 by freshly melted snow or by springs, thus afford- 

 ing no resistance to our horses' feet, who sank knee- 

 deep at every moment into the treacherous soil. I 

 say treacherous because to all appearance it was 

 perfectly firm and safe. There was no avoiding 

 it, however, and it took us a long time to get over 

 the swamps. As for the pack -ponies behind, I 



