SKULLS OF SHEEP 169 



Taba, who made himself useful all round. We were 

 off at 9 a.m., but the packs did not start till 1 1. 



According to the map the Chinese karaoul lay 

 about ten miles due south, but we soon found that 

 it was much further than we had expected, so did 

 the horses, for it was not until 3 p.m. that we caught 

 sight of the Kha's yourts (Kha is the title given 

 to the Governor of a karaoul), after a march of about 

 twenty-five versts (sixteen miles). Our route led 

 down the Boro-Burgassy Valley almost the whole 

 way. The country was rocky and barren. Pre- 

 cipitous cliffs with grassy tablelands above stood up 

 on either side, growing gradually lower as we 

 advanced, and turning eventually into an undulating 

 steppe, through which, a few miles beyond the karaoul, 

 flows the Suok River. That day we came across 

 numerous skulls of sheep strewing the ground, and 

 now and again piled up in heaps, for what purpose 

 we could not imagine. Perhaps they were meant 

 as an offering to the gods, corresponding to the 

 coloured ribbons hanging on trees in the Kalmuk 

 region. None of these heads were worth picking up. 

 We spied several ewes on the surrounding slopes, 

 but saw no rams. The weather was lovely, the sun 

 scorching hot, and I believe this was the warmest 

 march we had during the entire trip. A few miles 



