i 7 6 AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



and proposed himself as a guide, saying he knew 

 the country well enough, and asking us not to repeat 

 this to any of the karaoul officials. We naturally 

 accepted his services, thankful to have got out of 

 the difficulty. 



The evening was quite warm, though we were 

 still at an altitude of about 7,000 feet. Next morning 

 we found that our ponies had been so exhausted by 

 the previous day's long march that we had to give 

 up all hopes of leaving the karaoul until another 

 twenty-four hours' rest should render them fit tor 

 work. It was only one day lost after all, and we 



