OUR BILL OF FARE 189 



summit of the Bain-Khairkhan range. Snow had 

 by this time almost entirely melted, thus destroying 

 our only chance of discovering- the direction which 

 the herd had taken. We carefully examined the 

 ground for a mile round the plateau, excepting in 

 the direction from camp, as it was getting late, and 

 ten miles separated us from the Suok River. But 

 though we used our glasses with the utmost care, 

 inspecting every corner in the depths of each nullah, 

 there was no game to be seen ; the sheep had 

 vanished like ghosts. We accordingly decided to 

 retrace our steps, and, mounting our steeds, reached 

 the tents just before darkness had set in. I found 

 Littledale busily engaged in fitting the new bed- 

 poles. He had come across a few ewes, but had 

 returned empty-handed. He was convinced that the 

 ground allotted to him was not worth visiting, and 

 proposed that before shifting to new quarters he 

 should have a try the following day at the herd 

 I had so unexpectedly come across. Moreover, 

 Mrs. Littledale was suffering from a bad headache, 

 and we accordingly decided upon another day's rest 

 before starting for the Muss-Taou range. My wife 

 had been fishing in the stream and had causrht a few 

 Grayling, thus giving us a change in our customary 

 bill of fare, which invariably consisted of pea-soup 



