KIRGHIZ "SLIMNESS" 211 



food, they would have to find their way back alone, 

 which was no easy matter, having advanced so far 

 into unknown country, and these facts we impressed 

 upon them as forcibly as we could. 



Just as we were sitting" down to our frugal evening 

 meal Nicholas came up, saying that two Kirghiz men 

 had been sighted, and were riding in our direction. 

 We decided to seize the opportunity and secure them 

 as guides. But we were doomed to disappointment, 

 for Kirghiz " slimness " remains unrivalled among 

 Asiatic tribes. The two men presently came up to 

 our tent, and appeared frightened at our presence. 

 The striking feature of their costume was undoubtedly 

 the tall, red heels of their top-boots, fully four inches 

 long, which showed that it was more their habit to 

 ride than to walk. They wore long, greasy frocks, 

 lined with sheepskin, and low fur caps. Their faces 

 bore an expression of astonishment, though their eyes 

 betrayed cunning. When we explained to them 

 through our interpreter that we wanted them to ac- 

 company us to the Muss-Taou hills, they flatly 

 declined to do anything of the kind, saying that they 

 had pressing business to attend to, and that it was too 

 far out of their way ; whereupon we gave them to 

 understand that their services would be handsomely 

 rewarded by us. This, of course, led them to suppose 



