CHAPTER VI. 



Sources of Kobdo River — Lakes — Fishing — Muss-Taou Hills — Journey 

 northwards — Nicholas sent for Sheep — Sumdairik River Camp — 

 Meat at last — Fresh Ponies expected at Tchagan - Kol River — 

 March on 16th of July — No Sport — Fresh Ponies and Men arrive — 

 More Marches — Moraine of old Glacier — Crossing the Tchagan-Kol 

 back — Camps — Snowstorm — Littledale finds Wild Sheep — Joseph 

 sent for Stores — Olonur Valley — Snow — July 23rd — Shooting— Game 

 at last — Antelope — First sight of Ibex (Capra Sibirica)—'$XaS&s> with 

 Taba — Littledale brings in a good Ram — Meeting with Zaissan 

 Semion and Kirghiz Chief. 



We left the karaoul on the morning of July 13th 

 en rotitc for the Muss-Taou Hills. As usual we 

 were delayed by Kalmuk recriminations respecting 

 the ponies, and it was not till 7.30 a.m. that we 

 were ready to start. Our new Mongol guide, whose 

 shabby appearance might conceal, as we hoped, a 

 thorough knowledge of the country, took the lead 

 of our caravan, and after a long ascent we found 

 ourselves at the top of a pass about 8,500 feet high, 

 from which a magnificent view presented itself. 

 Beneath us lay two lakes whose waters were joined 



by a broad river, the Kobdo, the sources of which 



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