WADING THE TARKHATY RIVER 277 



That day I came across large herds of ewes, but 

 found no shootable rams. We went on a long- way, 

 Taba and I, reaching the scene of our first adventure 

 with Ovis amnion. The Happy Valley was now in 

 sight, the Bain - Tchagan and Tchagan - Burgaza 

 rivers, as well as the low pass over which we 

 crossed into Mongolia. I felt sorry to think that 

 we were so soon to quit these happy hunting-grounds 

 and return to civilisation ; but our time was up, and 

 the approaching autumn was announced by the cold 

 wind that swept across the high Mongolian Altai. 

 We were being turned out by a late season. I re- 

 turned to camp late in the evening in pensive mood, 

 without having fired off my rifle. Littledale had 

 come back with the meat of a young ram, reporting 

 that he had seen several Ibex (female and young). 

 but had failed to discover the fine herd I had seen 

 two days previously. 



Next day, on coming out of my tent, I found it to 

 be a beautiful bright sunny morning, and decided with 

 Taba to cross the Tarkhaty River and investigate the 

 lofty spurs, which the hunter said were inhabited 

 solely by Ibex. Littledale went back in search of 

 the large rams. We waded across the river at 5 a.m.. 

 and gave the ponies a severe trial, as we ascended an 

 exceedingly steep slope for a couple of hours. On 



