302 AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



ing day on our way up stream. One of these seemed 

 a sharp fellow, and gave us some hope of success, for 

 he inquired whether we could shoot, and said we were 

 sure to have to put our rifles to the test. 



On August 29th we pitched camp some twenty 

 miles up the Kara Kodjur River, and found that the 

 scenery had grown decidedly wilder. Having been 

 told that the woods round camp swarmed with Roe- 

 deer, we went out, both of us, in the afternoon with 

 our new men in search of game, but returned in the 

 evening without having seen a single beast. 



Next morning, at 9 a.m., we were again on the 

 move, following the banks of the stream. It was a 

 long march, though the Kalmuks had said we were 

 close to its sources. On reaching the top of a low 

 pass, at about 2 p.m., we came upon a beautiful 

 prospect. About half a mile ahead of us lay a large 

 lake known as the Sarry-Kol Lake. The hills all 

 round were covered with dense forests of pine, cedar, 

 and especially larch on every side. Large glades of 

 low, thick bushes of a reddish hue lay here and there 

 in their midst, reminding one greatly, were it not for 

 the trees, of the Scottish Highlands. In the distance- 

 rose a higher range of mountains, half-powdered with 

 fresh snow, in an immense semicircle. The whole 

 picture decidedly bore a touch of loneliness and wild 



