MEET TWO EUROPEANS 309 



country, and we unanimously decided in the evening 

 to make a general retreat to Ongoudai. 



Next day a long march of about twenty miles over 

 broad stretches of moorland and a low pass brought 

 us to the banks of a small tributary of the Katoun 

 River, where we pitched camp at 3 p.m. The 

 weather was now evidently breaking up, and we were 

 all anxious to get back to civilisation. Consequently, 

 next day we made a very long march (about forty 

 versts) down a small stream, and reached the Sakljar 

 Pass, on the Ongoudai-Kosh-Agatch path, a little 

 after 2 p.m. As we descended the steep slope into 

 the Katoun Valley we met a caravan with two Euro- 

 peans, who were on their way to Kosh-Agatch. We 

 found them to be Germans — Major Wissmann and 

 Doctor Bomuller, with whom we exchanged a few 

 words. They were intending to cross the Mongolian 

 plateaux into the Zaissan's country, and then proceed, 

 via Tashkend, to Merv. We warned the well-known 

 African explorer of the difficulties he would have to 

 encounter, owing to the late season and roughness of 

 the autumn months on the high Altai, and wishing 

 him a good journey, parted with the first Europeans 

 we had come across for a long time. At 4 p.m. we 

 reached the ferry over the Katoun, which we crossed, 

 and camped on the steppe close to its banks. 



Next day Ongoudai was reached in the afternoon, 



