IX CHARACTER OF THE KH ALTAR SIDE NALA 143 



was east and west, but here we saw that it originally 

 came from the north, before bending to the easterly 

 direction it pursued during the greater part of its length. 

 Two streams joined it from the west close to the bend, 

 and we went up the high ground between them. This 

 ground was precipitous towards the more northerly of the 

 two streams, and sloped in a series of ridges and hollows 

 towards the one to the south. 



When we saw the herd it was far up beyond the snow- 

 line, on one of these ridges, amongst a few birch trees. 

 Our path led us first through a pine forest, and then 

 through a wood of birches, where we struck the snow 

 again, and, owing to the shade, found it lying very deep. 

 When we emerged from this we found ourselves on more 

 open ground, on parts of which the snow had melted. 

 It was mostly grass, but pines, cedars, and birches were 

 dotted about in clumps here and there. The coolie was 

 left at this point, and we three went forward alone. 

 Approaching each ridge with the greatest care, we very 

 cautiously examined the hollow beyond, till we arrived 

 within view of the clump of birch trees, under which the 

 herd had been last seen. Evidently it had gone else- 

 where, for there was no sign of it. The ground, as we 

 were advancing west, sloped to our left, and we were 

 going about half way between the precipitous top to our 

 right and the stream below us to the left. After crossing 

 a few ridges like this, we suddenly caught sight of one of 

 the females, and a few minutes after saw the male and 

 both females disappear quietly over the next ridge. 



We crossed at once the ridge behind which we had 

 dropped on seeing the herd, and tried to run across the 



