326 UNKNOWN MONGOLIA 



the lofty, jagged peaks of the Great Altai rose up and 

 formed a marked contrast to the featureless country, 

 through which we had been marching for the last few 

 days. 



We pitched our camp close to a cluster of yurts. 

 In exchange for a few safety-pins and a yard or two 

 of scarlet ribbon, we got as much milk and fuel as we 

 could want. On the following morning we saw an 

 imposing-looking cavalcade approaching : it turned out 

 to be the chief of the Altai Uriankhai and his retainers. 

 He was a cheery old soul, and plied us with questions 

 incessantly. How far was it to London ? How many 

 horses, cattle, and sheep had we ? What did we pay 

 for our wives in England, and how many did we each 

 have ? To all these and many more questions Makan- 

 daroff found suitable replies, which, if not truthful, 

 certainly did not belittle us in any way. As the success 

 or failure of our ' sheep '-hunt depended on getting 

 on the right side of the old fellow, we presented him 

 with an old telescope which had been brought from 

 England for such a purpose. His pleasure was almost 

 pathetic, and, when it was focussed on to some horses 

 a mile away, he giggled with childish delight. From 

 that moment our success, as far as he was concerned, 

 was assured. We were promised horses and men for 

 the following day. 



As usual, we had the greatest difficulty in con- 

 vincing the men that it was only the old rams we wished 

 to shoot, on account of their horns. This was more 

 than they could grasp. What use could we make of 

 " koshgor " horns ? Perhaps we made them into 

 medicine, as the Chinese did with the maral horns. 

 But if it was the horns we wanted, why didn't we pick 



