THE KIREI OF THE ALTAI 357 



and finally fell into the condition in which they remain 

 at the present day. The Christian Kirei also lost their 

 power, but they became Mohammedans, and have now 

 reached a state of superiority and a degree of prosperity 

 far in advance of that of the Mongols. 



At the present day the range of the Kirei includes 

 their old home on the banks of the Upper or Black 

 Irtish, and the greater part of the western Altai pastures, 

 but the territory on the east of the Altai, which must 

 once have been theirs, is now in the hands of the Mongol 

 Khans. The territorial boundaries of the Mongol chiefs 

 are inviolable, and the Kirei are hampered in their 

 desire to advance in this direction by the Chinese au- 

 thorities who uphold the Mongols' rights. 



The main resort of the tribe is along the western 

 flanks of the Altai, being the area drained by the tribu- 

 taries of the Black Irtish. Only in one part, — in the 

 neighbourhood of the lakes Dolto Nor and Dain Kul, 

 at the sources of the Kobdo River, — do the Kirei possess 

 pasturages on the eastern side of the watershed of the 

 Altai Range. Here they own a fine country, consisting 

 not only of summer pastures, forests and lakes, but 

 also numerous sheltered valleys. This portion of their 

 territory is monopolized by the chief and his section 

 of the tribe. Towards the west the range of the Kirei 

 extends into the Dzungarian plains, as far as the lakes 

 Ulungur and Zaisan — on the Russian frontier. Farther 

 westwards still, along the marches of Russian and 

 Chinese territory, there exists a Western branch of Kirei, 

 separated from the Altai Kirei, and serving under a 

 different chief. To the southwards their boundaries are 

 less clearly defined. They occupy the well-protected 

 and low-lying valley of the Upper Irtish as their winter 



