FROM THE ALTAI TO THE ILI 4O1 



above sea-level, and the pleasant warmth of the air 

 felt like the heat of midsummer to us — fresh from the 

 bitter winds and exposure of the Mongolian plateau. 

 Small wonder is it that these low-lying valleys are 

 favoured so greatly as winter quarters by both Kirghiz 

 and Mongol shepherds; it arouses in us no surprise 

 that it was here Jenghis Khan made his principal " rendez- 

 vous," and here that he massed his troops before starting 

 westwards on his conquering marches. 



The upper Irtish Valley is fairly well populated by 

 Torgut Mongols and Kirei Kirghiz ; there are possibili- 

 ties for cultivation and openings for trade ; it is also 

 probable that in the near future the Irtish River may 

 be used for the purposes of transport. In the summer the 

 Siberian Irtish is navigated as far up as Lake Zaisan — a 

 short distance away on the Russian side of the frontier ; 

 recently, however, it has been discovered that no reason 

 exists why the river should not be used for navigation 

 right up the junction of the Kran and the Irtish, at 

 a point not far below where we crossed the latter 

 river. Should this be carried out it would be a con- 

 siderable aid to the wool-merchants, who buy up the 

 produce of the flocks belonging to the Kirei and the 

 Torguts, as it would bring the Russian markets into 

 much closer communication with them.^ 



We crossed the Kran with ease by means of a shallow 

 ford, but found the Irtish just north of the Ulungur Lake 

 a deep-flowing, sluggish stream of a hundred yards in 



^ A name which looms large on even quite recent maps is Bulon-tokhoi, 

 a town situated at the southern end of Lake Ulungur. Forty years ago 

 Russian travellers described the town as a fine centre for commercial pur- 

 poses, and as consisting of two quarters containing 160 houses of Chinese 

 and 1 50 of Mongols. Now, however, Bulon-tokhoi has disappeared, and 

 its trade has shifted to the better situated centre of Tulta or Sharasume. 





