FROM KULJA TO KUMUL 463 



well off in flocks and herds, but are by no means on an 

 equality with the Kirei. We find, therefore, that the 

 plains which separate the Tian Shan from the Altai are, 

 at this point, composed of a hard, barren steppe, broken 

 by a narrow zone of sand-dunes ; on the south of this 

 is the agricultural district, while on the north lies a 

 partially used nomads' -land. The average altitude of 

 this section of the gap between the Bogdo-ola and 

 Baitik Mountains is 2,200 ft. above sea-level. 



On our return to Guchen we engaged carts from a 

 Chanto owner and set off eastwards for Kumul. It being 

 now February 24th, the thaw had set in, and we 

 realized the time and trouble we had saved by ac- 

 complishing the greater part of our journey eastwards 

 in midwinter. East of Guchen the snow lay very 

 deep, and it was as much as the three horses could do 

 to drag the heavy Chinese carts up the long incline 

 to the Tou-shui plateau, across which lay the road to 

 Kumul. 



On reaching the small town of Mu-li-kho, two stages 

 to the east of Guchen, we endeavoured to get some 

 knowledge of the mountain-region to our south by making 

 a lateral journey from the high road, and we actually 

 spent an entire day trying to get round an official who 

 refused to supply us with a guide, on account of his 

 being quite certain that we should succumb if we attempted 

 to travel in the mountains at this season, and that he 

 in consequence would be beheaded ! After a dinner 

 given in our honour, at which he consumed prodigious 

 quantities of Chinese spirit, he became sufficiently affable 

 to supply us, on our own responsibility, with two mounted 

 men as guides. Sending the carts along the high-road, 

 we rode southwards into the hills which lie within a short 

 II— 10 



