FROM KULJA TO KUMUL 465 



from their irrigation-canals and filled up any depression 

 that chanced to be handy, allowing the water to freeze 

 solid. 



East of Borstan the main ridge of the Bogdo-ola sank 

 to a lower altitude and lost itself in a jumble of wild, 

 formless hills which stretched eastwards as far as the 

 eye could see. To have entered the hills at this season 

 would have greatly increased our difficulties, so, skirting 

 along under the foot-hills, we rested another night at the 

 house of a Chanto, or rather a Sart, for our host had 

 found his way hither from the Ferghana of Russian 

 Turkestan. Living a semi-nomadic existence in a yurt 

 during the summer, and in a house during the winter, 

 herding cattle and growing grain, our host was probabty 

 making a small fortune on which he would retire eventu- 

 ally to his own country. He had several advantages, for 

 being a Russian subject, he could not be turned out by 

 the Chinese, and, having taken a Kirghiz girl to wife, he 

 received much useful aid in matters relating to cattle 

 and sheep ranching, besides being thus placed on good 

 terms with the Kirei nomads. 



Truly these ranges are inhabited by a nondescript lot 

 of people ; near to our host, who hailed from across the 

 Russo-Chinese border, was a settlement of discontents 

 from the kingdom of Kumul, — Kumuliks who had escaped 

 from the serfdom of their Khan, and who preferred a freer 

 if somewhat harder life in this region ; besides these were 

 occasional encampments of Kirei Kirghiz, wanderers 

 from the far north, already beginning to start on 

 their march back to their real home. No wonder 

 these nomads attempt to settle permanently on these 

 ranges, — ^forming, as they do, the most remarkable winter 

 resort for shepherds and their flocks, these rolling foot- 



