THE KIANG. 235 



I 



the Changchenmo river. Fording this treacherous stream 

 I is always more or less unpleasant, and sometimes dangerous ; 

 for during the summer it can only be crossed at certain 

 places, and at these only during the space of a few hours 

 in the morning, after which a dirty turbulent flood of melted 

 snow suddenly comes rushing down, and spreading itself 

 over the wide bed of shifting sand and gravel, renders it 

 quite impassable. 



As we pursued our way up the Kugrang glen we saw 

 several small troops of kiang (Uqims Tiemionus), the wild 

 horse of Tibet, whose shy behaviour showed us that human 

 intentions had not always been so harmless towards them 

 as ours were. The kiang can hardly be called handsome, 

 on account of its rather ungainly head, hog mane, and 

 almost rat tail, which it always tucks in when it gallops ; 

 but it shows many good points. It stands about Galloway 

 height, and its general colour on the body and head is a 

 reddish dun, with a dark dorsal stripe. Its belly and legs 

 are a creamy-white, as also is its nose. It is considered by 

 some to be a wild ass. Its ears, however, are not large 

 like those of a donkey, nor does it bray like one, its whinny 

 being quite that of a horse. 



We saw also two buck antelopes, which I attempted to 

 stalk, but failed to get nearer than 200 yards before they 

 decamped. Scanty as vegetation was everywhere, we found 

 more of it here, strange to say, though at a considerably 

 higher elevation, than in the main valley of Changchenmo, 

 which accounted for game being more plentiful in this 

 locality. 



The Major now went on with his men to establish his 

 hunting-quarters in an offshoot to the left, whilst I, accom- 

 panied by Changter, Kurreem, and a man leading my pony, 

 turned up one northward to the right, our baggage-yaks 

 following leisurely behind us. This offshoot of the Kugrang, 

 Cliangter called Chang Loong Koongma. It runs up parallel 

 to, and eight or ten miles west of, Chang Loong Yokma, 



