196 EXPEDITION TO KALMUK. 



me. I pulled the rugs over my head, but it was 

 no good, my feet were stone cold, and my breath 

 froze on the blankets : it was certainly the most 

 uncomfortable night I ever spent. If I felt it, 

 how much more must my followers and ponies 

 have done so ! 



It was a disappointment to give up the hunt 

 for the " Carolini " sheep, but madness to continue 

 under such circumstances. I therefore decided 

 to return, to the great relief of my men, whom I 

 found, soon after daybreak, huddled together in 

 their tent. They managed to light a fire in it, 

 and made some tea, which revived us a little. 

 We then went to see after the ponies. Any- 

 thing more miserable I never saw in my life : 

 they looked as if they were cut out of wood. 

 Going up to the one given me by Mahomed 

 Unis, and giving him a push to wake him up, he 

 just tumbled over on his side, and we had great 

 difficulty in getting him up again. They were 

 too cold to eat, and there was nothing for it but 

 to wait until the sun rose to thaw them. Poor 

 old Rahamut, my pony-man, had his ears frost- 

 bitten, but by dint of bathing them with cold 

 water we got them right. 



When we got off at last, we were a very cripply 



