262 THE KARAKUL PAMIR AND HOME. 



and dangerous at this time of year, and that 

 they ran a good chance of losing their luggage. 

 They had made up their minds, however, and 

 there was nothing more to be said ; so I was 

 very glad to hear afterwards that they had got 

 through all right. 



The descent from the Kizil Art pass into the 

 Alai valley was a most delightful change. Such 

 a relief, after these great desert pamirs, to come 

 upon a wide open valley of undulating prairies 

 covered with beautiful green grass, and here and 

 there a sign of human habitation, even though it 

 was only a Kirghiz yurt ! These, as yet, were few 

 and far between, this being the summer residence 

 of the Kirghiz from the Farghana (Russian Turk- 

 istan), and only a small number had arrived. 



Once on to the prairie, we had the greatest 

 difficulty in keeping the ponies going : they had 

 their noses into the grass every minute, and no 

 wonder, poor beasts ! considering what scanty fare 

 they had had latterly. But they gave me just 

 cause for complaint next morning, when we woke 

 up, to find that although they had plenty of grass 

 under their noses, they must needs go and look 

 for it elsewhere. Every one of them had taken 

 French leave, excepting my two riding- ponies, 



