OF EASTERN TURKESTAN. 111 
and three Ruticilla erythrogastra it came on to rain 60 hard that 
I was forced to give up my intention of looking up the Snow 
Pheasants, and returned to the shelter of my tent. A good 
deal of snow must have fallen on the Sanju Pass to-day, and 
I expect that to-morrow we shall have rather a job to get 
across. Our provisions were sent over the Pass to-day, but all 
our luggage will be carried with us, on Yaks, to-morrow. 
20th.-—Started from Kichik Yailak this mor ning, all mounted 
on Yaks. Followed the course of a small stream trickling 
down between the rolling grassy downs, noticing by the way 
Ruticilla erythrogastra, Podoces humilis, Montifringilla hematopy- 
gia, the Red-billed Chough (Fregilus graculus) and the Raven 
(Corvus tibetanus). A few Snow Pheasants (Tetraogallus tibe- 
tanus?) were heard calling, and the Marmots every now and 
then uttered their melancholy sounding cry. About 1,500 
feet below the top of the pass we got on stony ground, covered 
with snow about a foot deep. The climb up by the zigzag 
path was very difficult, and made more so by the string of 
cattle, carrying the baggage, which blocked the way. To get on 
at all quickly, we had frequently to leave the path and scramble 
up the steep hill side; my Yak came down on his knees several 
times, and often stopped to refresh himself by taking several 
mouthfuls of snow. Near the top of the pass it was snowing 
slightly, and the mist was so thick that we quite lost sight of 
the people and animals immediately below us. At 10 a.m. * 
on the Sanju pass the mercurial barometer stood at 16°456 and 
the temperature of the air was 30°. 
The descent was tremendously steep just at first, but after- 
wards the road was so winding that our way became compara- 
tively easy. The Tibetan Raven was collected, in considerable 
numbers, about the carcases of horses which lined the wa 
down ; I asked the Yuzbashi whether the bird was called Kargha _ 
(Crow) in Turki. He replied, ‘ Ob no, this is called Khuzghun, 
and is quite distinct from the Black Crow ; it lives for a thousand 
years!” Rested for a short while at our old camping place 
Tarbughoz, and then followed this gloomy narrow gorge to a 
rather wider part, where we are encamped at an elevation ‘of about 
13,000 feet, with high vertical cliffs on each side of us. uticila 
erythrogastra, Montifringilla hamatopygia, and Columba rupicola 
are common here near our camp. 
21st.—Kurgan Ali Nazar.—Short march to-day, the first five 
miles over very bad road, through the narrow gorge which led 
into the valley of the Karakash, where we encamped on the 
bank of the river. Fine blue sky this morning, and the tem- 
perature in the shade 64°°8 at mid-day; but in the afternoon a 
violent wind blew from the north, and brought with it clouds 
