THE BUFFALO. 417 



river, and here a very strange sight presented itself. The river 

 was frozen over, and the party had from their encampment observed 

 dark, shapeless masses ranged across it, which when they came to 

 cross they found these " fantastic islets " were neither more nor 

 less than fifty wild cattle or yaks, which were absolutely embedded 

 in the ice. They had, no doubt, endeavoured to swim across the 

 river, but it froze too quickly for them to do so, and consequently 

 they became hemmed in and were unable to extricate themselves. 

 Their fine heads, surmounted with their great horns, were still 

 above the surface, but the eagles and crows had pecked out their 

 eyes. The ice was so transparent that the portions of their bodies, 

 which were enclosed therein, were quite discernible, and the form 

 and attitude of the unlucky beasts gave them the appearance 

 of being still swimming. 



It is a pity specimens of these magnificent animals have never 

 been exhibited in Europe. The domesticated yak has frequently 

 been seen, and although so much smaller than its wild congener, it 

 is still a handsome animal, and its strength and hardiness render it 

 invaluable to the mountaineers of its native countries. Although 

 its pace is rather slow, it can carry a heavy burden twenty miles a 

 day. The Tangutans, among whom camels are scarce, have to 

 rely almost entirely on their yaks as substitutes, and large cara- 

 vans of these animals are frequently to be seen wending their way 

 often over lofty precipitous mountain paths where it would be next 

 to impossible for other animals to keep their footing. The yak is 

 used also for riding purposes. The fat Lamas are said to show a 

 predilection for this mode of travelling, for they find its shaggy 

 coat warm, and its paces easy. When being ridden the animal 

 has, however, invariably to be led. 



In the Rechang or Roonang Pass, which is 14,354 feet high, and 

 has to be crossed to get from Lippe to Liignan, two places them- 

 selves about 9000 feet above sea-level, Wilson ^ states he for the first 

 time saw and made use of the yak. " It certainly is a magnificent 

 animal," he observes, " and one of the finest creatures of the bovine 

 species. In the Zoological Gardens at Schonbrunn, near Vienna, 

 there are some specimens of yaks from Siberia, but they are 

 (> "The Abode of Snow," by Andrew "Wilson, 1876. 



E e 



