28 SIBERIA 



of making my annual ascent of the Swiss Alps, to 

 humour my " mountain fever," after completing my 

 business, by exploring this little-known group of 

 mountains, making glacier observations and climbing 

 and Measuring Belukha. 



One or two Asiatic travellers whom' I consulted 

 questioned the fact that the Altai range Contained 

 so high a mountain. Two others condemned my 

 expedition at that time of the year as impracticable, 

 owing to the condition of the roads in March and 

 April; they had themselves been within 250 miles 

 of the rnountains in their travels. 



I wrote to the British Comttlercial Agent at 

 Moscow on business and made incidental inquiries 

 about the mountains. He kindly referred me to 

 Mr. Oswald Cattley, F.R.G.S., Novo-Nicolaevsk. 

 This gentleman was good enough to assist me greatly, 

 endeavouring to find out something about the moun- 

 tains, but he earnestly dissuaded me from going out 

 in March or April because of the bad state of the 

 roads and the probability of a thaw, which would 

 render them: impassable. He, however, gave his son 

 permission to accompany me, and communicated with 

 Professor Sapozhnikoff, of Tomsk University, from 

 whom he received a letter, of which the following 

 is a translation: 



"Tomsk University, 

 "Tomsk, 28/8 April 1903, 



" Dear Sir,— In regard to Mr. Turner's proposed 

 trip to the Altai, I shall be glad to give him~ the 

 benefit of my experience. From the town of Bysk 

 post horses can be had as far as the village of 

 Altaiskoe. Thence to Katunda village, a distance 

 of 400 versts, the journey must be done by free 

 horses. Horses are generally eaisy to procure. Select 

 as light a drosky or sledge as possible, as there 



