PEAK-BAGGING IN THE ALTAI 176 



desirous of doing so, while dogs that could be used 

 as draught anirrials Werfe not procurable. After care- 

 fully weighing all the pros and cons, we decided 

 to take the road to the north, although we had not 

 the vaguest idea as to what it would be like. The 

 bracing air and the pleasure of the unknown helped 

 to keep alive the spirit of adventure, and rendered 

 us sufificiently indifferent to obstacles. We even 

 decided that, if further progress were at toy time 

 to becofrie impossible by any other means, we would 

 attem"pt the journey on snow-shoes, and a^ccordingly 

 added a pair to each man's outfit. 



We made our first halt, after leaving the village 

 of Katunda, at the house of a peasant recorfflmended 

 by Professor Sapozhnikoff as a suitable guide; but 

 he refused to accompany us, as he considered the 

 journey too dangerous. We had some lunch at his 

 house, a stnall wooden building which accommodated 

 three fatriilies. The faffiilies were sufificiently prolific. 

 While seated in the heated roottl which had been set 

 apart for our use, a little girl, about three years 

 old, peeped through the open door at me. I 

 beckoned her to me and presented her with 20 

 kopecks. She went away, and returned presently at 

 the head of a flying column of youngsters, whose 

 ages ranged frorH two to twelve, and who were quite 

 plainly of opinion that they were entitled to the 

 same consideration. There were fourteen of them', 

 but I ceded the point with as good a grace as 

 possible. How the three families contrived to live 

 in that one small house was a mystery to me. The 

 huntsnSan made us a parting present of half a sheep, 

 as he did not think we would be able to shoot any- 

 thing until we were nearer the mountains. A very 

 small flour-mill, driven by water power, stood 

 opposite the house. 



Half an hour's ride from the place brought us to 



