CLIMBING BELUKHA 209 



nearly frozen by the wind. The ibex horns on the 

 horse's back, and the leather bags on the side 

 of the horses, knocked against the trees and shook 

 them as we passed, and the snow dropped upon our 

 backs, and down our necks. We tried to find our 

 former track, but the snow had obliterated all traces, 

 and we were very uncertain at times of the direction 

 in which we were travelling. The horses fell fre- 

 quently during this part of our journey and required 

 a lot of pulling up, and every time this hkppened 

 the luggage required to be repacked. It was a 

 pleasant relief when we reached the Kalmuck's hut 

 and were able to obtain shelter ajid to dry our clothes. 

 An iron slab in the centre of the floor of the hut 

 held the boiling pan, and a Kalmuck girl was grind- 

 ing rusks to powder to be boiled in milk. Her 

 mother lay ill on the wooden bed at one side of the 

 hut. Over her bed was the icon, and the pig -tail 

 of the one man had been shaven off, all of which 

 denoted that the inmates had been converted to 

 Christianity. I had an opportunity to study the 

 character of these nomads of the Altai, and, from 

 observations and inquiries which I made, I am led 

 to believe that they are the most natural and un- 

 affected people in the world. They are very calm 

 and alert, and are particularly friendly in their rela- 

 tions with each other. They commanded the respect 

 even of our fighting hunter, and it is quite astonishing 

 how much the Russians think of them. They are so 

 modest that your best feelings go out towards them, 

 and so simple, unpretentious, and happy, that it would 

 Jae impossible to take advantage of them. They 

 are bom horsemen and hunters, and, as already 

 stated, although the Russian Government will not 

 allow them to serve as soldiers, they excel the 

 Cossack in many respects. They are respectful, but 

 brave and chivalrous. They wear a skin cap on their 



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