978 
THROUGH ASIA 
ing rock was a fine-grained red clay-slate. The yeylaks 
became fewer and poorer in quality ; nevertheless there 
were still plenty of antelopes and hares, and occasionally 
we observed the droppings of khulans (wild asses). 
The pass crossed, we entered a glen of strongly marked 
contours, about two and a half miles broad, which curved 
round from the west-south-west towards the east. Its 
bottom was much diversified and destitute of water, nor 
was there a vestige of grass. At that point there did 
not appear to be any suitable pass for crossing over the 
Arka-tagh. We therefore turned and followed the glen 
towards the east, for in that direction the country was 
open. The mountain-spurs fell away on both sides ; but 
in the background there rose a lofty chain of the grandest 
dimensions, glittering from top to bottom in the silver 
mail of its snows. Indeed they were so brilliantly bright 
that at first we took them for white clouds on the horizon. 
It was the continuation of Arka-tagh. As I have just 
said, we were marching towards the east, so that we 
had the Arka-tagh partly on our right, partly in front 
of us. Thus the range makes a slight curve to the 
east-north-east. 
Farther, leaving the glen on our left, we began to 
ascend the lower slopes of the Arka-tagh, crossing over 
innumerable ravines, most of them with a little water 
in the bottom. Towards the north the country was quite 
open, an extensive undulating tableland, with not so much 
as a hill to restrict the view, but bounded in the extreme 
distance by a lofty chain overtopped by several snowy 
peaks. That was the southern aspect of Tokkuz-davan. 
In the Arka-tagh we had constantly In view a stu- 
pendous double-peaked mountain. Hour after hour we 
rode towards it, without seeming to get a bit nearer. Our 
next concern was to find a suitable camping-ground with 
pasturage ; we were in no anxiety about water that day. 
We pitched the tents, after a march of eighteen miles, 
by the side of a large brook, where the grass was pretty 
fair. The caravan animals still stood it very well ; but 
the men, especially Islam Bai, were only in a poor way. - J 
