1022 
THROUGH ASIA 
respiratory apparatus being specially adapted for the 
highly rarefied atmosphere he lives in. The Persians 
therefore in slitting up the nostrils of their tame asses, 
when they are going to employ them for transport 
purposes in mountainous regions, really obey a law of 
nature. Experience has taught them that the animals 
can then breathe more easily. 
Our khulan had, if I may be allowed the expression, 
a more pronounced Roman nose than the tame ass ; 
that is to say, the profile of his face curved more sharply 
outwards. The expression of the eyes, which were well 
protected by eyebrows and eyelashes, was gentle and 
peaceful. In length, from the edge of his upper lip along 
his spine to the root of his tail, he measured 7 ft. 7 in. 
His girth just behind the forelegs was 4 ft. 10 in., and 
in front of them 5 ft. 3 in. Round the neck immediately 
behind the ears he measured 31^ inches, immediately 
in front of them 35 inches. Round the head over the 
eyes he measured 33f inches, and round his nose i8|^ 
inches ; whilst the space between the crown of the head 
and the edge of the upper lip was 25.^ inches. 
Whilst I was measuring and sketching him, he lay 
perfectly still and quiet, and did not appear to feel any 
pain from his wound, in which the blood had already 
coagulated, and he was so destitute of fear that he let 
me stroke him over the nose without resenting it. When 
I had done with the beautiful creature, he was given his 
quietus with a well-directed thrust of a knife. Then 
the men set to work to flay him, taking very special pains 
not to injure the skin, which was afterwards spread out 
on the ground to dry. The best portions of the flesh 
were taken care of ; the rest was left w'here it was, whilst 
the dogs feasted on the scraps and offal. 
Camp XV., which we reached at the end of fifteen 
and a half miles, was pitched at the foot of a hill. As 
the men had worked hard to capture the khulan and 
get me his skin, and as our animals were a good deal 
spent, the next day was given up to rest, and as it 
happened, it was a Sunday. 
