CHAPTER LXXXVII. 
INHABITED REGIONS AGAIN 
O ctober ist. Accordingly we pursued our way 
steadily down the straight, broad valley towards the 
east. Islam shot at a troop of some 120 khulans that 
were grazing beside the stream, but with no result, except 
that he started the whole troop in a mad gallop up the 
mountain -side. In their flight they streamed up the 
steep slo 23 es in a long undulating line without the slightest 
difficulty ; but after making a wide curve came down again 
at a breakneck speed, making for our last camping-ground, 
and finally disappeared in a whirlwind of dust. Near the 
end of the valley we found two other obos, one of 
them containing sixty-three slabs of slate ; but they were 
not built up like the first, being merely piled loosely in 
a heap round a little hill. The letters on the slabs which 
faced the west were partly obliterated, very possibly by 
the prevailing winds, which blow from that quarter. 
Our valley finally issued into a much broader valley, 
through which flow'ed the stream we had passed close to 
camp No. XXXV. In the angle between the valleys the 
rocks were again granite. All day long we kept a sharp and 
anxious look-out for signs of human beings ; and we did see 
another fireplace, together with some tent-pegs and camel 
dung. Islam Bai, having caught sight of some yaks 
grazing at the foot of the mountains on the opposite side 
of the valley, crept cautiously within range, fired three 
shots wdthout killing anything, then — imagine our surprise ! 
an old woman came running forward, shouting and 
gesticulating, so that w'e at once understood the animals 
were tame yaks, and that we had at length reached the 
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