After wild sheep in the Altai and Mongolia; . he largeleather bags we had hired at Ongudai. We had taken a yourt with us, which was placedat poor Vassilis disposal for the kitchen and hiscooking utensils. I must own his task was not aneasy one, though he never grumbled once, or showedany sign of dissatisfaction. The weather was cloud-less, and towards evening- the thermometer descendedbelow freezing point. That night I slept of sheep kept constantly hovering roundme, and I was wide awake when Cristo came intoour tent at 3 , as we had decided to start asearly as possible on ou
After wild sheep in the Altai and Mongolia; . he largeleather bags we had hired at Ongudai. We had taken a yourt with us, which was placedat poor Vassilis disposal for the kitchen and hiscooking utensils. I must own his task was not aneasy one, though he never grumbled once, or showedany sign of dissatisfaction. The weather was cloud-less, and towards evening- the thermometer descendedbelow freezing point. That night I slept of sheep kept constantly hovering roundme, and I was wide awake when Cristo came intoour tent at 3 , as we had decided to start asearly as possible on our first field-day, hoping, iffortune favoured, to find and stalk the rams whilethey were enjoying their morning grass. KALMUK VOCABULARY 99 After a frugal breakfast, consisting of porridge andbacon, we drew lots, Littledale and I. Fortune gaveme the eastern side towards the Chinese frontier, whilstLittledale got the ground north and west of divided the hunters between us, each of ustaking two of them in order to try their capacities,. OUR KITCHKX. and see if they would answer their purpose. I hadscribbled down on a piece of paper a hundred ofthe most necessary Kalmuk words, so as to be ableto converse with my two companions, and very soongot on friendly terms with them. It was still chillywhen we started, but from the look of the sky wewere entitled to expect a fine day. We crossed the ioo AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI river, quite shallow here, on horseback, and rodesome way clown the stream, striking off to the rightat its junction with the Bain-Tchagan, and followingup the latter. Man)- old heads lay about on theriver-bed, betraying at least former presence of Kotchkor. We came across quantities of Haresand Marmots, which kept darting off in front of usas we passed like shadows in the morning sound was to be heard save, now and then, theshrill whistle of a Marmot regaining its hole. The Promised Land at last! It was with throbbingheart that I repeated to
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