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latter do come over to the north side in summer it is only for four months and in no great numbers, while even these few stay in the higher regions far from the Mongols. They thus rarely come into contact with each other, and as they rarely speak each other's language they are as strangers, and view each other as enemies, for the Hassacks are sheep-stealers and camel-lifters by profession, even pilfering from each other when there is no stranger to rob.
It was with real regret that we said good-bye to the Mongols, among whom we had lived for over four mouths, and this is a good opportunity to say a few words about them. They are a marvellously hardy race; they can ride for 30 or 40 miles on nothing but a drink of tea, although their daily diet does not appear to be at all sustaining; they can endure being thrown violently from their ponies to the hard ground without a murmer; even if half stunned their friends only shake them up again, and they remount as if nothing had happened, In spite of this, they are a timorous race, and this defect, apart from their lack of power of co-operation and lack of military training, render it highly improbable that they will ever be able to take the field again. They seem entirely incapable of any deep emotions either of gratitude, love, or sorrow, while they have no reverence whatever for their dead.
The mountain Mongols are jolly and independent and happy, though how they can find life pleasant during six months of winter it is difficult to see. They possess a childlike simplicity, and, like children, are pleased with anything novel or glittering; their timidity requires great patience to overcome. They are hospitable and careless to a fault, and, so far as my experience goes, absolutely honest and trustworthy.
September 5.-Heavy snow fell during the night. Wandering about the fir forests I came unexpectedly across fruits which I had difficulty in believing real with deep snow on the ground. There were gooseberries like our own, but slightly smaller and not so ripe, black currants growing singly on a stem and not in clusters, and a red berry, with little taste, growing in circular clusters on a long stem with a long narrow leaf; these somewhat resembled our ash berries; the natives eat all these fruits, as also a small dark purple berry not unlike a grape, but more oval and not so large; this grows singly
on a stem.
September 6.—The Hassacks shave their heads and wear a closely fitting cap with, over this, a variegated bonnet with flaps for the cars and neck, originally intended only for winter use, the natives now use this in summer also. They wear baggy trousers, either so short that they end well above the ankles, or so long that they almost conecal the whole foot. Some of the trousers have embroidery work on them. For coat they wear a loose big garment somewhat like our frock coat, this sometimes has a coloured border; this coat is tied loosely at the waist, and is sometimes trimmed and lined with fur.
It
September 7-Leaving the basin of the lake in a westerly direction we passed a ruined log cabin, and at once (within half-a-mile) began to ascend, and after crossing some very stony broken ground descended slightly to a comparatively large lake at mile 24, which drains by a chain of smaller lakes to Daunngor. We now began to ascend steadily up the valley of the stream which feeds the above-mentioned lake. took us five and a-half hours to reach the summit of the Ermektu Daba (daba meaning pass). For the last couple of miles the whole face of the range was a watercourse from the melting snow, and travelling was difficult; in addition to this, it was excessively steep, and consisted of nothing but loose slate, shale, and stones. The fir plantations soon came to an end after starting, and were succeeded by a low scrub 1 to 2 feet high, resembling our bilberry, only not so thick. On the west side of the range this was more profuse. Both on the ascent and descent many purple and yellow pansies, common dandelions, and buttercups were to be seen among the snow. Contrary to expectation, there is a little view to be obtained from the top of this pass over the main range.
Descending sharply by an equally difficult track we reached a tiny lake a mile below the summit, whence flows a small stream, one of the head waters of the Kran, to join the Irtish. Descending rapidly down this valley we reached the station of Ermektu balak after a total march of 18 difficult miles. This station is out of the main valley and on a brawling mountain torrent which rushes down to join the stream we had left. One of the camels was so exhausted descending the pass that it had to be abandoned.
September S.-We had a long and difficult day during which we descended several thousands of feet by a series of valleys and mountains, the camel track sticking at nothing, but going straight ahead over hili and dale; the general direction was south- west. Crossing the Ermektu gol we kept at the same height for 24 miles, dropping
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then to a valley, out of which we climbed again; at mile 6 we reached a valley down the stream of which we kept to mile 12; passing a collection of Hassack graves here and crossing another mountain torrent we climbed a steep fir-clad range in front of us.
These were the first firs seen on this side of the range; from now onwards the valleys were full of these groves, and it is here that bear are to be found. At mile 20, after crossing several ranges and passes, we found ourselves on the top of the last pass on this side of the Altais, and were able to enjoy a view over the plains which blinding snow had denied us from the loftier passes. From here we descended abruptly into a gully stretching to the west. At the head of this was the camp of Uliassuta. A more delightful spot than this narrow canon flanked by high fir-clad hills and watered by a mountain burn could hardly be imagined. We were thoroughly exhausted by our march of 21 miles, for the day could not have been more disagrecable.
The morning opened cloudy, and an hour after the start was made the weather broke, and after coquetting with us with hail, sleet, and snow for an hour or so, the wind bringing it from every quarter in turn, heavy thunder being also heard in the distance, snow settled in definitely, and for two hours a blizzard raged from the west, entirely concealing the track, and making marching horrible. We left the snow in the valley above us, and at Uliassutu found heavy rain had fallen all day long.
The camels were exhausted by the march, and this goes to show that the Chinese Government would find it difficult in case of need to maintain a continuous transport service for stores or ammunition along this route, for the animals could not do two heavy days consecutively.
In addition to the pansies found growing among the snows to-day there is also a creeper which grows in the greatest profusion, it somewhat resembles ivy but the leaf is not glossy; the leaf is small and inclined to turn red in the autumn. In addition to the firs there is a mass of fir undergrowth.
The range on this, the west side, is much narrower than on the east side, as will be noted from the fact that we descended from the top of the pass in two and a-half days while the ascent to the same took seven and a-half marching days.
The mountains on this side are a confused mass with really beautiful valleys and the descent is much more picturesque than was the ascent. There are few lakes but innumerable streams.
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The women (in the mountains) go unveiled but they wear a white linen covering to the head drawn tightly over the forehead, it can be drawn over the face at will. long green coat and a short variegated petticoat with boats like the men's complete their dress. They are very shy.
September 9.-The warmth in the cañon struck me very forcibly after the cold in the mountains above. We descended the gully for some 43 miles and I warrant it would be difficult to find a prettier scene than this. At the same time we were gradually descending to summer again and the day being still and cloudless the sun shone with all the force of September. On the south side the valley was thickly covered with firs while along the babbling stream grew willows, birches, poplars. On the north side were low bushes many covered with wild berries and turned to autumnal red and gold; among these the track wound. Butterflies of all the commoner varieties known in Europe were chasing each other in the sunlight, insects humming everywhere, gorgeous dragon flies flitting about while the air was fragrant with the scent of the firs. Added to these were the chattering of the pies, the cawing of rooks, and the merry song of the woodcutter and ginseng hunter (for a coarse variety of this plant so prized in China grows here in some profusion). Even on the north side a few firs were to be seen but these decline to face the south and, when they are found there, are small and puny. Squirrels were darting across the path no longer condemned to bury themselves in the ground away from the sunlight.
At mile 4 we turned out of the gully and dropping over low hills covered with low bushes into valley after valley we reached the new Chinese colony of Sharasumé at mile 134
Let me add that the track is an extremely difficult one to find, winding as it does in an unusually intricate manner among these scrub-covered hills, and it is essential to have local guides; it may be mentioned that even the natives sometimes lose their way in the maze of hills.
During the morning we killed a snake 14 feet long of greenish brown colour. The Hassacks said it was a highly poisonous one.
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