164
1.
98
the west end of Tolbonoor could be seen, so thought to walk to the ridge, which seemed only a couple of miles away. The distances are however extremely deceptive, the ridge was much further away than I supposed, and night coming on and a wolf (for there are many of these in the district) making his timely appearance in the distance, I was obliged to beat a hasty retreat. I crossed, however, the Chagansala as it emerges from the north-west corner, and found a stretch of marshy ground quite half-a-mile broad on the other side.
Kisna Tai is one of those which are a present to the Government for all time; they receive no subsidy. No satisfactory explanation was given to me why the people had so given themselves to Government, but having done so they are not squeezed, nor do the officials grumble if the tents are old or dirty. Possibly the immunity from squeezing and also from all taxation tempted the people, and they were wise; the work is light, and only four months a-year, and some years there are only a few despatches to be carried, in no case very much work. The people are well-to-do; one saddle was entirely plated with silver, and this is the best test.
September 2.-The suowline was still lower again this morning. The morning was cloudy with a west wind blowing straight off the snows, and this and frequent hail showers made riding an impossibility. Leaving the basin by a low pass we descended slightly into the valley of the Borborussu, a tributary of the Chagansala, and which joins the latter shortly after this has left the Kisna basin. We then ascended gently, but steadily; at mile 2 a track leads off up the valley to the south, down which rushes the Borbor water. Crossing the stream, which was knee deep and icy cold, we kept westwards, the valley contracting at mile 3 to a defile from which we emerged at mile 4 on to another broad valley of the same nature. Reaching the top of the easy ascent at mile 7 we descended by a steep rocky defile to the Tai of Kolsatta at mile 114. Two miles before reaching this another gully on our left brings down a mountain stream and this flows past the Tai which is situated close to where the stream emerges on to another valley. This Tai is also a present to the Government, and seems to be run in common with the next Tai (a most unusual proceeding), for after a rest we resumed the march with the same animials and men. Continuing westwards we reached the new valley a mile away, and bending south-west we found ourselves in a valley some 7 miles long and 2 broad of a stream flowing from south to north, and which, after being joined by the Kolsatta stream, issues from the valley by a sharp bend behind the mountains through which it then works in a northern direction. This river is the Saksau, one of the largest tributaries of the Kobdo River. Touching the river at mile 24 we turned south along the valley to mile 6, the end of the valley, and where the stream issues from the mountains. Here we had to ford it. It is some 50 yards broad and a foot deep and flows swiftly over a stony bed. It maintains its width throughout the valley and splitting at times into channels waters a large area and is the cause of a great amount of good pasturage. Having crossed the stream we bent south-west, and half a-mile later entered a narrow gorge some 150 yards wide, but narrowing in places to 100 down which rushes a small stream, the Yoltakussu, to join the Saksau. The bleak mountains rise 200 feet precipitously and unbroken on either side. Up this gorge we steadily climbed to mile 10, where a few yourts blocked the way. Here we camped for the night at Yolta. It was a curious spot to choose for a Tai with the wind whistling down the gorge. An interesting feature of the afternoon were some Hassack graves. These are simply mounds of stones. It was a sign that we were drawing near to the districts of these wild Mahommedans. They were the first graves we had seen since leaving China for the Mongols (as is known) dispose of their dead by casting them out to the dogs and vultures.
September 3.--We had now to take to yak as means of transport; these we found to be able to carry as much as camels. They travelled more slowly however. Leaving the gorge at once by a cleft we ascended in a south-westerly direction to get round a snow capped ridge which barred the direct road. Reaching the top of the pass at mile 3 we turned west to reach the top of another pass at mile 4). We were now encircled by snow-clad mountains, the centre of the Altaishan. Descending slightly from the second pass we kept along a level valley which at mile 7 began to aseend again to drop abruptly into the ravines where the Burdum, one of the principal head- waters of the Saksau rushes down. Crossing this in a westerly direction we climbed up the precipitous opposite bank and steadily ascended alongside a little brook. Suddenly we came to a small oval-shaped lake with a circuit of a quarter of a-mile and from which the brook issues; keeping this lake on our right we still ascended, and a quarter of a-mile later reached another lake twice as large draining into the lower lake and fed by a small mountain brook at the north-west end. Steadily climbing we reached at
99
mile 9 yet a third lake at the foot of a loaf-shaped mountain, the whole of the face of which seemed to be one swamp and water-course. This lake collects the drainage off the hills and sends it down to the Burdum, but not by way of the lower lake. On the banks of this third lake is the Tai of Hotolgoi which, if two languages can be inter- This is the first of the series of mixed, means very appropriately "riverhead." Hassack Tais, none of which receive any subsidy from the Chinese. Here we should have said good-bye to the Mongols, but all the camels and ponies of the Tai having gone forward with the guns we induced the men of the last Tai, for double pay, to do another journey to-morrow. The Hassacks talk no Mongol or Chinese, and if we had not had an Hassack-speaking man with us we should have been in a sorry plight. The Hassack (or Kirghiz) tents are similar to the Mongol yourts, only perhaps more slovenly constructed. The natives wear a peculiar boot; this is a long leather one such as the Mongols use; the foot, however, is flexible, and over it is drawn another shoe; this latter has a heel some 4 inches high, which raises the foot off the ground in a grotesque way; it is said to be convenient for mountain use, though the reverse would have been my opinion. It was strange to leave the Mongol courteous snuff-bottle greeting, to which we had grown so accustomed, for the Mabommedan form of salutation. It was an impressive sight at sunset to see here, far away in the centre of the Altaishan, in Ceutral Asia, each Mabommedan coming out of his tent to pray. The reverence for a Supreme being struck one with peculiar force after the meaningless and thoughtless whirling of the Mongol prayer-wheels.
The wind increased to a gale at night, and most of the tent collapsed. As this was pitched on sand, it was like sleeping in a sandstorm of the worst type. In the middle of the night I got a rude shock from a hairy face being thrust into my own; one's first thought was of Hassack raids; it was, however, only a harmless goat which had sought refuge from the storm.
September 4. Climbing a shoulder of the loaf-shaped hill we dropped about three- quarters of a mile to a lake half a-mile long draining into a small lake below, the latter probably draining into the second of the lakes passed yesterday. This lake collects the drainage of the hills and the rest of the ascent, to mile 24, was chiefly over marshy ground and streams; all the stagnant water was covered with ice half an-inch
thick.
It took us one and three quarter hours to reach the top of the pass, which is very steep. Turning to the north-west we descended to a lake which serves the same purpose on this side of the ridge as do the small lakes on the other side, all the slopes of the hills being practically watercourses. Keeping along the near shore we reached the end at mile 63, the side of the lake being probably 3 miles long, its width about a quarter of a-mile. We then descended the gully by which the lake sends its waters forward by means of a stream, insignificant at first, but gaining strength as it descends. Half-way down this a hollow in the hills holds the water again in a narrow lake, and numerous other pools are formed before the stream finally reached Daunnoor. Leaving the stream at mile 13 we passed over hills and valleys to reach the south-westerly end of the series of lakes, known as Daunnoor, which drain into each other and send forth a stream into the Kobdo River. Here is the Hassack Tai of the same name at mile 20 at the foot of the wooded slopes of the main range of the Altais. The forests of fir afford a pleasant change to the eye after the entirely bleak hills we have traversed for so many days, while the charm of the landscape is increased by the beauty of the setting of the blue lakes surrounded by snow-clad mountains.
We were detained at Daunnoor several days, as all the transport suimals had gone forward with the guns. There was, however, plenty of mutton and goat's flesh to eat, while, by way of distraction, the Hassack language could be studied. Unfortunately there was no game; occasionally deer are seen here, but never bear.
In winter the Hassacks pack their tents and go to the foot of the other side of the mountains, coming back in the early summer. In winter these valleys are deep in snow, and not a soul lives in them. There is a delightful Mongol joss here, a grotesque marble statue of the Buddha some 5 feet high, which is covered with camel's hair, rags, cash, grease, and other votive offerings of Mongols. The figure is surrounded by a palisade of fir logs 6 feet high. The Hassacks all seem to differ in appearance; this is doubtless because they are of no special race, but have drifted in these mountainous ranges from afar. Yesterday one was black-bearded and swarthy, the Abdul Hamid kind of face; to-day we have a fair one with blue eyes and pale moustache, more like a Russian than any one else.
It may
The main range of the Altaishan is the limit of the Kobdo Government, also be said to be the boundary between the Mongols and the Hassacks, for though the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.