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the Tai station where is the junction of the Altaishan-Manas and Altaishan-Chuguchak tracks. It has only been in existence a year, and was created by the energetic Amban of Altaishan, who is trying to extend the Tai system to these districts. A Mongol camp-Utubuluk-lies hard by and has charge of the station. A tiny tricklet of water comes slowly down here from the Sanreshan.
At mile 7 we crossed a similar tricklet, and from now on we kept crossing dry beds down which the melted snows descend from the mountains, fertilizing the whole plain, At mile 14 we passed, a mile to our left, the small lama temple of Bayinobo, and at mile 223 reached another, known as "O wa te miao," where the lamas allowed us to stay for the night. This temple is more wealthy than Bayinobo, and its shrines are clean and well cared for. Among the countless votive offerings of little value hanging on the walls, such as old guns, bows and arrows, swords, scarves, mule-bells, &c., was an old coat of mail and casque, which might have been of some value.
September 22.-The lamas here allow themselves moustaches, a privilege which would shock the Dalai Lama,
Continuing westwards we reached the princely residence after 9 miles. This is situated about a mile from the hills, on the south side of the valley. The range at its back is called the ** Bayin zurkan aderik." The encampment is visible soon after leaving Owatemiao. It consists of a group of yourts lying round the tribal temple, which is built half-way up a large natural mound, this being surmounted by a joss of the ordinary pattern and a large obo of sticks, to which hang white and yellow streamers. The yourts are halt inclosed by mud walls built with entire irregularity, and the sight of these explained the meaning of the other two remains of walls on the plain, former encampments from which the Prince had flitted.
The Prince lives at the south-east end of the encampment, in two white yourts in summer and in a low mud house immediately behind these in winter. In this latter he is able to have a Russian stove. His Highness sent me his greetings, and kindly caused two yourts to be erected for me on the plain. I called on him in the afternoon. He is a fat lad of 20 years, rather shy, but with agreeable manners. He has never been to Peking and should have gone this year, but excused himself on the plea of business. The trouble of getting there and back and the great expense are probably the real reasons. He has been to Chuguchak several times and has come into contact with Russians there, which explained why his room was full of photos, watches and clocks, and the inevitable gramophone. He told me that no foreigner had ever visited this his capital, and seemed very gratified that one had come. The Government pay him an annual subsidy of 2,000 taels and presents of silk. His brother is Gegen of the family temple here. He has no soldiers. His favourite amusement is fox-hunting with an eagle, and this sport he indulges in sometimes tive days a-week in winter. The huge bird was brought into the room during our conversation, and made such a din that it was impossible to hear ourselves speak. The Prince is married but has no children as yet. He speaks no Chinese; as a boy he learnt a little from a Shansi man, but has forgotten it all. His name is Ochingwang. He was dressed in a dark red silk robe, and wore huge spectacles and a Chinese pork-pie hat with peacock feather and red button. He agreed to furnish camels for the six days' journey to Chuguchak. The population of his capital must be some 250, of whom more than 200 will be lamas, but the neighbourhood is crowded with yourts. A small stream trickles past the encampment. His subjects who live close by pay no taxes of any kind; they simply work for His Highness and give their animals when required or take care of his beasts. Those of his subjects who live at a distance pay taxes in animals when required, these occasions being when the Prince marries or makes a journey. I was told that they then give one animal out of
every This seems excessive, but I believe what happens is this: The Prince sends round a man, who asks how many animals a family possesses. If the owner has 200 he will drive 150 to the mountains and say he has only 50; of these 5 will be taken. No one seems to mind, and the State is run in a happy patriarchal manner.
ten.
September 23.-The day was spent idly in camp and arrangements made for the camels to leave on the morrow. The Prince's factor said that I could pay any sum for these that I pleased-that it was simply a present and would be divided among the Prince's servants. His Highness was embarrassing in his attentions all day. He sent Tartar koumiss in the morning, followed by a dinner from the princely kitchen in the afternoon, while a roll of silk and a present of money arrived for my suite. Towards sunset the wind, which had been violent all day, increased to a gale, and the Prince very thoughtfully sent men to tie the roofs of the tents securely.
September 24.-Though the morning was grey and cold and a drizzle falling, there was nothing to do but to set out for Chuguchak. We continued up the valley to the west by a
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well-defined track. At mile 6 we reached the end of the Bayinzurkanaderik, and crossed some brooks which flow down the valley behind the range. The stream is known as the Khobakingol. The valley, hitherto 5 miles broad, now became double that width, taking in all the valley up to the Semustau, as the Hassacks call the impenetrable wall of mountains to our left (the Mongols call it Hottenula). Near to where the valley broadens is a large Mongol encampment, and this is the only one we sighted all day in At mile 23 we spite of the fact that water is abundant and pasturage excellent. reached a fair-sized stream known as the Damingol, by the side of which was a Hassack camp. The stream flows north and south, and is diverted eastwards by the Semustau range. It forms a good deal of marshy ground. The natives say it flows into the Khobakingol. The people of this district were prudently stacking a great deal of grass into ricks for the winter fodder. They say they have to pay two taxes-the first being one sheep per tent per year to the Tourgout Prince, the other being 9, 6, or 3 taels a-year to the Chinese Government at Chuguchak, according to the class in which they are placed. They dislike this arrangement, but seemed very merry notwithstanding.
September 25.-A little wood is burnt here when the Hassacks are energetic enough to bring it from the north face of the mountains which lie to the north of the camp. Last night was fearfully wild; a violent gale blew from the west, accompanied by hail and thunder and lightning. The hills this morning were deep in snow.
All day long thousands of geese were flighting south.
At
Leaving to the west we began at once to climb steadily through low hills, which soon became mountains. Water was fairly abundant, and the mountain sides were covered with grass. The track was good the whole way, and certainly possible for carts. We reached the top of the pass at mile 9, and keeping north-west began to descend the Semustau mountains maintaining their west direction. In front of us lay a confused mass of low mountains. The Saureshan kept parallel with us in a north-westerly direction. Descending very easily for 2 miles we passed a second obo, and entered Russian territory, which at this point runs like a wedge for a few miles southwards into the hills. mile 11 we began to descend abruptly down a small stream, and at mile 18 were abreast of the Mongol Tai maintained by the Chinese Government along this, the only road to Chuguchak from the east. The valley of the stream now broadened to a plain, across which we looked towards the Zaisan mountain range. The track turned west, and kept on the lower slopes of the hills and above the plain. At mile 21 we were abreast of a Russian picket a mile to the right of us. Here the track turned south-west up a gently sloping valley keeping up this for 13 miles we halted at one of the numerous Hassack
camps.
The Hassack name of the picket is Jeldi. It commands the valley. There are said to be between thirty and forty Cossacks maintained there from March to September every year, the only months when the road is in use. They are said to scrutinize travellers very closely. I do not know if this is correct, for the picket showed no sign of life as we passed. The valley in which we slept is called Baimirze, and the mountains to the left of us the Minkerjirgal.
September 26.-The wolves were unusually busy last night, and the dogs were at work the whole night leaping round to face the attack. Night in a nomad encampment is by no means as delightfully still as could be wished. The cattle aud horses are tethered to the tents, and keep a perpetual lowing and neighing, the sheep and goats are quite close and bleat at intervals, while the camels join in the chorus with their hateful complaining noise, and dogs are perpetually barking at real or imaginary foes.
Ascending the gentle slopes of the valley, which is here some mile wide, we passed half-a-mile later a mound 300 yards to our left, a boundary mark; and we were now back in China again. The valley then gradually grew broader, the top of the ascent was reached imperceptibly, and we began to descend gently by the gully of the Ulanhodjur. At mile 6 the valley seemed to end, the hills closing in on either side, At only just leaving room for the stream to descend sharply through the mountains. mile 9 we were abreast of the Government station of Ulanhodjur, and then descended the picturesque narrow gorge sometimes 200 feet above the stream, at other times descending to and crossing it. The road now became impossible for carts. The hills maintaining their height, as we descended we found ourselves soon among mountains again.
At mile 15%, at an obo, we came to an unsually steep descent, lasting a mile and a-quarter, and here we had the last view of the snow-clad mountains of the Saureshan behind
us, and the first view of the plain of Chuguchak. At mile 21 we were out on Passing to the plain with the mounts of Tarbagatai running on our right to the west. the Government station of Ulanhotto, we kept in a south-westerly direction across the plain to the encampment known as Shobonobo. The plain was covered with good pasturage,
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