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g his arms and saying：
〃We have lost the road。 We must spend the night here。 It is very bad because we shall have no wood for our stove and the cold will grow worse。
With great difficulties and with frozen hands we managed to set up our tent in the wind； placing in it the now useless stove。 We covered the tent with snow； dug deep； long ditches in the drifts and forced our camels to lie down in them by shouting the 〃Dzuk！ Dzuk！〃 command to kneel。 Then we brought our packs into the tent。
My companion rebelled against the thought of spending a cold night with a stove hard by。
〃I am going out to look for firewood；〃 said he very decisively； and at that took up the ax and started。 He returned after an hour with a big section of a telegraph pole。
〃You； Jenghiz Khans；〃 said he； rubbing his frozen hands； 〃take your axes and go up there to the left on the mountain and you will find the telegraph poles that have been cut down。 I made acquaintance with the old Jagasstai and he showed me the poles。〃
Just a little way from us the line of the Russian telegraphs passed； that which had connected Irkutsk with Uliassutai before the days of the Bolsheviki and which the Chinese had commanded the Mongols to cut down and take the wire。 These poles are now the salvation of travelers crossing the pass。 Thus we spent the night in a warm tent； supped well from hot meat soup with vermicelli； all in the very center of the dominion of the angered Jagasstai。 Early the next morning we found the road not more than two or three hundred paces from our tent and continued our hard trip over the ridge of Tarbagatai。 At the head of the Adair River valley we noticed a flock of the Mongolian crows with carmine beaks circling among the rocks。 We approached the place and discovered the recently fallen bodies of a horse and rider。 What had happened to them was difficult to guess。 They lay close together； the bridle was wound around the right wrist of the man； no trace of knife or bullet was found。 It was impossible to make out the features of the man。 His overcoat was Mongolian but his trousers and under jacket were not of the Mongolian pattern。 We asked ourselves what had happened to him。
Our Mongol bowed his head in anxiety and said in hushed but assured tones： 〃It is the vengeance of Jagasstai。 The rider did not make sacrifice at the southern obo and the demon has strangled him and his horse。〃
At last Tarbagatai was behind us。 Before us lay the valley of the Adair。 It was a narrow zigzagging plain following along the river bed between close mountain ranges and covered with a rich grass。 It was cut into two parts by the road along which the prostrate telegraph poles now lay； as the stumps of varying heights and long stretches of wire completed the debris。 This destruction of the telegraph line between Irkutsk and Uliassutai was necessary and incident to the aggressive Chinese policy in Mongolia。
Soon we began to meet large herds of sheep； which were digging through the snow to the dry but very nutritious grass。 In some places yaks and oxen were seen on the high slopes of the mountains。 Only once； however； did we see a shepherd； for all of them； spying us first； had made off to the mountains or hidden in the ravines。 We did not even discover any yurtas along the way。 The Mongols had also concealed all their movable homes in the folds of the mountains out of sight and away from the reach of the strong winds。 Nomads are very skilful in choosing the places for their winter dwellings。 I had often in winter visited the Mongolian yurtas set in such sheltered places that； as I came off the windy plains； I felt as though I were in a conservatory。 Once we came up to a big herd of sheep。 But as we approached most of the herd gradually withdrew； leaving one part that remained unmoved as the other worked off across the plains。 From this section soon about thirty of forty head emerged and went scrambling and leaping right up the mountain side。 I took up my glasses and began to observe them。 The part of the herd that remained behind were common sheep； the large section that had drawn off over the plain were Mongolian antelopes （gazella gutturosa）； while the few that had taken to the mountain were the big horned sheep （ovis argali）。 All this company had been grazing together with the domestic sheep on the plains of the Adair； which attracted them with its good grass and clear water。 In many places the river was not frozen and in some places I saw great clouds of steam over the surface of the open water。 In the meantime some of the antelopes and the mountain sheep began looking at us。
〃Now they will soon begin to cross our trail；〃 laughed the Mongol； 〃very funny beasts。 Sometimes the antelopes course for miles in their endeavor to outrun and cross in front of our horses and then； when they have done so； go loping quietly off。〃
I had already seen this strategy of the antelopes and I decided to make use of it for the purpose of the hunt。 We organized our chase in the following manner。 We let one Mongol with the pack camel proceed as we had been traveling and the other three of us spread out like a fan headed toward the herd on the right of our true course。 The herd stopped and looked about puzzled； for their etiquette required that they should cross the path of all four of these riders at once。 Confusion began。 They counted about three thousand heads。 All this army began to run from one side to another but without forming any distinct groups。 Whole squadrons of them ran before us and then； noticing another rider； came coursing back and made anew the same manoeuvre。 One group of about fifty head rushed in two rows toward my point。 When they were about a hundred and fifty paces away I shouted and fired。 They stopped at once and began to whirl round in one spot； running into one another and even jumping over one another。 Their panic cost them dear； for I had time to shoot four times to bring down two beautiful heads。 My friend was even more fortunate than I； for he shot only once into the herd as it rushed past him in parallel lines and dropped two with the same bullet。
Meanwhile the argali had gone farther up the mountainside and taken stand there in a row like so many soldiers； turning to gaze at us。 Even at this distance I could clearly distinguish their muscular bodies with their majestic heads and stalwart horns。 Picking up our prey； we overtook the Mongol who had gone on ahead and continued our way。 In many places we came across the carcasses of sheep with necks torn and the flesh of the sides eaten off。
〃It is the work of wolves；〃 said the Mongol。 〃They are always hereabout in large numbers。〃
We came across several more herds of antelope； which ran along quietly enough until they had made a comfortable distance ahead of us and then with tremendous leaps and bounds crossed our bows like the proverbial chicken on the road。 Then； after a couple of hundred paces at this speed； they stopped and began to graze quite calmly。 Once I turned my camel back and the whole herd immediately took up the challenge again； coursed along parallel with me until they had made sufficient distance for their ideas of safe