just cool enough to make it a pleasure to wrap ourselves up in our long wadded blankets.
September 19.—Some Kirghis who to-day offered us hospitality declared themselves to be the happiest of men. They have water in plenty; they sow their corn at the foot of the mountains, and find an abundance of grass in the plains for their flocks and herds. They do not run short of wood, for the banks of the Kunges are covered with thick plantations, where the willow, the poplar, the apple-tree (with small and sharp-flavoured fruit), the pepper-tree, the apricot-tree, hemp, the liquorice-plant, and the hop-vine grow wild. These Kirghis formerly lived on Russian territory in the neighbourhood of Lepsinsk, and crossed over to Chinese soil because they had no routes for their flocks. They pay the Chinese a tax of 10 per cent. They are very cheerful, well fed, lusty, and with plenty of colour, like all who live in the keen mountain air. They do not strike us as being very fond of work, passing all their time in going from one tent to another, in eating and sleeping, though occasionally they go out after game. Several of them are armed with Berdane rifles.
September 20.—We take leave of these Kirghis, the last we shall see, their tribes not extending farther east. Their chief, named Sasan, is very proud of the Russian medal which he wears round his neck, and of the blue button in his hat, which indicates his Chinese rank. He accompanies us through the reed-beds, and before wishing us all sorts of good luck, recommends to our favourable notice five men of his tribe whom we may encounter in the Yulduz country. He warns us that when they see us they will take us for Chinese and make off, but he begs us not to fire on them or do them any harm. We at once inferred that Sasan's friends are Barantashis—that is to say, persons addicted to baranta, the Turkish word for horse-stealing.
September 22.—The two guides whom the Chinese governor gave us assert that they do not know the route to the valley of
