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were ready for our ride to Tchtchulika, the last village on the Tchurish. The rain, as my host had predicted, was pouring in torrents, and all the mountains were covered with a thick fog. We were going to ride along the valley of the river, in which, I had been informed, the scenery was beautiful, but I had very little chance of seeing it. In some parts it was well wooded, in others corn was growing and nearly ready for the sickle. After riding more than an hour the fog began to clear off, but the rain continued nevertheless. I was able to get some idea of the country we were traveling through. The valley at this place is about a verst and a half wide; portions were under cultivation, and in other parts there were good pastures, with clumps of fine trees. It is bounded on each side by high mountains, composed of purple and blue slate, broken into numerous ridges, with many small valleys and deep ravines running up toward their rocky crests. By ascending to the top, of a rugged spur, which ended in a precipice sheer down to the river, not less than eight hundred feet, we obtained a view of the village, with the river winding through the little plain. In summer this is a beautiful spot, the ground being covered with wild flowers growing on a rich carpet of grass. On the mountain slopes wild strawberries, of a most delicious flavor, are found in great quantities, and game is abundant.

The descent into the valley was very abrupt, and rendered slippery and difficult by the rain. On reaching the bank of the river we found it somewhat swollen, but as we must cross it, we plunged in the water up to our saddle-flaps, and found it exceedingly cold. However, we all forded it in safety. I was taken to the house of a merchant evidently well off, most probably rich, who gave me a most hospitable welcome. Tea and aladias (batter fried in butter), with delicious honey, were placed before me. My host urged me to remain the night, as the rain poured down in streams, but this I declined, knowing the value of one day on a journey to the region to which I was bound. Here it was rain, there it would be snow. At noon the horses were brought into the yard, when one of them was honored with a precious cargo, consisting of four vedros of wodky, a quantity of tobacco, and sundry other articles, which received the greatest attention from my companions. Without this stock it would have been difficult to persuade any man to start in such weather; but when this provision for the journey

322

VALLEY OF THE HOUEKAN.

was seen in the yard, I could have had any number of volunteers, rain, rivers, and snow losing all their terrors.

My party consisted of five men and nine horses. The Startioner and five other men accompanied us a short distance to aid in fording the river, which was rising fast; indeed, there were doubts of our being able to pass it. We succeeded, but our horses had to swim a short distance. Shortly after leaving the village the rain ceased, and a bright sun shone upon us, which soon became hot, and made our jackets smoke again. We had to follow a track up the valley of the Tchurish near to its source, and then cross a high chain to the valley of the Koksa. A change came over the aspect of the country; every thing was bathed in sunshine, and we passed through some most lovely scenery. The well-wooded valley of the Houekan, with the high mountains surrounding it, afforded some fine views, which I did not fail to add to my collection. I rode through the woods and beautiful glades, in some parts like park scenery; nor were the deer wanting to complete the illusion, several groups bounding past out of riflerange. The red deer are numerous in this region, while higher up in the mountains the alain, a stag of a large size, may be met with. Crossing some low hills thickly covered with birch-trees, we descended upon the Yabagan Steppe, where many Kalmucks have their aouls, with large herds of horses and cattle, which find excellent pasturage on the steppe and in the small valleys among the mountains. The Tchurish runs across this valley. Here it is shorn of its woody banks; indeed, scarcely a tree is to be seen. Notwithstanding this barren appearance, the varied forms and colors of the mountains give a charm to the spot which would interest every beholder.

In the spring the Kalmucks offer up sacrifices to their deity: the rich give horses; those who are poor sacrifice sheep or goats. I was present at one of the ceremonies. A ram was led up by the owner, who wished for a large increase to his herds and flocks. It was handed to an assistant of the priest, who killed it in the usual manner. His superior stood near, looking to the east, and began chanting a prayer, and beating on his large tambourine to rouse up his god, and then made his request for multitudes of sheep and cattle. The ram was being flayed; and when the operation was completed, the skin was put on a pole, as shown in the ac

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companying sketch, raised above the framework, and placed with its head to the east. The tambourine thundered forth its sound, and the performer continued his wild chant. The flesh was cooked in the large caldron, and the tribe held a great festival.

The dress of the priest was a leather coat, over the laps of which are hung hundreds of strips, and leather tassels on the breast. He wears a girdle round his waist, with brass balls on his back; and scraps of iron hang on the front, producing a jingling sound. To accompany his other instruments, I added a key to his stock, which he received with great delight. His cap was of crimson velvet, with brass beads and glass drops hanging on his forehead, and feathers from the tail of the crane at the back.

Having completed these sketches, the lessening light warned us to seek a more sheltered resting-place for the night. A ride of

somewhat over an hour brought us where the river runs through a small wood of fine larch-trees, and under these we encamped. It was, however, dark long before our strips of canvas were rigged up, and fuel collected for the fire, that was rendered absolutely necessary by the keen cutting blast whistling through the trees. At such times every man must do his duty; mine was to get up the blaze; and long practice had made me a good fireman.

The next morning at daybreak we left our resting-place and entered another branch of the steppe, running directly east. Over this we galloped at a good speed to a Kalmuck aoul, which we reached in two hours; we there changed horses and pushed on. The ride over these grassy steppes was exceedingly agreeable, constantly winding among picturesque ridges, where I found some beautiful specimens of red and green porphyry. The ascent hitherto had been gradual; but we had now reached the foot of the chain that forms the watershed between the Koksa and the Tchurish, and a rugged mountain rose up in front, on which there was no track to guide us on our course. About noon we came to a small stream, leaping and hissing over its rocky bed; and having remained here a sufficient time for both men and horses to be refreshed, we started again, riding up a very rugged ascent, rendered

DANGEROUS POSITION.-"THE OLD FAMILIAR FACES." 325

more difficult by a dense forest. In about an hour we were on the summit, or, as the men termed it, "the saddle." Thick clouds rolled over us, and a heavy pouring rain penetrated our clothing in a few minutes. Our position was both disagreeable and dangerous, for we could only see a few yards in advance; the descent, too, was steep, and no one knew whether we should find it gradual or abrupt. One of the men dismounted, and started off in the direction my compass told me we ought to go; in a few minutes he returned, led his horse down, and we followed. In less than ten minutes we were beneath the clouds, which were rolling fast over the top of the mountain. Although we were still in a drenching rain, we could see our way, which was very steep and difficult. As we rode down we, passed three large larch-trees that had been struck by lightning, most probably in the storm of last night, as the splinters were quite fresh. Two of them were rent into thin pieces like laths, and strewn around, extending over a space twenty-three paces in diameter. The stumps were left standing, one five feet high, the other eight feet.

During my journey I have seen more larch-trees that have been struck by lightning than all other kinds taken together. What is the cause I can not tell, unless it is that they are more often found isolated than either pines or birches. Soon after passing these blasted trunks we got among a labyrinth of rocks over which it was impossible to ride. Every man dismounted, and after much trouble we passed this formidable barrier, and reached a steep grassy slope on which the horses could scarcely stand. After descending two or three hundred paces we came upon good ground, over which we could ride at a moderate speed; this soon brought us to the Abbaye Steppe.

We were now in a country quite familiar to me, for I had crossed part of it in 1848, and a few versts farther would place me on my old track, which we should follow some forty or fifty versts. I saw again" the old familiar faces." Each little rivulet was recognized; the lakes where hundreds of ducks were swimming, the picturesque masses of rock, and jagged outlines of the mountains, had left an impression which subsequent scenes had not obliterated, making me forget for a time the cold rain that was chilling me.

We had reached the Tschugash River, and a hard ride of two hours would take us to the Koksa. I put my horse into a gallop,