Page:With the Russians in Mongolia.djvu/352

 portion of the mountains which encircle Kobdo. We then descended into a large grassy plain, in which we saw many herds of antelopes. At the northern end of this plain was the island of Mingit, situated in the middle of the river Kobdo. Here we spent the night in the yurt of a Russian merchant, Mr. Popoff. The crossing of the Kobdo was difficult, as the ice was treacherous and the water deep. This river empties itself into Lake Harasu, which is the eastern boundary of the plain in which we were.

20th April.—Next day, 20th April, we again crossed the Kobdo on leaving our island, passed a monastery on the right, and proceeded north-west over bumpy and rocky ground; we halted at midday for lunch, when the sun was so warm that we sat out of doors with our coats off. Here we met the post from Kosh Agatch en route to Kobdo, carried by two Cossacks. There is no post or telegraph office at Kobdo, consequently telegrams and letters are carried by Cossacks to and from Kosh Agatch. The post arrives from Russia on Mondays, and leaves for Russia on Tuesdays. My companion was greeted here by a local prince of Turbet (the name of the locality), who presented him with the conventional farewell silk scarf. During the afternoon we crossed a pass over the hills at the western