grass, but, generally speaking, up to the middle o f
the summer, it is further and further from the
winter quarters, to which they return by stages in
autumn. The winter pasturages are often by the
shores of lakes, from which the herdsmen are driven
in April or May by the drought and insects. They
then ascend the rich mountain slopes with their flocks,
leaving the camels behind to shift for themselves,
unwatched, feeding on the salt soil herbage. We saw
several apparently thus left. In July or August the
men descend to gather their crops, and then pay
another visit to the mountains before winter, to gather
the later harvest there. In the Orenburg district, if
the grass is good, the summer nomads are distributed
pretty equally over the whole steppe ; but if there is
drought in the south, then masses of Kirghese, in
their search for grass and water, proceed to the
extreme north of the steppe, a distance of 600 or 700
miles from their winter quarters on the Syr-daria.
These wanderings the Kirghese call perokochevka,
and they are thus conducted. The pasture in the
neighbourhood being exhausted, first by the camels
biting off the tops of the grassy stems, followed by the
horses, which gnaw the grass closer, and the sheep,
which nibble it down to the roots, one or two of the
mounted young men are sent from thé cml to select a
suitable spot for a new encampment, and to clear out
the wells. This done, the women pack the kibitkas,
the head of the household merely looking on, whilst
the other men form the cattle into droves. The camp
is packed, and starts before dawn, the good woman of
the family riding in front. We met one old lady in
this honourable position, mounted astride a bullock,
and looking anything but graceful. After her came the
other women; one young girl, I remember, sitting on a
horse covered with a gay saddle-cloth, and wearing
her best clothes, as is usual on such occasions. On
the camels are packed carpets, samovars, tents, etc.,
A KIRGHESE TENT IN SUMMER PASTURE, NEAR THE SOURCES OF THE KORA.
the whole being made to wear a festive aspect. Since
all the cattle do not move at the same pace, the herds
soon straggle, so that a moving aul may occupy a
length of several miles. Generally speaking, the men
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