File:Oriental and western Siberia- a narrative of seven years' explorations and adventures in Siberia, Mongolia the Kirghis steppes, Chinese Tartary, and part of Central Asia (1858) (14765206945).jpg

Identifier: orientalwesterns00atki (find matches)
Title: Oriental and western Siberia: a narrative of seven years' explorations and adventures in Siberia, Mongolia the Kirghis steppes, Chinese Tartary, and part of Central Asia
Year: 1858 (1850s)
Authors: Atkinson, Thomas Witlam, 1799-1861
Subjects: Kyrgyz
Publisher: London : Hurst and Blackett
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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e had not proceededfar when the clouds began to break, which enabled usto see objects around us. We presently perceived thatthey were right in their conjectures, and they now foundan object by which they were able to guide us to the)head of the pass. After descending about two hundred yards we were)beneath the clouds that were rolling up fast. In a short)time the rain ceased, when we obtained a fine prospectof the white summits of Monko-seran-Xardick (eternalsnow and ice). It is a huge mountain mass rent asun-der by deep ravines — down them were rushing manytorrents, the thundering sound of which was distinctlyheard. The pass was not difficult to descend, and wepresently reached a small chapel built by the Cossackson the brink of a deep ravine. Our horses were stopped,the men dismounted, and the Cossacks entered the littlebuilding to offer up their thanks for our preservation,and prayers for our further safety, as we had yet somedangers to encounter before reaching the Irkout. The L
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AVALANCHE. 593 Bouriats also make this a sacred sj3ot; and ours hungup a few small pieces of silk on several rods securedon the edge of the rocks. From this place the descentinto the ravine is very abrupt, and after riding somedistance I came upon the opposite scene. The arch isa natural one in a great mass of limestone ; fui-therdown there are several caverns, but of no great extent.Part of the men went on to the Irkout, and two remainedwith me while I sketched. My work was nearly com-pleted when we were startled by a rushing sound farabove us, which continued for the space of two minutes,when it suddenly ceased—followed some moments afterby a terrible crash. One of the Cossacks sprung up,and said a mountain had fallen. It was an avalanchewhich had swept down the side of Monko-seran-Xardick,and leaped into one of the gorges. Long before dusk we had passed over the difficulties onXouk-a-daban, and joined our friend at the encam23ment onthe White Irkout. Our nights quarters were on t

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