31/2 cm. thick and 32 cm. in diameter, with radial groovings for crushing the corn by grinding it against a similar but probably plain stone (fig. 334). My Mussulmans were positive that this implement was made by the Mongols. At the foot of the cliff were distinct signs of camp-fires, with ashes and tesek, or wild-yak droppings. Immediately west of the camp was a cairn of stones. These indications may of course be due to yak-hunters or gold-prospectors from Tschertschen equally as to Mongol pilgrims. A short reconnoitring trip up the transverse glen showed however that it was traversed by a track of some sort, for we found cairns of stones in not less than four places, though three of them had fallen down. But the track, such as it was, soon became lost amongst the mountains, and was quite impracticable, at all events for a heavily laden camel-caravan.
On the 15th June it occasionally rained, and on the i 6th snow fell so thick and fast that we never once attempted to make a start. The next day the weather was magnificent and there was bright sunshine. The snow remained only on the mountains, the bottom of the glen being practically quite bare and dry. Turning our backs upon this impassable transverse glen we tried its western neighbour, after having first reconnoitred it and found it suitable. But in order to reach its entrance we had to make a wide detour round a spur that juts out from the southern range; yet that past, we turned and marched due south up into the broad open entrance
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