l so monotonously bare, that you cannot fail to
experience a pleasurable sensation when you come upon some occasional
trees on your way. Our first feelings of joy were, however, soon
demolished by a sentiment of a very different nature; we were as though
frozen with horror, on perceiving at a turn of the mountain, three
enormous wolves, that seemed awaiting us with calm intrepidity. At sight
of these villainous beasts we stopped suddenly and as it were
instinctively. After a moment of general stupor, Samdadchiemba descended
from his mule, and wrung the noses of our camels. The expedient
succeeded marvellously; the poor beasts sent forth such piercing and
terrible cries, that the scared wolves dashed off with all speed.
Arsalan, who saw them flee, thinking undoubtedly that it was himself they
were afraid of, pursued them at the utmost speed of his legs; soon the
wolves turned round, and our tent-porter would have been infallibly
devoured had not M. Gabet rushed to his aid, uttering loud cries, and
wringing the nose of his camel; the wolves having taken flight a second
time, disappeared without our again thinking of pursuing them.

Although the want of population might seem to abandon the interminable
deserts of Tartary to wild beasts, wolves are rarely met with. This
arises, no doubt, from the incessant and vindictive warfare which the
Mongols wage against them. They pursue them, everywhere, to the death,
regarding them as their capital enemy, on account of the great damage
they may inflict upon their flocks. The announcement that a wolf has
made its appearance in a neighbourhood, is for every one a signal to
mount his horse. As there are always near each tent horses ready
saddled, in an instant the plain is covered with numerous cavalry, all
armed with their long lasso-pole. The wolf in vain flees in every
direction: it meets everywhere horsemen who rush upon it. There is no
mountain so rugged or arduous, up which the Tartar horses, agile as
goats, cannot pursue it. The horseman who is at length successful in
passing round its neck the running knot, gallops off at full speed,
dragging the wolf after him to the nearest tent; there they strongly bind
its muzzle, so that they may torture it securely; and then, by way of
finale, skin it alive, and turn it off. In summer, the wretched brute
lives in this condition several days; but in winter, exposed without a
skin to the rigours of the season, it dies forthwith,