The rain conspired with the wind to slow them down. The horses could run like lightning over solid ground, but moved slower over mud and ice. As they moved northward along the foothills of the Altai chain bordering the lands of Tatarry, they were beset by bitter storms of rain and sleet that slowed their passage still further. Sometimes they had to slow down just so they could see, as the sleet, driven by the great wind of their passage, got in their eyes and blinded them to what lay ahead. Some days they had to eat their food cold because it was impossible to find dry firewood. Other times, though, when there was a break in the storms, the air became crisp and fresh, invigorating to the lungs and body, and the travelers could see snow on the mountain peaks to their left as they moved nort
