that I might be a good deal worse off than I was. After dinner, which, cooked by a Kashmiri cook, the dirtiest species of the genus yet discovered, close outside the cow-shed, which, what with snow, slush, and general filth, could have given points and a beating to any pig-sty, was better than might have been expected, I wrapped myself up in my blankets, and throwing myself down on a pile of straw, was soon in that deep and dreamless slumber which is the reward of hard work and an open-air life.

The next day was among the most tiring I have ever spent. At 8 A.M. I started climbing after barasingh. The mountain-sides were extremely steep, and covered with a layer of snow varying in depth from 2 to 4 feet, in which we sank up to our knees at every step, and often up to our waists. It had, too, an unpleasant habit of giving way with one, on the steepest and consequently most arduous places, and one then glissaded gracefully down the distance one had, after much toil and labour during the previous half hour or so, succeeded in ascending.

During the day we came across the track of a large stag, but in spite of all our efforts, failed to meet with the animal himself. By 3 P.M. I once more reached the foot of the mountains, and made for the dilapidated but welcome barn. It rained a good deal during the afternoon and evening, and my habitation was in consequence not as dry as it might have been.

I thought I would spend one more day in search of barasingh before returning to Srinagar, and early the next morning started off again. On this occasion I was luckier, for I managed to bring off a running shot at the only stag I saw. Unluckily, when I came to examine the fallen animal, I found his right antler was broken off short, probably in an encounter with some

B

other monarch of the forest, and his head was in consequence spoilt.

The following day I started for Srinagar. The ride there was not of the most pleasing description, for the pony I had secured was possessed of nothing but a native wooden saddle, and my guide being on foot, I had the pleasure of being joggled about on this instrument of torture from 8 A.M. till 5 P.M., when I at last reached the Residency, where I was to be the guest of Major Trench.

The next two days, as may well be imagined, were pretty busy ones, occupied in packing and rushing about obtaining the remaining stores, &c., which were wanting. My heavy luggage from India had arrived, and everything that I was going to take with me had to be made up into packets not exceeding 50 lb. each; for coolies would be my only means of transport for a long time, and the weight which a man will carry for a day's march is 50 lb. To carry the stores in I obtained oblong wicker baskets with an outer covering of leather, known in Kashmir as kiltas. Before leaving I also obtained six yak-dans (leather boxes of a convenient size to be slung one on each side of a pony or yāk), and having packed them with stores, left them in charge of my Kashmiri boatman, who was to keep them till he heard from me, when he was to send them by pony to Leh, for by the time I should require them the track would be open for animal transport.

LEAVING SRINAGAR.

19

СНАРТЕR II.

ON THE MARCH.

Leaving Srinagar-My servants-Difficulty in securing a cook-Manasbal to Kangan-Kangan to Goond-Marching in snow-Native hut-Early start-Sonamerg-Baltal-Wind on the Zogi La-Machahoi— Mataian-Dry cold-Dras- Serai at Tasbgam - Narrow escape of coolies-Dry land once more-. -Agriculturists-Hardas to OlthingRoads in Baltistan - Rope - bridge of Karmung-Kabanis-A long march-Crossing the Indus-Shigar-A game of polo-Ibex-Garm

Pani.

THE eventful morning at last arrived, and at 11 A.M. on the 14th, with everything in an apparently hopeless muddle, I started down the Jelum in my houseboat. While punting slowly through the city, I was assailed by numerous native tradesmen in small shikarra boats, requiring their accounts to be settled, and after much haggling and squirming on the part of the cringing, fawning Kashmiris, this genial task was. effected. At last we got clear of the city, and I felt that I was really on my way. By evening we came to a bridge close to the village of Manasbal, where I was to land the next day; but the bridge, it appeared, was too narrow to admit of my house-boat passing through, so I had to lay to for the night, and cover the short remaining distance on the smaller boat used for cooking, in the morning.

I may here make mention of the different members

of my party. First was my Hindoo servant Ram Pershad, whom I have already mentioned, and who

Ram Pershad.

alone among my followers could speak or understand English. He proved to be an admirable servant, and in addition to his duties as my body-servant, I made him responsible for the stores and other baggage. Mohammed, Kashmiri, my shikarie, was head of the rest of the party. His duties were to procure transport and supplies wherever available, and to act as stalker when required to do so after game. The

individual next in importance was the cook. I had had considerable difficulty in securing this very important function

ary, and had only engaged my present man, Khada Bux, at the last moment. The cook who had been

with me while after barasingh was unwilling to go so far from home, and I had therefore instructed Mohammed to engage one, and to arrange for him to meet me in Srinagar, which he had done. He had, however, to march from his village to Srinagar, a task which appeared to be too much for him; for on his arrival, two days before my departure, he complained of pains in his back and physical prostration generally. He was a delicate-looking man, and I saw clearly that he would not do at all, and accordingly summoned him to an interview. My Hindustani was at the time limited in the extreme, and the interview was short and to the point, he, the cook, leaving my service the same day.

I was standing on the bank of the river, the day before my departure, somewhat exercised in my mind as to whether, and if so how, I was to secure the services of a reliable cook, when the question was somewhat unexpectedly solved. I became aware of a tall lank individual trying to attract my attention by salaaming profoundly. At this moment I was joined by Mitchell, who on hearing of my difficulty remarked that the individual kowtowing in the background was the very man I wanted. This was good news indeed, and we at once summoned the man, to inquire if he would accompany me on the morrow. It appeared that he had heard of my being in want of a cook, and had come to apply for the situation. If he was not the finest of cooks, he was at anyrate a tough old warrior, and not likely to knock up, having among other adventures been through the siege of Chitral.

The

The rest of my party was made up by four Kashmiris-Saltana, Subhana, Jovara, and Abaloo. first of these was what is known in Kashmir as a tiffincoolie. His duties consisted in accompanying me