While Bathing We Were
Suddenly Caught In A Pouring Shower Of Rain, Which Obliged Us To Snatch
Up Our Only Garments And Beat A Hasty And Not To Say Dignified Retreat
Into A Little Den Of A Water-Mill, Where We Crouched Until It Was
Over.
After the rain had stopped, a curious fall of stones and rocks
took place down the precipitous face of mountain which bounded the
opposite side of the Indus to our camp.
The noise and the commotion
the stones made in their descent, reminded one exactly of volleys of
grape, and to any traveller unfortunate enough to get in their way,
the results would probably have been quite as disastrous.
Our larder having been low of late, we effected the purchase of a
sheep here, for which we paid two shillings.
AUGUST 25. - Left for Lamieroo. The khitmutgar, having reported
himself sick to-day, we mounted him on a pony, the efficiency of that
branch of the service being of vital importance to the future prospects
of the expedition. Having discovered, by yesterday's experience, that
nature abhors a vacuum, and no apples being forthcoming at Lamieroo,
we halted for breakfast at the village of Kulchee.
Here I tried hard to purchase a curiously contrived praying-wheel
from an old Lama, but without success. My old acquaintance, the gopa,
however, brought me one for sale, but it was in such a dilapidated
state, and so highly valued as church property, that I let him keep
his shaky religious curiosity at his own price. Leaving Kulchee,
we crossed the Indus at a mud fort, and bid the roaring, dirty river
a final good-bye. Near this the bhistie and khitmutgar, journeying
together, lost the path, and found themselves well on the road to
Iscardo before discovering their mistake. The road to-day, like
all our return journeys, appeared twice the length it did on first
acquaintance. The hills, too, were very severe on the coolies, and
it was fortunate we halted for breakfast on the road.
At Lamieroo, we found a great change in the temperature; a strong cold
breeze blowing, and a general winteriness prevailing, which affected
our retainers considerably more than it did ourselves. The Q.M.G. in
particular, not having entirely recovered his health, and being low in
the article of tobacco, still believed himself to be dying, and was
most unusually low-spirited and down in the mouth. As it threatened
rain, we pitched our camp close to an old serai, in order to allow
our servants to ensconce themselves under a roof, and to derive the
full benefit of their wood fire, which they lost no time in kindling.
AUGUST 26. - Exactly a mouth to-day since leaving Sirinugger. The
live stock begin to show signs of time on their constitutions;
the four surviving ducks wandering about, with a melancholy sort of
consciousness that the mysterious fate that has overtaken their late
companions is also hanging over themselves, and appearing entirely
changed in consequence from the joyous birds they used to be on first
starting for their Thibetian travels.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 80 of 158
Words from 41247 to 41764
of 82277
