Steep ascent,
through woods of magnificent pine-trees, with every now-and-then a
glorious peep of distant snow-peaks towering in the skies, we reached
the summit of the peer, which separates the territory called Kushtwar
from that of Cashmere. According to the "Invincible" authority, this
territory belonged, some sixty years ago, to an independent Rajah,
and, on his death without heirs or successors, it fell into the
clutches of Gulab Singh.[31]
The entire revenue, he stated, was 3,000 rupees. From the heights
along our path, we could see the great glaciers of Dutchen, with its
mountain peak of 25,000 feet, which we had been bound for when the
misadventure of our cook interfered with our plans, and left us not
sufficient time to carry out our explorations.
The summit of the pass we found evidently not long freed from the old
snow, while the new supply lay about in masses all over the mountain.
Passing over a wild and marshy plain at the summit, we began to
descend a lovely pine-clad valley once more into veritable Cashmere,
and, about four P.M. encamped in a forest-clearing, which, in a very
short space of time, was illuminated by no less than seven roaring
campfires. Our own formed the centre, and was formed of a couple of
entire pine-trunks, while the others were ranged about wherever a dry
and prostrate tree presented a favourable basis for a conflagration. In
the evening we enjoyed the warmth of our fires considerably, and
discussed hot brandy and water seated on the very trees which formed
our fuel. We were all the more inclined to appreciate our position,
as we felt that we were nearly out of our cold latitudes, and rapidly
descending to the land of dog days once again.
SEPTEMBER 12. - Continued our march down the valley, through continued
wooded grassy scenes, and attended by a not too noisy torrent. About a
kos from our halting place, we began again to see the wooden houses,
and came to a halt at the picturesque little village of Nowbogh,
where there were two roads branching off to Islamabad.
Here we had a long wait for breakfast, the servants being overcome by
the unaccustomed civilization and tobacco they met on the road. We
accordingly set to work at our own kitchen fire, and breakfasted
without further assistance off fried eggs, rice, and honey.
In the evening we found alas! that a fire at our tent door, as we had
had hitherto, was rather too hot to be pleasant. We were here visited
by the local prodigy, a rustic carpenter, who insisted upon making
something for us with his rather primitive-looking turning lathe. His
shop I found completely AL FRESCO, between a couple of cows in the
centre of a farm-yard, and here he set to work at a walnut cup, which
he turned out creditably enough.
