FRATERNAL DEVOTION 287 



and each taking a handful of the dough, dipped it in ghi 

 before swallowing it. It took several doses of chlorodyne 

 to give the sick man relief. The exhilarating dish 

 described is called " pultas," otherwise ijoulticc. The 

 Baltis have slightly changed the word, and therewith its 

 meaning. The word must have been picked up in the 

 hill stations, where these men go to earn a living as 

 navvies. The man who was taken ill had a brother in 

 our party, and he showed right brotherly affection. After 

 carrying his own load up a bit, he would go back and 

 carry up his brother's. He did this for about two miles 

 of the worst part of the journey just below the pass. 



We left Pechang at half-past six, and went steadily down 

 the valley till ten, when we came to a side valley leading 

 down to the villages of Kiinnii and Charang. We saw 

 six wild sheep up this valley and halted for a stalk, but 

 they turned out to be all ewes. Anparh was very anxious 

 that I should return this way, without going farther down 

 towards Zarang. I humoured him, and halted for a day. 

 There was much less snow on this side. The hills are 

 rounded towards their bases, the tops are jagged and naked 

 peaks, and no vegetation whatever is visible. There was, 

 however, a little grass lower down, and large patches of the 

 prickly Tibetan furze with yellow flowers. There was 

 another yellow flower on a small plant that comes up 

 in a bunch, not very high, with separate stalks and green 

 leaves, rather common in some places. When the Balti 

 coolies saw these, they were greatly excited, evidently 

 recognising a flower of their native land. Each plucked 

 a quantity, presented some to me, and stuck the rest in 

 their caps. They were wonderfully brightened up by 

 meeting this old acquaintance. The last year's dead 

 bushes furnished the only fuel ; fortunately, though a 

 strong wind was blowing down the valley, it was not cold. 



