KASHMIR VALLEYS 27 



fields, it was seldom that I was not addressed by one 

 of the villagers. They are a fine, swarthy race of men, 

 with features of a slightly Jewish type, far heavier in 

 build than the native of India, and possessed of a 

 curiosity quite unknown to their confreres on the other 

 side of the Himalayas. 



""Salaam, Sahib," they would begin, not touching 

 the forehead, merely saying the words and never using 

 the incorrect " Memsahib." " Where do you come from ? 

 Where are you going ? "Efow far have you been ? ' There 

 was no impertinence in the questioning, but a very real 

 interest in something apart from their narrow lives. 

 They nearly always spoke a little Hindustani, a talent 

 quite unshared by the women, who, awkward and shy, 

 seldom ventured away from their great wooden mortars, 

 where during the most of the day they worked hard 

 with their pestles breaking the grain, to take part in 

 the conversation. The men would profess great 

 astonishment at my walking powers. One old fellow, 

 who several times addressed me, could not believe in 

 them. " How far have you been to-day? " he would ask. 

 " Seven coss " (coss is about two miles), I would 

 reply. The answer would send him into paroxysms of 

 laughter. " Haw, haw, that the Sahib should be 

 able to walk so much ground; doubtless the Sahib's 

 pony waits a little further along for her ? No pony ? 

 Hee, hee, when I was young I walked, now I only 

 ride. But for the Sahib to walk when she might 

 be carried what strange ways, what strange people! " 

 I found that a little snuff was a much-valued gift, 

 and in return a handful of walnuts or a bunch of 

 flowers from the podgy fingers of some shy child would 

 be presented. Merry little things they were, girls and 



