28 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



boys dressed alike in square shirts of the sad-coloured 

 homespun puttoo, scarlet caps on their heads, the small 

 maidens with a wonderful arrangement of tiny plaits of 

 hair shed out with wool, standing away from the head, 

 and tied all together at the end. All the world over, 

 sweet things and toys will attract the " baba log " (baby 

 people), and a few dried fruits and some tops would 

 bring a little crowd together, the smaller carried by the 

 larger on the hip, with a protecting arm thrown round. 

 An unlimited faith in the capacity of the white man 

 was evidently universal. 



Constantly my advice on every subject was desired, 

 questions as to the day, time, etc., asked it was useless 

 to explain that the watch had been left that 

 only led to a further demand for one's opinion 

 of the time. " Does not the sun tell you ? " 

 I would say. " No, they preferred the Memsahib's 

 time," and, curiously enough, my guesses were generally 

 more correct, for, unlike most primitive people, the 

 Kashmirians are bad time-tellers, and very unreliable 

 weather prophets. Others would ask for medicine " I 

 have burnt my leg, and now the place has chafed ; there 

 is much soreness, and I want ointment" in vain to 

 explain that the only available medicine chest was many 

 miles away, and that one of their own people was quite 

 capable of washing and bandaging the sore. Even a 

 dressing from a near stream and an old handkerchief 

 were treated as sovereign remedies when applied by the 

 " Sahib," and the healing power of their pure water and 

 clear atmosphere was little short of miraculous. These 

 conversations were often carried on under considerable 

 difficulties, for our command of a common tongue was 

 but slight; but nothing will convince a native that he 



