58 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



light hours in mere sleep, when that can be enjoyed at 

 any period of the hot day, so they and there were 

 some hundreds of them gossiped, and chattered, and 

 smoked, and discussed the small affairs of their tiny 

 world, and were ready at dawn for a start, while the 

 unfortunate Sahib was still doing her utmost to 

 shake off the ill effects of broken rest. From Atchibal 

 I determined to march to the Karewa, above Islamabad, 

 on which stands Martand, the most glorious ruin in 

 all Kashmir. The day was an anniversary, and I could 

 think of no worthier spot at which to celebrate it. It 

 was only five miles away, too, a mere nothing after my 

 previous marches. Still, five miles is five miles, 

 especially when it is nearer six pardon the bull as 

 this route, owing to a forced detour, proved to be, and 

 my lameness had not decreased since the day before. 

 But no one can think of obstacles when they are in 

 Kashmir, with a blue sky overhead, flowers on every 

 side, and before them the prospect of seeing one of the 

 most beautiful spots in the whole world. 



I had soon an opportunity of testing my contempt 

 of obstacles, for at the first large village to be passed 

 the bridge was found to have been bodily swept away, 

 owing to an increase in the stream. This was bad; 

 worse was to follow, for the stream was found to be 

 quite unfordable, necessitating a long walk up the 

 bank, and when a safe point of crossing had been dis- 

 covered, that miserable stream entirely from a wish 

 to annoy had sub-divided itself into five. Wading 

 may be a pleasant amusement when our years are few, 

 and, as a consequence, our wardrobe of the sort that is 

 easily rolled up ; but with increasing age the inclination 

 to try my luck over slippery boulders, swept by rushing 



