KASHMIR VALLEYS 59 



waters, had decidedly decreased. Making the best of 

 things, and trusting that all inhabitants were tem- 

 porarily occupied elsewhere, I started on my passage. I 

 found it difficult to manage the nice balancing of those 

 portions of my costume that I carried over my shoulders 

 and my paint-box and flower-carrier, and to give at the 

 same time proper attention to my footsteps. The fierce 

 current of the stream was confusing, too, and once or 

 twice I wondered how I could give a few last messages 

 and directions, and if there were any really respectable 

 natives who would consent to fishing out and forwarding 

 my corpse, or, if owing to caste and other prejudices, 

 I should be forced to remain forever between two huge 

 boulders till, causing the death of many and various, I 

 was removed by order of the health officer. Stalwart 

 legs and a sharp stick finally were victorious, and 

 panting, shaking, dripping, I arrived at the further side 

 of the last stream, and sank down in the hottest spot, 

 that the sun might be enabled to assist my inefficient 

 handkerchief. 



A steep climb up the sandy side of the karewa amid 

 berberis and wild rose bushes, and I found myself on 

 a level with the temple I wished to reach, but with 

 two miles of sun-baked, shadeless fields to cross. The 

 " pukka " road (made road) took a. large curve to the 

 west, and as I was desirous of reaching my destination 

 with as little delay as possible, I skirted the crops, 

 balancing myself on the narrow grassy ledges that 

 acted as boundaries. Flax, buckwheat, and rape made 

 pretty varieties to the ordinary cereals, and the 

 numerous tiny blooms growing in every patch of waste 

 ground gave a gay little finish to the colour scheme. 

 All the natives I saw were much distressed at my 



