KASHMIR VALLEYS 91 



incited me to like methods, and I preferred clambering 

 up my snow height, though digging inadequately shod 

 toes into frozen snow is a slow method of making steps. 

 I had arrived at a considerable height when I was 

 unpleasantly surprised by a nasty crevasse! Not wide 

 enough to have troubled a very moderate jumper under 

 ordinary circumstances, it presented to me many diffi- 

 culties. The " take-off " was considerably lower than 

 the further side, with the additional difficulty of being 

 on a considerable slope. I did not feel at all hopeful 

 about anything. I wished dismally I had elected to 

 end my days in any kind of an ordinary resting-place 

 giving opportunities of sending last messages and final 

 requests to a circle of sorrowing friends, instead of 

 being hard-frozen like beef or mutton at the bottom of 

 a snow block. I even wondered if my men would ever 

 discover what had become of me, or if they would simply 

 regard it as a matter of non-interference, the strange 

 goings and comings of the " Sahib log " being beyond 

 the province of a poor man to understand ! Eventually, 

 with a gasp and a valiant effort, I was across my 

 " yawning chasm," and for the next mile found my path 

 fairly easy, though the recent thaw made the security 

 of a snow bridge rather doubtful. The stream, like- 

 wise, of course, the path, took an abrupt turn to the left, 

 and I was in a region already touched with spring's life- 

 giving hand. The merg, site of old Sonamerg, was all 

 dotted with tiny flowers, the first crop after the melting 

 of the snows. The Sind, now fallen into quieter 

 methods, pursued its tranquil way between beds of 

 white marsh marigolds, while on either side spread a 

 carpet of tiny primulas, the gagea lutea, small fritillaries, 

 gentians, a countless, brightly-clad host. 



