92 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



After crossing a bridge over the main stream the 

 path, curving upwards, joined together two or three 

 green terraces till the forest region was reached. Some 

 way to the left below the forest could be seen the 

 charred ruins of the old summer station, which once 

 boasted a church and post office, besides various 

 bungalows, but was totally destroyed by fire some years 

 ago. The present camping-ground is some two miles 

 beyond on an " upland green," from which the hills 

 have receded on either side, leaving the river to make 

 its way through a fairly broad valley. Dark clouds 

 were hanging over the snow peaks, a chill breeze had 

 sprung up and whistled with dismal threatening 

 through the trees, many of which were still bare, as I 

 made my way to the little village, where I thought it 

 just possible I might find letters brought up from 

 Srinagar by relays of swift runners. The scene was 

 sadly desolate, grey skies above, grey waters below, and 

 the moisture-laden atmosphere had changed the purity 

 of the mountain's snowy dress to a like leaden hue. I 

 was glad enough to reach the office of Her Majesty's 

 mails, and to find folk who could understand lowland 

 bat (talk), for the hill folk I had been meeting had all 

 strange lingos of their own. I found some notes, heard 

 very dismal forecasts of the weather, and had the 

 pleasure of looking through a small heap of letters 

 which informed me by their addresses who were expected 

 in this far-away centre of news. For the greater part 

 they were for various sportsmen still camping on the 

 heights beyond the Zogi La shooting, and many of 

 them had been waiting for months. It is a strange 

 thing how soon we accustom ourselves to doing wi'hout 

 what are usually considered necessaries. Talk to folk 



