KASHMIR VALLEYS 93 



at home of only getting letters once a fortnight and 

 they will hold up their hands in horror at the notion 

 of such outlandish arrangements, but once wander 

 away in search of new interests and pursuits, and 

 months without news of the outer world will scarcely 

 seem a hardship. I learned that I was the only lady 

 who had been up the valley that season. The snows 

 were falling later than usual, and the occasional summer 

 travellers had not thought of putting in an appearance. 

 The postmaster warned me that the latest arrivals from 

 the pass spoke of bad weather threatening, and advised 

 me if I did not wish to have my camp bodily swept 

 away to make everything very tight. 



This I proceeded to see to, when late in the after- 

 noon, after many difficulties, my baggage ponies arrived. 

 The ground was much exposed, and the wind having 

 risen to a tempest, with threatenings of snow, it was 

 extremely difficult to pitch the tents. This, however, 

 we eventually succeeded in doing, but a regular dinner 

 was beyond the skill even of the faithful Assiza, though 

 he managed to keep a fire lighted and to melt some 

 good condensed soup I had, which, thickened with 

 plenty of rice, formed an excellent supper. Then, 

 rolling myself up in every available wrap, I turned in, 

 a hot stone, which had served to shelter the fire, being 

 brought close to the charpoy (bed) to keep my feet 

 from getting numb. It was not a cheerful position, 

 and the prospect of being snowed up is not a rosy one 

 to a person always inclined to be chilly! About dawn 

 the wind moderated, the temperature rose considerably, 

 and the tent having quite decided to stand firm, I was 

 able to get a good sleep. 



