KASHMIR VALLEYS 119 



heat. The boat swayed, straining at her ropes, and in 

 one second, in spite of wild efforts to save my most 

 precious belongings, lamp, papers, jacket, and new hat 

 were all overboard, blown, by the one piece of good 

 luck that came to me that night, on the land side, where 

 the majority of my effects were retrieved from 

 the muddy bank. The men made great efforts 

 to get the boat away from the open spot where 

 she had been trying to shelter further up the 

 little stream, but torn forward by the fierce tufan 

 their strength was powerless against such might, and 

 it seemed an even chance whether the boat would bodily 

 upset or be saved by the rending away of its coverings 

 that were making it so top-heavy. As suddenly as it 

 had risen the wind went down once more, the boat was 

 towed to safer quarters, and further sleep seemed 

 possible. Just as we were settling ourselves for this 

 there was a shout from a boat above us, and once more 

 the tufan was buffeting us about. This tune all was 

 taut, chuppars fast closed, ropes firm, and the boat 

 merely swayed in her efforts to swing with the fierce 

 current. In spite of the increased security I thought 

 it best to be ready for a swift departure if anything 

 untoward should take place, and, wrapped in my puttoo 

 cloak, I lay in the well of the boat outside the tightly- 

 fastened straw sides and waited. The first grey light 

 of the dawn was stealing into the sky, sending feeble 

 gleams through the torn grey clouds, hurrying across 

 the heavens at the mercy of the terrible agent of 

 destruction that had worked such havoc on us. Wild 

 shrieks arose from the tormented trees, and were 

 answered by the fierce roar of the waters tumbled into 

 a great foam-crowned wall that hurtled through the 



