128 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



splendid shade from the bank for boats, and great 

 trees dotted about on the grass make a pleasant cover 

 to the many white tents that, like huge mushrooms, 

 had sprung up during my absence, the first warm 

 weather having brought many folk up from the Punjab 

 to enjoy the welcome cool in the northern valley. 



They made the Moonshi Bagh a first stopping-place 

 on their way to quarters in the hills, and very com- 

 fortable and often very pretty were their temporary 

 houses, hung about with baskets of ferns and iris, 

 inviting groups of light tables and chairs placed outside 

 the open flaps, while numerous small fry, with the 

 attendant cortege considered necessary for the rising 

 generation of the dominant race, nurse, ayah-boy, and 

 bearer, with frequent addition of pony and " pony-boy," 

 dog and " dog-boy," proved that the climate was salubri- 

 ous to youth and provocative of a great show of roses in 

 what were probably very pale cheeks down in the plains. 

 The cold freshness of morning and evening, too, made 

 for a liveliness impossible in more relaxing parts. 



Silently we glided into our quarters, and 

 took up a good position beneath a huge chenaar 

 tree, the doonga was made fast, a plank run 

 out to the bank, steps cut, then as darkness- 

 fell, lamps were lighted, the straw blinds let 

 down, and I was as cut off and almost as unknowing of 

 my neighbours as when far away up in the Sind Valley, 

 though pleasant little friendly notes arrived in the 

 evening, and some very welcome presents of " dalis " 

 (baskets of vegetables and fruits) spoke of the advan- 

 tages of neighbours when these are kindly and 

 thoughtful. My "following" had no "doubts" as to 

 the relative delights of solitary or sociable sojournings, 



