196 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



Gulmerg and still he remained invisible, I feared I 

 should have to return home and see again his portrait 

 most successful, surely, of snow photographs that adorns 

 the walls of the Royal Geographical without being 

 cheered by a vision of the prototype. As the regions 

 above were unpropitious, I thought it advisable to visit 

 the gorge below Gulmerg, from which it is possible to 

 reach the Ferozepore nullah and the snow bridge. It 

 has often appeared to me a strange trait in human 

 nature that love that seems so ingrained in most people 

 of a " name," call the most glorious mountain path " a 

 pass " without surname, and none will feel interested 

 in visiting it. A mountain will remain unclimbed if it 

 cannot boast an imposing title. For this reason every 

 one considered it part of the correct routine of Gulmerg 

 to visit the Ferozepore nullah. Beautiful as it is, there 

 are probably a dozen spots round Gulmerg as fair, but 

 lacking the distinction of a name. I was sufficiently led 

 away by the popular notion of an excursion to start out 

 with the intention of visiting the famous stream, but 

 being but vaguely instructed in the route to follow, and 

 only meeting with coolies who neither spoke my language 

 nor knew of the place under that name, I strayed away, 

 and, slipping down grassy slopes, clambering over 

 boulders, making my way up snow-bound streams, I 

 spent twice as happy a day as I should have done if 

 following the direct path, amid the loneliness of the 

 vast woods, the colossal trees reaching away to 

 unfathomable green vaults overhead, their roots hidden 

 in a carpet of forget-me-nots, alkanets, stitchworts, and 

 delicate fern tangles! 



The air was as strong and uplifting in its 

 quality as that breathed among the Alps. Free 



