KASHMIR VALLEYS 225 



his State authority to the genuine sportsmen, and some 

 of the finest stalking in the world may be enjoyed at 

 almost nominal outlay if the initial cost of arriving at 

 the good grounds is excluded. For this reason it is best 

 to wait till five or six months can be set aside for 

 shooting if expense has to be considered, then good 

 ground some distance from the main valley can be 

 reached, and if content to remain more or less within 

 touch of the base camp, large supplies need not be 

 moved, and the first cost of coolies and ponies, licences, 

 etc., are soon covered by the tiny outlay for keeping 

 " life alive " in those parts. 



The life is not at all too rough for any woman 

 with ordinary health and ordinary appreciation of 

 out-door things, and, without attempting the more 

 difficult stalks, sufficient exercise and occupation can be 

 had accompanying her mankind in their near shoots, 

 perhaps carrying a rifle herself for bear, and looking 

 after the camp arrangements, mending, making, wash- 

 ing, if domestically inclined, sketching, photographing, 

 or botanising, if tastes run on other lines. A friend 

 accompanied her husband and another gun to Baltistan, 

 and she told me that during her six months she never 

 knew a dull moment. She shot three bears, and accom- 

 panied many of the stalks after ibex and markhor, 

 sketched, sewed, washed, read, and wrote, and in spite 

 of being far from strong, and recently recovered from a 

 very terrible accident, did not know a day's ill health. 



The following notes about the chief game animals 

 were given me by a shikari friend, with many descrip- 

 tions of exciting chase, and are in accord with what 

 Colonel Ward, the great authority on Kashmir sport, 

 says on the same subject. I would also add that good 



