KASHMIR VALLEYS 249 



elbow and the side, and ceasing to consider the coach- 

 man as anything but an angular buffer the fiercest 

 joltings or buffetings from me never upset his perfect 

 equilibrium gained by long practice I was able to 

 spare a small amount of attention to the glorious scene 

 I was passing through. 



Blue and white will always remain the colours of 

 the valley in my memory, a blueness born of distance, 

 clear skies, bright waters, and the prevailing tint of 

 the flowers just then chickory and flax that 

 bordered the road. The high peaks were still 

 crowned with snow, roses and clematis threw their 

 festoons over all and everything, while there lingered in 

 a few places some late white iris, and the white water 

 lilies and lotus adorned every pond and bank with their 

 golden -hearted cups. The heat was great as the hours 

 went by, and a splitting head and sore bones detracted 

 from the joy of living, so that only a spasmodic attention 

 could be turned to the things of the road. Pan's pipes 

 only wailed, and an angry antagonism to the fates that 

 had decreed such annoyance to the unoffending pilgrim 

 was the prevailing emotion. 



Late in the afternoon we reached Garhi, close, 

 oppressive, and noisy. In the dak (mail) cart walking 

 had seemed a progress of the gods, but, free of my canvas 

 cage and on the road, all desire to stir departed; my 

 limbs were aching machines useless for movement. I 

 lay down, but the flies were distracting, and a noisy 

 party on the verandah banished sleep. So strengthened 

 with tea, I sallied forth to examine the strange 

 Jhula bridge, which connected the bank I was 

 on with the thither side. On essaying it, it 

 proved vastly safer than it looked, and the ropes of 

 buffalo hide, for foothold and guiding lines, were neither 



