A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



hoopoes, orioles, ravens, chiff-chaffs, &c. The next 

 two days' journeyings call for no comment ; the 

 first march to Kuru and the next to Karku 

 presenting the same features of broad sandy valley 

 with occasional precipitous ravines. At the latter 

 place we arrived in the midst of a large amphi- 

 theatre, so to speak, of magnificent mountains 

 topped by snows, where there were not only 

 meadows with long grass, but even bogs brilliant 

 with familiar field flowers, such as the purple orchis, 

 a truly pleasant experience after travelling through 

 stony wastes under a broiling sun as we had done 

 ever since leaving Dras. 



The next march, a short one, brought us to a 

 camping-ground opposite Kapalu, and here I found 

 a messenger whom I had sent on ahead to W. in 

 the Hushe Nalah, bearing a welcome note which 

 bade me come on with all speed as he had had 

 grand sport with the ibex and was about to leave ; 

 but, he added, the snows were melting fast, and 

 for some days he had not seen a good head, which 

 was not encouraging. Near the camp I observed 

 some rough scrub in the bed of the river which 

 looked as if it might repay the trouble of beating it 

 for game. Accordingly I organised a drive, and 

 though the Balti coolie proved the most inefficient 

 beater, screaming the whole time at the top of his 

 voice, and running hither and thither in every 

 direction, I was able to add some hares and a 



" chikore " (red-legged partridge) to my comrnis- 



4 6 



