'. 



A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



did it now appear. The whole valley was plunged 

 in the blackest darkness, and the sky was still that 

 of night, but above us rose one mighty peak, as if 

 illuminated by crimson fire, the summit of Masher- 

 brum touched by the rising sun still low behind 

 the eastern range. However, there was not much 

 time to rhapsodise, and we continued our way up 

 the slope. As day broke Salia's experienced eyes 

 distinguished several grey specks amongst the rocks 

 above, which he said were the still sleeping ibex. 

 Soon the females and young bucks awoke and 

 came skipping down the face of the precipice, the 

 latter butting at one another in play and frisking 

 about as they descended to the feed ing- ground. 

 We now worked some way beyond, and climbed 

 till we were slightly above them. The wind was 

 at this time blowing down hill, but Salia's know- 

 ledge told him that as soon as the sun touched 

 our side of the valley the breeze would change 

 and blow up hill, which would be favourable for 

 a stalk. Accordingly we crouched under a rock 

 and waited, watching for the big bucks to come 

 down. "We" consisted of Salia, the Balti guide, 

 myself, and " Bhalu," the latter carrying food. 

 How long we seemed to sit there, and how cold 

 it was, and how I watched the sunshine creeping 

 across the valley and lighting up first the precipices 

 of the opposite side, then the glacier and its pools, 

 turning these latter to brilliant blue as it passed, 

 and finally climbing our hillside as the sun rose 



71 



