A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



rays of the sun. On the 24th of June I made my 

 way down the valley, with the comfortable feeling 

 that I was already possessed of seven ibex heads, 

 instead of having had to work hard for many weeks 

 for one or two, which was what I had expected. 

 That evening we halted at the village of Hushe, 

 and on the following day arrived at the village of 

 Kande, whence I was to explore the unknown 

 nalah ! On the morning of June 26th I started up 

 this valley, expecting great things. I found on this 

 occasion, the only one during the whole of my trip, 

 that the Government Survey Map was incorrect. 

 The entrance to the valley is most curious. It runs 

 east and west, and looks as if it were a narrow 

 nalah about a mile long, and closed by a big 

 mountain ; however, the volume of water pouring 

 down the stream denotes a ravine of some length, 

 and indeed, on reaching the head of the apparent 

 " cul-de-sac," you find that the river takes abend 

 at right angles, the valley running about north. 

 For some way our path was difficult, as, owing to 

 recent heavy rains, the track had been washed 

 away, and in many places steps had to be cut across 

 landslips which made the going somewhat risky. 

 However, all the coolies and baggage arrived 

 safely if somewhat tardily, and we emerged on to a 

 green plateau where another valley came down from 

 the westward, and where there were traces of former 

 cultivation. Here we pitched camp. It was a 



lovely spot ; the pencil cedars and " bik " trees 



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