A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



ascent on the other side. Leaving the snow we 

 reached a broad and grassy valley, carpeted with 

 primulas and surrounded by mountains of the most 

 extraordinary colouring, purple with streaks of red, 

 crimson, orange, and yellow, with bright green 

 grass, and capped with snow. 



Our way led across a mountain stream and down 

 a stony slope. Here we met our first Ladakhis, 

 with their queer good-natured faces and little 

 pigtails. Showing their usual disinclination to 

 allow strangers to enter their country, they said 

 that, as the two bridges at Goma Hanoo had 

 been swept away we had much better return to 

 Baltistan ; but I flourished my " perwanas " in their 

 faces, and remarked that I was sure that the 

 Commissioner Sahib would be very angry if I 

 was kept waiting, so that the bridges had better 

 be repaired at once ; this had a great effect. 



We camped that night above Goma Hanoo, 

 and though the rain descended and the thunder 

 rolled, little did I care now that the Chorbat-La 

 was left behind ! That night I slept for the first 

 time in Ladakh. I had to stay in this camp for 

 two days, the bridge lower down having been swept 

 away by the floods. I sent up the valleys in the 

 neighbourhood to see if there were any ibex, but 

 the men reported only does and small bucks. I 

 went up the hills behind the camp, where a small 

 nalah comes down, and saw two doe ibex, which 

 came down almost to the village. They soon 



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