A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



plaits, is gathered together behind her back and 

 finishes in a sort of tail, not infrequently adorned 

 with tassels or bells, while over the ears it is twisted 

 with black wool or fur, into two large circular 

 excrescences (Moorcroft calls them "oreillons "), 

 and the whole is covered by the "peyrak," which 

 ornament varies according to the status in life of 

 the wearer, and consists of a strip of dull red cloth, 

 some six inches wide and eighteen long, with rows 

 of rough Chinese turquoises sewn upon it, and 

 occasionally cornelians and other stones, the largest 

 of which is usually pendent over the forehead. 

 When the wearer is rich some of these " peyraks " 

 are very handsome, and even the poorest coolie 

 woman wears one ; in her case, probably bedecked 

 with a few indifferent, greenish-coloured stones. 

 The turquoises are brought down by the donkey- 

 load from China, and are of little intrinsic value, 

 being mostly mottled with dark-brown or black, but 

 they look very effective on the " peyraks." 



The next day our road from " Acheenathang " 

 lay along the same sort of wild valley, and, in some 

 places, where the pathway had been washed away 

 by the recent rains, we had to cut steps across the 

 landslips. The scenery about here is extraordinary. 

 The mountains seem to have gone mad, and if 

 anyone were to paint them faithfully, he would 

 certainly be accused at home of having sought 

 inspiration in the brandy bottle. They are of every 

 shade of red, blue, and purple, and the strata are 



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