A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



twisted and serpentined in every direction. After 

 crossing a plateau at some little height above the 

 stream, we descended to " Skirbichian," a most 

 picturesque village of some importance, with its 

 houses perched on crags, as is their wont in Ladakhi 

 villages, and overlooking the fertile fields below, 

 while, in every direction, and picturesquely perched 

 on prominent points, are to be seen the " churtens." 

 A large stream here comes down from a considerable 

 valley to the northwards, and sad were the tales 

 told us of destruction caused by the recent floods. 

 Salia, who had gone on ahead, had just completed 

 a bridge when we arrived. Changing the coolies 

 who had come with us from Hanoo, we continued 

 our way to " Doomkhar," a large village ; here, too, 

 we heard that whole villages had been swept away 

 in the side valleys. The Kardar, who came to pay 

 his respects, told us that three " Sahibs " had 

 occupied the nalah which comes down here, during 

 the present season, and had got three ibex. 



During the next march I was able to ride once 

 more, as the road becomes better ; for this I was 

 not sorry, as the hot marches % had begun to get 

 rather wearisome, and I had been walking for 'a 

 month. The pony that was brought me was 

 a wretched little beast, but, as we went along, a 

 plump and well-fed grey was seen, looking out of 

 his shed some little way below the road. My 

 people promptly impressed him, and on my insisting 



on their finding the lawful owner, so that I might 



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