A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



These animals, however, are here hunted by almost 

 every sportsman who arrives from Kashmir (who, 

 after many weary marches during which he has not 

 had an opportunity of taking his rifle out of his 

 case, is naturally dying to have a shot at something), 

 and are consequently shy even beyond the habit of 

 their kind. The summit of the Fotu Pass is 13,400 

 feet, and one gets a fine view of precipices to the 

 east, and open, sandy hills to the south-west. After 

 crossing the pass the road leads along a somewhat 

 monotonous valley to Kharbu, where I halted. 

 The mountains above this place on the left bank 

 of the stream look good for ibex, and Salia told me 

 that he had been with a " Sahib " who shot there, 

 and had good sport. Whilst waiting for my camp 

 to arrive, a party of strolling players coming from 

 Leh passed me ; they were in picturesque costume, 

 and each pony was carrying two grotesque riders. 

 The following day's march took me over another 

 easy pass, the Namika-La (13,000 feet), in character 

 very like the Fotu-La, and passing by the village 

 of Wakha, and the entrance to the nalah of the 

 same name where H. had had good sport with the 

 ibex on his way up to Ladakh in the spring, I 

 arrived at last at Moulbekh. I had intended to go 

 on to Shergol, but, having been told that this stage 

 divided the marches more evenly, and seeing a good 

 camping-ground here, I decided to stop for the 

 night. 



Moulbekh is a picturesque and characteristic 



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