106 



MABROO. 



Cashmere ' ' Kangree or fire-basket. 



There was now barely sufficient food for two days left, 

 and I was beginning to think that, if the snowstorm con- 

 tinued, we should have 

 to pay another cold visit 

 to the dead bear this 

 time for meat. Under 

 such circumstances there 

 was nothing to be done 

 but to retrace our steps 

 down the glen, and make 

 for Marroo by the lower 

 route, for Eamzan said it 

 would now be as useless 

 as dangerous to attempt 



the upper one. Indeed, from the ominous rumbling sounds 

 which were occasionally heard in that direction, we could 

 tell that avalanches were falling there ; so we struck 

 the camp, and commenced plodding down through the 

 snow. 



Although we started at daylight, and the distance was 

 not very great, we did not reach the foot of the glen until 

 evening. What a wearisome trudge it was, too, with the 

 cold sleet beating pitilessly down on us as we floundered 

 through the deep soft snow ! The shikarees and myself had 

 enough to do in helping the coolies along with their loads, 

 until lower down we got clear of it. Shortly before reach- 

 ing our camping-place, we came across a fine brown bear, 

 which I managed to slay with one bullet. This was some 

 compensation for the hard day's work. 



Next day we reached Marroo, a cultivated little valley 

 containing several villages, and surrounded by lofty, pre- 

 cipitous mountains, our way to it having led down beside 

 the rapid broken stream which flows through the grand 

 main valley of Wurdwan, and forms the principal affluent 

 of one of the five great rivers of the Punjab, the Chenab. 

 Having found fairly comfortable quarters in the open 



