A NIGHT IN A WURDWAN CHALET. 155 



to Marroo. From thence I proceeded with Eamzan, and a 

 couple of men carrying a few absolute necessities, up the 

 south side of the Wurdwan river to a place called Passer, the 

 heights above which were then considered to be a sure find 

 for ibex. As we purposed to spend only a day or two there, 

 the tents and heavier things were sent on to Unshin by the 

 regular route on the north side, by which we had come down. 

 In those days I used very often to " rough it " when there 

 was no occasion for so doing, as was the case in this instance. 

 Since then I have learnt that to court inconvenience at any 

 time, when it can be avoided, is a grand mistake. In moun- 

 tain-hunting, however, it may often be absolutely necessary 

 to dispense for days together with many of one's comforts. 

 Towards evening, on reaching Passer a place represented by 

 one log-built house picturesquely situated on an eminence 

 near the river it began to rain heavily. As it threatened to 

 be a wild night we took shelter in this chalet, the kindly 

 people to whom it belonged having done their best to clean 

 up a small room in it for my accommodation. Never shall I 

 forget the utter misery of that night. Oh, the rapacity of 

 the myriads of fleas that infested the house ! At daybreak 

 I arose with my whole body covered with a rash as it were 

 from their bites, and with my bones all sore from tossing and 

 tumbling about on the hard uneven boards of the floor, as I 

 vainly endeavoured to sleep. How deep and long were the 

 well, for brevity's sake I shall call them regrets, I gave vent 

 to during that terrible night at my folly in not bringing my 

 tent, which in this case I might easily have done. All next 

 day the rain continued to pour, and the mountains were com- 

 pletely enshrouded in mist. To make matters worse, there 

 was nothing for it but to choose between spending the night 

 out in the rain, or again submitting to the torments of passing 

 it among the F-sharps inside : of the two evils I chose the latter. 

 Besides this, we had almost come to our " last split-pea," so 

 we straightway took the route to Unshin. A tiresome tramp 



