246 TRAVELS IN THE EIGHTIES. 



When we had reached a spot at a considerable dis- 

 tance from the high road, the coolies thought it a good 

 opportunity to lay down their loads and demand a 

 promise of extra pay and backsheesh, which it became 

 necessary to put a stop to once and for all in a very 

 energetic manner, with the assistance of Kassim, and 

 caused them a vast amount of surprise. 



On such occasions as this, I found the benefit of 

 having a good servant who would back me up in my 

 dealings with the coolies. It was amazing under such 

 circumstances to see this little man, by no means 

 physically strong, and suffering moreover from fever, 

 deliberately smacking the face of a gigantic muscular 

 porter who might have crushed him had he dared, to 

 make him resume his load. 



Even with the aid of the short cut it was evidently 

 impossible to reach Ghari before dark, and camp had 

 to be pitched high up upon the mountain side, where 

 a stray cow, none of the bovine race being permitted 

 to be killed within the Maharajah's dominions, would 

 inspect the tent somewhat too closely for the safety of 

 the erection ; and there might be seen the Himalayan 

 vultures, who were never out of sight, wheeling like 

 black specks among the crags, while the shouts of the 

 goat boys might be heard echoing through the still air 

 of the valley about sundown. The Jhelum is not seen 

 again by this route, until one arrives nearly vertically 

 over it as it rolls almost two thousand feet below, 

 when its course opens out to view valley beyond val- 

 ley, and nullah beyond nullah, the few trees that exist 



