252 TRAVELS IN THE EIGHTIES. 



partly punting, partly towing, the rather unwieldy 

 craft. 



Kassim Ali Khan followed in a smaller boat behind, 

 which formed the kitchen ; and at meal-times, which 

 signified the uncertain periods when I was assailed by 

 pangs of hunger, and shouted for hazri, tiffin, or Mana, 

 the two were brought together, and dishes might have 

 been observed passing from one boat to the other, whilst 

 a diffused odour of cooking brought an uneasiness 

 to the kites, hawks, crows, vultures, and even eagles, 

 whose number was legion. At other times several of 

 the latter, five in all, were shot with my Express as we 

 came upon them noiselessly, seated on the snow near 

 the bank, looking out for some chance morsel or dead 

 fish carried down by the current, the rest of the 

 country being shrouded by 2 ft. of snow. 



Very attractive in summer time to our officers from 

 India are these dun gas. Although as a rule they are 

 exceedingly dirty inside and out, yet they offer a 

 cheap and convenient moveable habitation in which to 

 wander among the waterways of this happy valley, 

 stopping to camp wherever fancy may dictate. A 

 dung a is a long punt, 30 ft. in length by 6 ft. in width, 

 completely arched over from end to end by thick rush 

 matting ; so cold, however, in winter that I had to 

 pitch a small tent in the interior and live by candle- 

 light. A portion of this space is divided off and 

 inhabited by the boatmen, generally speaking two in 

 number, their wives, and any number of children, 

 with an exceedingly scanty amount of food, manners, 



