KASHMIR AND THE HIMALAYAS IN MID-WINTER. 255 



of which class there was a wide choice, together with 

 the two dungas and some camp coolies. The prepara- 

 tions were soon complete, for they were concluded 

 after buying a few tins of provisions and a large 

 supply of rice for the men. 



By starting the same evening and travelling all night 

 by water we reached Lake Manasbal by sunrise, said 

 to be the prettiest lake in the valley of Kashmir, but 

 now the surrounding landscape presented nothing to the 

 sight but a dazzling waste of snow. A few more coolies 

 were soon collected on landing, and the march com- 

 menced, which was to take us to the middle portions 

 of the Sind Valley, where the Chittingool and Wangat 

 ravines or nullahs were situated, after which I intended 

 to leave the choice of the exact locality for the final 

 camp to the shikari. This individual turned out to 

 be so noisy, unreflecting, and talkative to the coolies 

 that it was difficult to place one's reliance upon his 

 judgment, and I decided for myself that Wangat looked 

 the most promising nullah. It had been in sight from 

 the Lake Manasbal ; but it was the afternoon of the 

 next day before we entered its mouth, for the snow 

 was now over three feet in depth, though we were 

 generally able to find some track, previously made by 

 some inhabitant, and leading us in the right direction. 

 The previous night we had pitched camp at the 

 hamlet of Woosan, not in immediate propinquity to 

 the houses, for that is always resented by the inhabi- 

 tants as though the visitor wished to pry into their 

 habits and discover all their secret manners and 



