Riskino- a Watery Grave. 



with an agility worthy of an acrobat, balanced himself momen- 

 tarily on a boulder in mid-stream and then, with a frantic leap, and 

 struggling against the current, reached the opposite bank, whilst 

 I followed suit. Fortunately the coolies were able to find a safe 

 crossing lower down, thus obviating the risk of loss of life and 

 baggage which passages of these turbulent mountain streams 

 engender. 



Towards six o'clock we reached Minimerg, a telegraph station 

 manned by two European telegraphists, good fellows, who 

 welcomed me as the only visitor they had known for many months, 



cut off as they are from the outside world, and hemmed in by the 

 icy grip of winter which does not relax its grasp until well on into 

 May. The telegraph line runs from Kashmir to Gilgit and thence 

 to Chitral via the Shandur Pass and Mastuj. 



Till now the weather had been fine and clear, and prospects 

 of a successful crossing of the formidable Burzil Pass, which 

 lay some ten miles ahead, were correspondingly brighter. I spent 

 an enjoyable evening in the company of the two telegraph 

 officials, who were more than kind and hospitable to the stranger 

 within their gates. 



27 



