Arrival at Giknt. 



around Bunji and Gilgit is found that fine goat, the markhor, 

 whilst ibex, urial, and bear flourish in goodly numbers. In 

 winter, duck-shooting is to be had, and chikor, the hill partridge, 

 is found on the gravel slopes and fans of the valley. 



It is 34 miles from Bunji to Gilgit, just too long a march to be 

 done comfortably in one day, so I made two out of it, camping 

 the night at Safed Pari, where is another passable roadside 

 bungalow, situated out in a wilderness of rock and sand. 



The Gilgit Valley is shut in by high mountains, rendering it 

 hot in summer, and, since warmer weather was now setting in, I 

 moved out from Safed Parri at the unearthly hour of three in 

 the morning, reaching Gilgit shortly before nine. When passing 

 through Astor I had received a letter from the Political Agent in 

 Gilgit inviting me to be the guest of the Agency during my stay 

 there, an invitation I gratefully accepted. I found a large marquee 

 pitched for my accommodation in a shady garden surrounding 

 the bungalow of the surgeon, Captain Taylor, I. M.S., most com- 

 fortably furnished and spread with carpets, in which pleasant 

 camp I spent ten days, a welcome change after the hardships of 

 the journey from Kashmir. 



35 



