II 



CHAMBA 



MY husband had three months leave due to him, 

 and we decided to spend the time in Chamba, 

 in the Himalayas, provided we could get 

 permission from the Raja. He kindly gave us leave 

 and his brother lent us a pony and a dandl, to help 

 us along to Kukti, where he advised us to go. 



At first all went well, for the road was good. It 

 ran alongside the Ravi river, between very steep 

 hills, and we had a couple of days marching in ease 

 and comfort. Then it grew worse, and was washed 

 away in places. At last we came to a bridge totally 

 wrecked by a torrent, and after that there was no 

 road at all. The pony could go no farther, and the 

 dandi-men could go only with difficulty, even with 

 the dandi relieved of my weight. 



The pony was sent back and we began to climb 

 fearfully stiff hills, or rather, mountains and preci- 

 pices : up one, down another. There was hardly a 

 flat spot on which to set one's foot for miles, and the 

 Bunker dog, our terrier, had often to be carried. 

 At last, very late in the day, we reached a village 

 called Chitrari, and the Chitrari-ites advised us to 

 pitch our tents in a cow-yard as it was the only level 

 place about 9 ft. by 3 ft. on the hill ! It did 



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