CHAMBA 29 



snowy nullah and had seen two lots of tringol, which 

 in Chamba language signifies ibex, and in starting 

 after one lot, Will had trodden on a loose stone that 

 rolled over with him. He walked a little farther, 

 but soon found it impossible to get along, as his foot 

 was so painful. He was carried home, over very 

 difficult ground, terribly steep, with no path, on 

 the backs of Punchi and Dass by turns. It was a 

 wonder that they reached camp safely and before 

 dark. 



Will's foot was very painful all night and he had 

 to stay in bed next day. Ramzan Khan was very 

 busy ; he borrowed some of our tools and soon came 

 in bringing a crutch he had made out of the broken 

 pole of the camp bed and a cross block of wood. 

 It was nearly six feet high, but he cut it down to a 

 more suitable length. Then he prepared what we 

 thought was soup, in a pot. It was made of salt, 

 opium and a small hot seed he called " sapine." He 

 brought all these things with him from his own 

 country, in case of accidents, he said. The soup he 

 made was really a cure for sprained ankle. He 

 dipped woollen stockings into it and fomented the 

 ankle several times during the course of the day. 

 He called the mixture " Brumtracy," said it was an 

 English word and wondered that we had never 

 heard it. We talked it over and asked him if it 

 could be " fomentation/' He thought it was ! 



After a few days the treatment was changed and 

 Rum John brought in a dish of chocolate-looking 

 stuff that smelt rather good. He used to make us 

 marvellous things to eat with wonderful names, and 



