26 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



glistening white to the summit, except where the dark 

 pine forests clothed their slopes, was rendered most 

 impressive by the gloomy evening and the silence that 

 hung over everything. 



The light was failing fast when we neared the upper 

 end of the gorge, and J ebb's spaniel puppy was so tired 

 and footsore and cold, that we carried the poor little beast 

 by turns. In many places snow had just tumbled down 

 and obliterated the path, and it had to be made afresh 

 by our two shikaris in front. The track for the last five 

 miles or so consisted simply of footsteps in the snow. 

 Where several men had passed and the footsteps were 

 hard there was no difficulty, but when they were soft, or 

 when we missed planting our feet exactly on the hard 

 spot, we sank in above the knee. Presently an icy wind 

 began to rise, and the fine snow to drive into our faces. 

 Bending down we hurried on as well as we could, but the 

 snow was deeper here, and not hardened by many travellers, 

 and we floundered about a good deal. Just as it got dark, 

 when we had done about 1 1 miles, we reached the village 

 of Shitkuri, and right glad we were to see its lights, and 

 to welcome even the miserable shelter it afforded us. 



The snow was, of course, much too deep to allow of 

 the tents being pitched ; indeed the houses were all buried 

 in it up to the first story. It was snowing pretty hard 

 by the time we reached the village, and the wind was 

 bitter. The shikaris, who had gone ahead with the cook, 

 had secured a room for us in one of the houses, and we 

 waded through snow slush to the steps which led to the 

 balcony. This was also ankle deep in mud, but gave 

 admission to a low passage, which we entered crouching, 



