48 SPORT JN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



4 and off by 5.15. As we were no longer on snow we 

 had given up the grass shoes, and resumed our boots and 

 chapHes/ About 2 miles short of the village of Chane- 

 gund we left the Leh road, and crossing the Dras river, 

 turned off towards vSkardo. About ten o'clock, having 

 gone ahead by myself, I arrived at Hardas, a good-sized 

 village, 8 miles from Kharbu. Here the coolies had to 

 be changed, and the headman professed his inability to 

 get the total number required. I only wanted seventeen, 

 and these could have been produced in an hour, but the 

 Rentons required fifty-seven, and this was quite another 

 pair of shoes. Not liking to go off with the few available 

 men and leave the Rentons in the lurch, I resolved to 

 camp here and give time for all the necessary coolies to 

 be collected. 



The Rentons arrived about noon, and we breakfasted 

 and made ourselves comfortable, and in the afternoon I 

 had the first tub I had had since leaving Srinagar. 

 When marching fast it is practically impossible to tub, 

 and it is surprising how soon in a cold climate, and 

 especially when in snow, one gets used to doing with- 

 out it. 



The post-office at Kargil being not far off, I took the 

 opportunity to send a messenger with some letters. In 

 the evening the headman said the requisite number of 

 coolies, supplemented by ponies, which we could now 

 again use as we were out of the snow, had all been 

 collected, and we could go on in the morning. 



The following day, the 4th, I went half-way from 

 Hardas to Olthingthang with the Rentons, and then after 



* Leather sandals, largely used in Kashmir. 



