CHAPTER V 



APRIL 8-12 THURGON TO GARMPANI 



Jebb passes us — Tehsildar of Skardo — Starting to race — Komara — Tsurri — • 

 Major Hewat — Ponies sent back — Bad going in the dark — Gorbidas 

 — Long day's march — Meaning of "road" in Baltistan — Ladders 

 — Narrow part of road — Rondu — Rope bridges — Start on ponies — 

 Bad going — Local pipes — Major Morland's coolie — Bridge at Tak — 

 Malupur — Dangerous track — Shongus — Garmpani — The hot spring. 



The next day, the 8th of April, was an eventful one 

 for me. Getting up as usual at three, I learned from 

 Abdulla that Jebb, the gunner whom I had left behind at 

 Baltal, had just passed through with three ponies, and 

 was therefore ahead of us. It looked then as if racing in 

 earnest had begun, so I pressed on as fast as possible to 

 Skardo, and resolved to leave the bulk of my luggage 

 to be brought on by Ramzana, and to go on ahead by 

 forced marches with Abdulla alone. 



We arrived about 7 a.m., and I found Jebb seated 

 with the Tehsildar, and trying to arrange about ponies to 

 take him on. He had recovered very quickly, he told 

 me, and as soon as he got clear of snow, had left most 

 of his baggage behind, and come on with his bedding and 

 one shikari. He had made forced marches and thus 



