CHAP. V THE TEHSILDAR OF SKARDO 57 



had succeeded in overtaking us. When at Dras I had 

 telegraphed to the Tehsildar of Skardo, asking him to 

 have transport ready for me when I arrived, and in con- 

 sequence I found that two ponies and some cooHes had 

 been collected ; while these were being brought, we drank 

 some China tea which the Tehsildar had prepared for us, 

 and which had reached him, he said, via Lhassa. It was 

 made by pouring boiling water on a spoonful of dry tea, 

 placed in the cup out of which it had to be drunk. It was 

 refreshing, but the tea-leaves floating up while we drank 

 were troublesome. Sugar was provided, but no milk, A 

 handful of dried apricots, locally known as kabanis, and 

 the commonest fruit in these parts, completed the repast. 



The Tehsildar told me that three sportsmen had left 

 Skardo a few days previously, bound for nalas beyond 

 Rondu, and as I knew vaguely that Haramosh lay in that 

 direction, my heart sank at the prospect of finding it 

 occupied. There seemed, however, still a chance, and 

 I resolved to do my best to overtake those in front, 



I found a newspaper awaiting me, but no letters, and 

 posted those I had ready. The post usually gets through 

 to Srinagar in six or eight days, the time depending on 

 the amount of snow on the Zogi La, 



As soon as the fresh coolies and two ponies arrived, 

 I said goodbye to the friendly Tehsildar and to Jebb, for 

 whom transport was not yet ready, and set off for the 

 ferry-boat by which the Indus is crossed. It was 

 necessary to get to the right bank of the river, as the 

 track by the left bank to Rondu, the next place we 

 were bound for, was said to be exceptionally bad, I 

 reflected afterwards, that if it was worse than that on the 



