V TSURRI 59 



chupatties left from the same meal, furnished a break- 

 fast, and about 2.30 p.m. we set out once more. 



' Seven miles in distance and two hours in time 

 brought us to Tsurri, usually the second stage from 

 Skardo. Here we found a gunner, Major Hewat, 

 encamped, to whom I introduced myself, and with whom, 

 over a cup of tea, I had a pleasant half-hour's chat. He 

 told me that a Major Morland and a Mr. Bond (a 

 sapper) were ahead of me. The shikari meantime 

 arranged for the purchase of some flour, and got a 

 couple of boys to come on with us to bring the ponies 

 back, and two men to carry the loads when these 

 animals had been returned, for he knew, it seems, that 

 we could not take them many miles further, and their 

 regular attendants, who had come on with us from 

 Skardo, were now, they said, too tired to go on. 



Shortly after five we were pressing on once more, but 

 the track was getting worse and worse. I had already 

 had to lead my pony in several places. One of these 

 was especially bad, being a slope of loose shale which 

 had slipped down from above, and in which one's feet 

 sank up to the ankles. A stone dislodged here kept 

 rolling — it seemed for minutes — and then fell plump into 

 the Indus below. By dusk even Abdulla acknowledged 

 that the ponies could do no more, and transferring the 

 loads to the two coolies we had brought, we sent the 

 animals back in charge of the boys. Chand and Mahamdu 

 had overtaken us at Tsurri, so we were a party of six 

 when we left the nags. 



For a time we got on all right, though the track was 

 only here and there distinguishable from the surrounding 



