84 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



A fairly level place was with some trouble prepared, by 

 digging earth out of one side of the hill, and piling it up 

 just below, and on this my tent was pitched. It was all 

 damp earth, wet with melting snow, but I did not mind, 

 for I had a large brown waterproof sheet which covered 

 the floor of the tent, and on one side of this my bed 

 was made. On the other the mule-trunk and a small 

 box of stores were arranored. The Balti coolies made 

 themselves quarters under a sheltering rock, and, lighting 

 a large fire, were soon comfortable. The cook and 

 shikari and four^ Kashmiri coolies settled themselves in 

 the second tent, in front of which Ramzana was soon 

 cooking my dinner. 



It was very cold and raw as the evening closed in, 

 and as I could not keep myself warm outside, I got into 

 bed about six o'clock, and soon after called for my dinner. 

 I found this arrangement so satisfactory when I was 

 travelling light, that I always adopted it, and regularly 

 got into bed to have my dinner. Before undressing I 

 used to get out and place within reach everything 

 I was likely to require, and pull down the flap of the 

 tent next my bed. The pillows being against the bamboo 

 pole at the doorway, I used to lean up against them, 

 and with abundance of bedding was very warm and com- 

 fortable. Plenty of bedding is a necessity for a camp 

 near the snow-line, and I was well off, for I had a 

 white drugget and four folds of blanketing to go next the 

 ground, a sheepskin sleeping bag on that, and two blankets 

 and an eider-down quilt over all. My dinner used 



^ Out of seven permanent coolies one had got sick at Mataiyun, and was left 

 there ; another got snow blindness, and had to be left at Skardo ; and a third was 

 at Sarsal looking after my things. 



