THE MERG NALA 137 



consequently have inflicted more injury. I will note their 

 effect later on ; so far, I had had no opportunity of seeing 

 what they actually did. The horns of the ibex were only 

 28 inches long. Evidently I had mistaken the smaller 

 for the better buck, after they disappeared the first time, 

 and consequently shot the wrong one. 



The messenger who came back from Bunji that 

 evening, brought news to the effect that Major Hewat, 

 whom I had passed at Tsurri on the 8th of April, had 

 had a fall down some rocks, and had dislocated his 

 shoulder. He had taken a nala near Shongus. Know- 

 ing that Major Morland was in the next nala and would 

 do everything that could be done, I did not consider there 

 was any use in going to him, as I should under other 

 circumstances have thought necessary. 



On the 7th we moved camp to the Merg nala, lying to 

 the east of Honuspa, but saw nothing fit to shoot while 

 marching in. Nor was anything seen in the afternoon. 

 The tents were in a grove of cedars on a grass terrace 

 at the head of the nala, which is a small one opening into 

 Khaltar. 



Next morning the camp was sent to Khaltar 

 village, while I, with my usual retinue, went round by 

 a longer route in order to search the rocks at the 

 end of the nala for markhor. We saw a few females, 

 and that was all. A rather long march brought 

 us to Khaltar village, where I found the camp very 

 prettily situated on a stretch of level grass in a grove of 

 apricot and walnut trees. The Khaltar river flowed 

 past over the rocks immediately below, with the pleasant 

 sound of running water. This nala was evidently much 



