I70 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



trickled down the hillside. There was a little wind, and 

 the waterproof at my head flapped a bit, but did not break 

 loose. The air was very cold, for we were close to the 

 snow-line, but I had plenty of bedding, and was warm 

 and comfortable. Occasionally a gust of wind, stronger 

 than usual, would send a shower of rain-drops from the 

 trees pattering on to the leaves on the ground, and would 

 make me glad I had put the waterproof up. The men's 

 voices quickly ceased, and in the silence that ensued I 

 could just catch the faint sound of running water, the 

 last sound in my ears as I went to sleep. 



The morning of the 22nd was cloudy and dull, and 

 foreboded the rain, which came down before evening. 

 We had some bad ground to get over, and it was not 

 quite certain that we should get over it. However, the 

 worst was crossed by breakfast time, and about one o'clock 

 we all stood on the ridge looking down into the Kutyal 

 valley. It had by that time come on to rain, and a 

 heavy mist was rolling up the valley, rendering it very 

 difficult for us to find our way. So we lighted a fire 

 under a rock and waited till it cleared a little. The mist 

 after a time got less, but the rain continued, and it was 

 coming down very steadily as we started once more. 

 The muddy hillsides were uncommonly slippery, and 

 I found wet grass shoes gave no grip on the ground, 

 and wished I had on my spiked shooting-boots. About 

 4 P.M. we reached the sheep-pens, over Barchu, expecting 

 to find a comfortable camp, fires, and a change of clothing 

 awaiting us. But, to our consternation, there was not a 

 human being or a tent visible — nothing but the big over- 

 hanging rocks under which the sheep and goats were 



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