CAMPING WITHOUT SHELTER 



It began again. I had the large brown waterproof sheet 

 half under and half over my bedding, and another 

 smaller sheet placed on two sloping sticks against the 

 rock so as to keep the snow off my head. 



Dinner was a difficulty under the circumstances. I 

 could not sit upright under the small waterproof without 

 knocking the sticks out of position with my head and 

 letting the snow in amongst the bedding, and as the 

 lantern had been forgotten it was very dark. However, 

 I managed all right by feeling about for my food. 



The real trouble was the cooking, which Abdulla 

 accomplished wonderfully, it seemed to me, working as 

 he did, without any shelter, in a regular snowstorm, and 

 contriving to produce, notwithstanding the circumstances, 

 a dinner of soup, roast mutton, potatoes, and stewed 

 apricots ! 



On the whole I had little to complain of, and putting 

 my waterproof cape at the head of my bed to keep out 

 the snow, which was drifting in on the pillows, I was 

 soon fast asleep. 



The men meantime had lit fires under overhanging 

 trees, and got as much shelter as they could, but there 

 was not much to be had, and a very uncomfortable night 

 they must have passed. 



I awoke on the 29th to find the waterproofs stiff as 

 boards and entirely covered with snow. I promised the 

 men double pay, and gave them tea and sugar all round ; 

 so they were quite content, and very cheerful notwith- 

 standing the discomfort of the night. The ibex, how- 

 ever, had taken the opportunity to clear out altogether, 

 for not a sign of one was visible when we went up the 



