MINIM ERG 215 



It enables some idea to be formed of the snowfall in 

 this part of the world, when a shelter has to be built so 

 high, to keep it from being buried by the winter storms. 



The road we were on had been partially cleared by 

 the traffic, for the work of provisioning Gilgit for the 

 next cold season had begun, but for some miles the 

 ground on each side was deep under snow, and the 

 stream, which here began to accompany us, ran mostly 

 under ice bridges. At intervals the remains of the 

 unfortunate pack animals, destroyed, to the number it is 

 said of over 300, by the great blizzard of the preceding 

 year, cropped up out of the snow, and we disturbed 

 many kites and vultures as we passed. 



The ground was almost clear of snow by the time we 

 reached the Borzil storehouse, and from there onwards 

 we got more into summer with every mile that we went 

 down, the valley more densely wooded, and the pastures 

 deeper in grass and brighter with wild flowers. At 

 Minimerg, where there is a telegraph station, I sent a 

 wire to my wife at Leh. There is no village at Mini- 

 merg, nothing but the few huts of the telegraph people 

 on a small grassy plain at the edge of the Borzil river. 



I shall long remember that picturesque spot. The 

 left side of the valley — facing the north-west — was thickly 

 wooded almost up to the snow-line, and the opposite 

 side, to my right, consisted of grassy hills covered 

 with splendid pasture and brilliant with flowers. Graz- 

 ing pack animals (ponies and bullocks) were scattered 

 about in places. The wild flowers were something 

 wonderful. I do not think I have ever seen such pro- 

 fusion of colour in a meadow before, or wild flowers 



