242 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



weight of a yakdan was hardly thirty seers (60 lbs.), 

 it would have been necessary, to make even a fair yak 

 load, to have put five on one beast's back, and this was 

 of course a practical impossibility. Consequently few of 

 the animals were loaded up to their carrying capacity. 

 The loaded yaks were never tied or held when on the 

 march, but always travelled free, driven by their owners 

 from behind. As there are practically no trees in 

 Rupshu, sticks are a rarity, and the Champas drove by 

 throwing stones, whistling, and occasionally shouting at 

 their animals. 



To supply milk a flock of goats accompanied us from 

 Debring. There were about sixteen animals, but we rarely 

 got more than a quart a day. However, though defi- 

 cient in quantity it was very excellent in quality, and we 

 were well content. A woman was always in charge of 

 the goats, and her method of arranging them for milking 

 was ingenious and effective. A goat was caught, and a 

 piece of long rope having been doubled, the loop was 

 passed round its neck and the ropes crossed. The next 

 goat was placed with its neck close to that of the first, 

 but its face towards the other's tail, and the ropes taken 

 one above and the other below the neck. The third Pfoat 

 was tied as the first had been, and the fourth like the 

 second, and so on, — the first, third, fifth, seventh, etc. 

 goats facing in one direction, and the second, fourth, 

 sixth, etc. facing in the opposite, the ropes crossing be- 

 tween each pair. Thus when finished all the goats were 

 standing unable to get away from each other, and the 

 sterns of all were outwards. The milk -woman could 

 then go round at her leisure, and extract what milk was 



