266 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



the head to the spot at which the 30-lb. tent was to 

 meet us. 



But when after searching till past 3 p.m. we saw no 

 more, and came across no fresh sign, we resolved to 

 return to Sangtha, and start next day for a nala beyond 

 Kharnak, of which Rupsang had told us. We reached 

 the site of the proposed small camp, just as the yaks with 

 the tent and bedding, etc., arrived there, so, bidding them 

 follow us back, we went on to Sangtha. Exchanging the 

 rifle for the gun, I picked up a brace of hares on the 

 way home. These animals are very like the blue 

 mountain hare of Scotland, being much larger than the 

 plains' hare of India, and slate blue on the hinder part of 

 the body, with a white tail. 



On the 27th we shifted camp, marching up the stream 

 that flows from the north-west to join the river near 

 Sangtha, and crossing the watershed by the Yar La 

 (16,180 feet) into the valley, at the head of which the 

 Kharnak nomads' camp is situated. Here we stopped 

 for the night, some 3 miles below the village, after a 

 march of some 13 miles. We should have gone further, 

 but that the stream which comes down from the Champas' 

 camp disappears a little below this point into the ground, 

 and no water is again obtainable for many miles.^ 



At about 10 P.M. that night the water, however, began 

 to flow ; and the cook, who had, to escape the wind, estab- 

 lished himself in the stony bed of the stream, under 

 the shelter of the bank, had to beat a very hasty retreat. 

 Next morning there was a clear stream about 4 feet 

 wide flowing past our tents. Apparently most of the 



' Cp. remarks on p. 326. 



