XV HONESTY OF LADAKI COOLIES 267 



water came from the snows at the head of the valley, 

 very distant from where we camped, and its quantity 

 depended on the mehing caused by the hot sun. 



On the morning of the 28th the post cooHe from Leh 

 arrived. He had been sent in on the evening of the 17th 

 from Debring, and had fallen ill (he said) at Shushot, a 

 few miles on this side of Leh, and been delayed in con- 

 sequence. The man had taken in money to pay for 

 parcels, etc., and had brought everything out perfectly 

 safe. He had carried registered letters, containing notes 

 worth over Rs.iooo, as well as books and parcels, yet 

 went away perfectly content and well pleased with a 

 payment of Rs.2.8 for the double journey. 



Besides the necessity of checking and reading the 

 contents of the post-bag, we had to settle up accounts 

 with the headman of Kharnak for the eight days (20th- 

 27th) during which he had supplied things to us at 

 Sangtha. We had kept thirteen yaks while there, at 

 four annas a day each, and sixteen goats, at two annas 

 a day for the lot, had been sent to supply us with milk. 

 We had also bought three sheep, for which we paid R. i 

 each. The mutton, though very small and lean, was 

 nevertheless fairly tender and well flavoured. One we 

 had had ourselves, one was bestowed on the servants, 

 and one we took on with us. 



As a natural result of these various transactions it 

 was past 9 A.M. when we were under weigh. My wife 

 had a bad headache, which she could not account for in 

 any way, unless it was due to the height. We must have 

 been about 15,000 feet above the sea. The river soon 

 ceased to accompany us, and it was past noon before we 



