XV THE CHAMARTA CHU NALA 269 



been augmented from several springs as it progressed, 

 flowing between very steep, picturesque, and wonder- 

 fully coloured rocks. 



About a mile below the shrine we turned up a gorge 

 to our right, the opening being very narrow between 

 high perpendicular cliffs. This was the entrance to the 

 Chamarta Chu nala, of which Rupsang had spoken. 

 For some 3 or 4 miles up the hiils on either hand con- 

 sisted of jagged crags, practically impossible for man or 

 beast, but at the end of this distance the mountains 

 opened out, and disclosed a charming and fairly level 

 plain of grass, where we encamped by the side of a snow- 

 fed stream, about 16 miles from Kharnak. The hills 

 beyond this plain on either hand were more of the rolling 

 upland type, and were such as Ovis aniiuon might 

 certainly frequent. So we went to bed hoping great 

 things for the morrow. 



Our expectations were, however, doomed to disap- 

 pointment. We went up a branch nala leading north- 

 east on the 29th, and though we covered a lot of likely 

 ground, saw nothing except what the shikaris called a 

 " shonku." This animal looked about the size of a 

 mastiff, and was tawny in colour, and with heavy action 

 and large limbs. His tail was short and looked black, 

 and I think he must have been a wolf of the yellow- 

 variety, quite different from the animal seen on the 

 23rd. We were home by 4 p.m. after, a hot and un- 

 satisfactory day. 



The 30th also proved a blank, except that we saw 

 a herd of burhel (napu) at the very end of the nala. 

 They were in an impossible situation, and the wind was 



