CHAP. XIX POBRANG TO THE THINN SPRING 333 



should be brought back, as he had told a herdsman 

 who was looking after some sheep not far off what had 

 happened, and the man had gone after the pony. The 

 laden ponies were in front, and no doubt the runaway 

 would be found with them. 



The shikari had been carrying behind his saddle my 

 lui or Kashmir blanket, in which were fastened up, dumb- 

 bell fashion, my camera and brief bag at one end, and the 

 tiffin basket, kettle, and canteen at the other. The latter 

 articles had at some moment rattled together, and this 

 noise had started the pony off. I examined with anxiety 

 the rifle which Abdulla was also carrying when thrown, 

 and was thankful to find it was apparently uninjured. The 

 shikari said he was bruised about the face, and the small 

 of his back was paining him. So I made him mount my 

 pony, and I walked on till we met the truant being led 

 back by one of the pony-men. I then got on the beast 

 and we rode ahead. 



By the time it was dusk we found ourselves near 

 Meruk, so we stopped there for the night, having covered 

 about 24 miles. 



On the 7th we marched through Shushal, where we 

 changed ponies, and by the time it was getting dusk 

 reached the Thinn spring, close to which there was 

 grazing for the animals, and here we pitched our camp, 

 having come 23 miles. 



At Meruk the thermometer had stood at 39° F. 

 in my tent when I got up, but on the exposed upland by 

 the Thinn spring it fell to 31° F. by the morning of 

 the 8th. That day we crossed the Saka La, and half an 

 hour before dark arrived at Nowi, opposite the point 



