PA V OF SERVANTS 437 



should enraofe one Ladaki as a tiffin coolie, and another, 

 or perhaps two more, as regular post-runners. 



Custom has fixed pretty rigidly the pay of most 

 servants in Kashmir, A shikari now claims Rs.25 a 

 month, plus Rs.5 a month for rasad or travelling rations. 

 Some ask Rs.30, but the understood rate is Rs.25. -^ cook 

 generally gets from Rs. 12 to Rs. 15, with Rs.5 added for 

 rasad. The pay of a permanent coolie is Rs,6 with Rs.2 

 for rasad in the valley of Kashmir, and Rs. 7 with Rs.2.8 

 for rasad in Baltistan and Ladak. The tiffin coolie is 

 given R.I extra. A chota shikari, should one be em- 

 ployed, gets Rs. 15 a month, with Rs.2.8 for rasad. The 

 charge for rasad, when travelling far away from the 

 valley of Kashmir is not unreasonable, as supplies are 

 procurable with difficulty, and are sometimes dear. But 

 it appears to be the custom to allow rasad, even in the 

 valley, when the sportsman is away from' Srinagar. For 

 this there can be no manner of reason, as frequently rice 

 and other necessities are cheaper in outlying villages 

 than in Srinagar. I should mention that some sportsmen, 

 instead of allowing a fixed sum for rasad, pay for the 

 food of their men. Rasad, of course, is not allowed in 

 Srinagar itself. 



Money should be taken to Kashmir entirely in 

 Indian Government currency notes. The Punjab Bank- 

 ing Company has a branch at Srinagar, and charges 

 a half per cent for exchanging notes for Indian 

 rupees, whereas all merchants will exchange notes for 

 Indian rupees at par. Sportsmen passing through 

 Skardo can get their notes changed by the tehsildar 

 there, who presumably finds them a convenience in 



