XXVII ENGLISH REINS 475 



The pony was startled, and promptly bolted, but as my 

 wife was using her own bridle with English reins, she 

 quickly pulled the animal up. The reins would probably 

 have come away in her hands, if they had been the usual 

 kind hired out with these ponies. More than once I 

 have seen the bit fall out of the animal's mouth, owing to 

 the string headstall breaking. 



A bag of the size and shape of a brief bag keeps very 

 conveniently together the small things that are constantly 

 required. It would contain ordinarily such articles as 

 writing materials, newspapers, flask, chess-board, twine, 

 file, spare cartridges, etc., which the sportsman may 

 want to take out with him daily. It is light, and can 

 easily be carried by the tiffin coolie. 



The lui is, I think, a necessity. The tiffin coolie 

 carries in it the tiffin-basket, brief bag, camera, etc., and 

 it is pleasant to sit on during the mid-day halts. 



The chargal is a leather bag with a brass nozzle, in 

 which drinking water for the day can be carried, in places 

 where it is not readily or everywhere found. If the 

 sportsman takes it new into the country, and does not 

 himself put his mouth to the nozzle, his shikari and 

 coolies will use the water it contains, which will save the 

 necessity of taking another supply for them. The Kash- 

 miri, like most low-bred and ignorant Mahomedans, is 

 almost as particular in the matter of ceremonial unclean- 

 ness as a Hindu. The contrast in this respect between 

 him and a Yarkandi trader, also a Mahomedan, who will 

 drink tea with a European out of the European's own 

 cup, is most marked. 



The mussuk is a large water-skin to fetch water in 



