3i6 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



had seen behind the dak bungalow as I entered the 

 Doon. The proprietors took their loss cheerfully, as 

 they knew that they would get compensation for most 

 of it from the Government. 



Next morning after breakfast the tents were struck, 

 and we continued our journey. We crossed the little 

 river, and proceeded up the road that led to the 

 mountains. The march was very pleasant ; the road 

 was good, the ascent was easy, and the forest on either 

 side most picturesque. The trees were tall and shady, 

 they grew near together, and there were but few patches 

 of coarse grass or brushwood. As we entered the 

 mountains the conditions a little changed ; the road 

 was rough and broken, and the ascent extremely steep, 

 but though steep, it was not long. In less than an hour 

 we reached the summit, and here we were to halt for the 

 night. 



Our encamping-ground was a small level space a little 

 above the road. There were a good many stones lying 

 about it, and these, before the tents were pitched, it 

 was necessary to remove, for the place swarms with 

 scorpions, and it is under the stones and boulders that 

 they chiefly conceal themselves. The scorpions are not 

 only numerous here, but are also unusually large ; some 

 that I saw were the largest, blackest, most bloated, 

 venomous-looking creatures of their kind that I ever 

 beheld. But unless touched or trod on, they did not 

 appear at all aggressive. When exposed by turning 

 over a stone, their first impulse was always to escape 

 and conceal themselves, and it was wonderful into what 

 narrow cracks and fissures they were able to force their 



