CAMPS IN THE UPPER FORESTS 45 



prayag, and, highest and most sacred of all, Badrinath 

 and the Cow's Mouth, where issues the sacred stream from 

 its glacier source. One sees thousands of pilgrims, who 

 have come on foot from all parts of India to participate 

 in the benefits which are promised them hereafter. It 

 is a strange and pitiable sight, that great throng of poor, 

 starved and worn-out people struggling on with scarcely 

 a rag to cover their skeleton forms, firm in their ancient 

 faith, the maimed and sick, old and even blind, feeling 

 their weary way along a well-worn but most difficult 

 path, which follows the course of the raging torrent, 

 sometimes on the flats below by the river, but more 

 frequently terraced along the face of lofty precipices 

 1,000 feet above the stream. Many die on the journey 

 up, or fall into the icy river, where their miseries are ended 

 and their future is assured. Some, wealthier or fatter, 

 incapable of traversing the dangerous path, may be seen 

 borne in kiltas or big baskets on the backs of sturdy 

 Garh walls. If ever they reach the Cow's Mouth, where 

 the Ganges issues from a cavern, the cold of the snow 

 and glacier is pretty sure to produce a deadly chiU, which 

 kills many of the poor wretches, only used to the fiery 

 heats of the plains. 



This was the route followed as far as Kamprayag, 

 striking upwards so as to avoid the disagreeables of the 

 pilgrims' vicinity, often infected with cholera and plague. 

 There was no question that the upper path over the passes 

 of Pilkhunta was preferable, though it led some distance 

 over snow, and involved an ascent of thousands of feet. 



In the month of May the sun had fearful power in the 

 valleys, and produced fevers of the worst kind. To 

 foUow the ridges, and remain at an elevation of 9,000 feet 

 and upwards, was desirable but difficult to accompUsh, 

 as there were not always routes passable for coolies carry- 



