84 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



this range, the Nari Danda,* there was no water any- 

 where, and we suffered from extreme thirst. The natives, 

 however, found some rope-Hke creepers hanging from the 

 branches of the trees, which they cut across with their axes. 

 We held our leather drinking cups under the fresh-cut 

 creeper till a good supply of clear water flowed into the 

 cups, and we quenched our thirst delightfully in the 

 native fashion. Taiz Singh, my faithful jamadar, who 

 had been sent on to Guladi village by the Kali river in 

 charge of the heavy baggage and tents, luckily had a head 

 on his shoulders, and getting anxious about our non- 

 arrival, had sent a chaprasi with torches ready up to some 

 shepherds' huts, to await our coming and signal by torch 

 when we got over the pass. We met the chaprasi, who 

 was looking out for us ; and when we appeared his joy 

 was great, as they had almost given us up and imagined 

 that something had befallen us from the evil spirits of 

 this deserted jungle. Our signals were answered from 

 below by waving lights, and we presently met several 

 kind men from the village who had come up to guide us 

 to our camp. The sound of rushing waters met our ears, 

 and we ran to the banks of a rapid stream. Hodgson 

 could not resist a plunge bodily into the stream, and did 

 not suffer, though the temperature was about freezing, 

 the water coming from the melted glacier. When we 

 did get safely to the village we were escorted by quite 

 a procession of torch-bearers, and arrived about midnight 

 to find an excellent dinner with hotch-potch soup and 

 fowl ready, and Sirdar Khan Khansamah in spotless 

 clothing standing ready to wait on us. The hot tea with 

 excellent milk was what we did best justice to, and we 

 turned into comfortable beds to sleep, such sleep as the 

 tired only know. Next day was Sunday, and we slept 

 * Bafida means a path or ridge. 



