THE COUNTRY OF THE BHOTIAS 89 



bridge over the river, is realized. The precipices often 

 overhang and impede the view ; at other places the hill- 

 side slopes back at an angle of 50 degrees, clothed with 

 fine forest of pine and silver-fir trees, towering above one 

 another to such a dizzy height that the top seems three 

 or four miles up in the air. The trees outlined against 

 the sky, tall groups of conifers, seem no bigger than pin- 

 points. Some day these forests will be explored, and 

 yield great stores of noble straight deals ; but for many 

 years to come they will grow in peace, a truly grand 

 stretch of primeval jungle. 



We came across several Bhotia encampments and large 

 droves of strong, big goats accompanied by their drivers. 

 The goats were allowed to graze on the surrounding 

 slopes, while their loads, in double bags or packs made of 

 strong yaks' hair cloth, were piled in heaps while the men 

 cooked their food. They chose places where there were 

 caves and overhanging rocks to afford shelter from rain. 

 They kept great hairy Tibet dogs, exactly like the 

 Maremma wolf-dogs, with pointed noses and ears and 

 bushy tails, to guard their flocks from leopards. Where 

 the goats or sheep are grazing you always see two or three 

 of these big fellows lying on different points of rocks as if 

 asleep ; but they are keeping a sharp look-out for their 

 prowling enemies. At night the goats are driven into 

 the caves, around which walls are built, and on these the 

 faithful dogs sit watching, and giving the alarm if leopards 

 come round. I have myself seen two of these dogs, 

 which I purchased from the Bhotias — one yellowish- 

 white with long silky hair, the other black, like a big 

 sheep-dog, but much larger and heavier — tackle a leopard 

 which came at dusk round my camp, and succeed, after 

 a sharp scuffle, in scaring him off, greatly to the relief of 

 my ponies, which, tied near the tents, were trembling 



