THE LAND OF THE HUNS 103 



path had to be found. But barring the great labour of 

 walking at an elevation of nearly 18,000 feet, there was 

 not much difhculty and no danger. Some of the bearers 

 became exhausted under their heavy loads, and some 

 were sick, and all complained of headaches. Goggles over 

 the eyes were necessary : or strips of black crape, which 

 we brought for the men, were worn tied over the eyes. A 

 few, who had not recovered from the big drink to celebrate 

 the start from their homes, threw down their loads and 

 declined to proceed ; but, acting as rearguard, I was pro- 

 vided with a flask of brandy carried on my saddle pony, 

 which brought the laggards to the scratch. The native 

 opinion is that there is poison in the air at these high 

 elevations, and they have a great dread of the mountain 

 sickness which generally affects people. With me it only 

 took the form of headache and a singing in the ears ; but 

 with some it seemed to cause prostration and vomiting 

 and bleeding from ears and nose. 



Following the track in cloud and damp mist and snow, 

 by ten o'clock we found ourselves all safe at the summit, 

 and for a moment the cloud cleared away. Looking back, 

 a wonderful view of dark valleys opened under our feet, 

 with distant ranges melting away in the blue, hazy distance, 

 and valleys traced out on the distant map, giant peaks 

 of white quartz rock or snow standing in blocks, over the 

 top of which we could see out into the far, far, hazy, dim 

 distance where lay the sultry plains of Hindustan. Above 

 these drifted up perpetually from the south a canopy of 

 white, fleecy clouds, which struck the highest summits of 

 the Himalayas and then tumbled over to the other side. 

 But, strange to say, the endless phalanxes of soft white 

 vapour, in falling over the rim, as it were, melted away 

 suddenly into invisibility, and to the north was a clear 

 blue sky without^a cloud, ~and a fierce blaze of vertical 



