Il6 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



On this rickety structure our party filed across, jhobus, 

 ponies, carriers, and all in safety ; while the Hunias 

 looked on, gesticulating and shouting, but offering no 

 resistance. 



We had now a free hand to explore the unknown 

 country before us, where Colonel Smyth had never been 

 able to go, and where Mr. Drummond on his previous 

 trip had not reached. We determined to strike in a 

 north-east direction. Jussoo informed us that there was 

 a pass over the great range which we could see in that 

 direction, across the eastern shoulder of Gurla Mandhata, 

 which would bring us out on to the countries east of 

 Manasarowar, where were extensive jungles, frequented 

 by few natives and famous as the haunt of the rarest of 

 all animals, the bos grunniens — ' ban chowr,' or wild yak. 

 Colonel Smyth on his previous expeditions, further west 

 from our present ground, had shot several old bulls and 

 sent the skins to England, where they still are to be seen 

 in the British Museum and at Manchester and in other 

 museums ; but he had always been told that further 

 east across the second range, north-eastward, was the home 

 of the wild yak, where herds of considerable numbers 

 were said by the natives to exist, but the country was 

 jungle, and wild and dangerous to enter. The rivers did 

 not run into the sacred Ganga, but belonged to the bad 

 country, so said the dwellers on the Indian frontier, and 

 they dreaded to go eastward ; but Jussoo and his sixty 

 Bhotias had agreed to come as far as we could get while 

 our supplies held out. We had flour and rice for thirty 

 days, and expected to supply our larder with meat 

 enough. 



Our first march brought us over rolling hills cut up by 

 wide valleys. We followed one which trended in the 

 right direction, and our guides informed us that a road 



