NO MAN'S LAND 155 



menced. We crossed hundreds of nullahs, all exactly 

 alike and leading in the wrong direction. They got deeper 

 and steeper, and we were tired out. Kunkoo decided 

 that we must follow down a principal ravine, which seemed 

 to have a sort of a path along its dry bed. It became 

 dark, and we tramped on and on ; many side nullahs 

 of equal size and importance kept joining into our nullah 

 and making it deeper and bigger, but there was not a sign 

 of water or of camp. Luckily a lovely full moon rose 

 majestically into the deep blue-black sk}^ The silence 

 was oppressive, except for the clank of the ponies' feet, 

 which echoed against the walls and buttresses which 

 hemmed us in — huge high walls, steep and all sloping at 

 an equal angle. The shadows were quite black and the 

 moonlight dazzling white. The thinness of the atmo- 

 sphere probably caused the shadows to appear darker 

 and their edges more sharply defined. The effect was 

 quite weird, and comparable to what might be experienced 

 on the moon. Kunkoo was fairly puzzled, and was 

 several times inclined to turn back and try up some of 

 the converging nullahs ; but what chance was there of 

 hitting on the right one among hundreds all exactly alike ? 

 We fired off guns at intervals to attract attention, and 

 the sound, exaggerated by the stillness, echoed Uke whole 

 batteries of artillery, reverberating from bank to bank 

 with thunder oft repeated, and dying away in unknown 

 recesses. Still we went on, on, tired out, hungry, and 

 not knowing which way to turn. Occasionally faint 

 sounds as of voices seemed to vibrate in the air, but we 

 could not decide if they were real or imaginary. Still 

 they seemed to be repeated, and our hopes revived, to be 

 again blasted by the mocking silence. 



At last there seemed to be strains of music somewhere, 

 but whether above or below or in what direction it was 



