I70 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



Sheep suffer terribly from spear-grass ; and for that reason 

 the natives here keep mostly goats, which do not suffer 

 so much, their coats being finer and more open. It is 

 quite common to find in mutton whole joints of spear- 

 grass which have gone right through the animal's flesh. 

 I wore long leather boots above the knee, or else extra 

 thick puttees. They would keep out spear-grass for a 

 time, but not altogether, and half one's time in camp 

 was occupied in taking spear-grass out of one's clothes. 

 The flies, however, were the worst pest of all. They were 

 in millions, buzzing in a distracting manner and settling 

 on one's face, and where they settled for a moment they 

 began to bite. From morning till night it was one per- 

 petual fight to keep the flies out of one's eyes, nose, and 

 mouth, and out of one's tea or eatables ; and when, after 

 a very tiring march, one felt inclined to sleep a bit longer 

 in the morning, they took good care to begin buzzing 

 in the most maddening manner from 5 a.m. all about one's 

 head, and settling on one's poor body wherever uncovered. 

 We often marched late, as there was no object in starting 

 very early, the sun being always behind clouds and rain 

 coming down in dreary downpour. 



The sound of dropping water was everywhere, and 

 every hollow contained a rushing, roaring torrent. Land- 

 slips were not infrequent, and the paths were slippery 

 and muddy, and the fords very dangerous. Then the 

 thunder and lightning were appalling ; scarcely a day passed 

 without a thunderstorm, and sometimes it thundered 

 and poured steadily for the whole twenty-four hours. 

 We saw little of the scenery, as the mists and clouds 

 filled the valleys, and we tramped all day along paths 

 which followed the ridges, the luxuriant growth of weeds 

 and ferns and bushes being higher than our heads. We 

 had guides from village to village who knew the route. 



