TO S1RINUGGTJR. 25 



as it would hold. Others and the coolies coiling themselves 

 up in their warm hlankets under a pine-clad bank, screen- 

 ing them from the wind, by the help of rousing fires of dry 

 pine wood kept up through the night, if not perfectly 

 comfortable, did not suffer : for they did not grumble a 

 good sign. 



1st May. To Shupyim. The first part of the road 

 is rough and difficult, through a pine forest. You then 

 cross the river by a bridge, the scenery charming ; emerge 

 from the forest, and enter upon level grass lands. "We 

 halted at Heerpoor for breakfast, a small village where 

 supplies are to be got : there is an old serai, one small 

 room only habitable, but good ground for camping. 



The road from Heerpoor to Shupyim is good, over level 

 grassy elevated land, park-like scenery on either hand, the 

 valley of Cashmere widening before you, and a glorious 

 display of mountains beyond it. 



One may consider oneself fairly in the valley here, 

 having left the mountains behind ; there remain only 

 slight elevations between Shupyim and Sirinuggur. 



2nd May. I followed the path to Sirinuggur which, 

 although one of the principal roads to the capital, was 

 but a bridle path, in some places difficult to find, and 

 leading over rivers and streams, some of which, being 

 without bridges, are awkward to cross. 



We halted at a village called Serai, from there being 

 the remains of one there. Ramoo is the usual station, 

 but it does not divide the distance so equally, being too 

 near Shupyim. 



We had some difficulty in obtaining supplies, Jamhal 

 Khan being compelled to resort to harsh measures, such 

 as kicking and so forth, to bring the village official to a 

 sense of his duties, and the importance of a ' burra saheb/ 

 This discipline was that best adapted to his rude percep- 



