IN THE WURDWAN. 61 



seething and hurtling below ; and the whole struggle to 

 the heights above, although perhaps not so arduous or 

 dangerous as that of the previous day, was yet full of 

 peril, and called for a stout heart and firm nerves to 

 achieve. The most difficult and critical times were when, 

 the course of the torrent making a rapid and regular turn 

 and deep fall, it was necessary to leave the snow, ascend 

 the bank, and make one's way along the smooth, wet, 

 precipitous escarpment overhanging the fearful depths 

 below, on which it would not do to look or think. A 

 lesser evil was the terrible, blinding glare, reflected by 

 the intensely white snow through which we ploughed. 

 This, after a time, compelled me to close my eyes, and 

 go floundering on, the best way I could, with an occasional 

 squint to ascertain whether I was following my leader. 

 At length we accomplished the ascent, and glad I 

 was to sit down, and recruit my somewhat exhausted 

 energies. 



The shikarries, reconnoitring, discovered ibex far down, 

 below us, among the rifts and gorges into which the 

 mountain, near its base, is severed. They were near the 

 spot where they were first descried. After the usual 

 consultation, the 'bunderbus' was determined, and a de- 

 scent towards the game commenced. We had to cross 

 patches of snow at a fearful degree of incline, and let 

 ourselves down lying on our sides or backs, scotching 

 ourselves with heels or staves as best we might, until we 

 gained a shelf midway down, whence observations were 

 again made, and plans concocted. A halt was here made, 

 as the animals were not in sight, being, it was supposed, 

 now taking their ' siesta ' in some secure retirement. A 

 watch was kept ; and at length a shikarry, holding up 

 one finger, indicated one animal having made his ap- 

 pearance, then two, then three, until they numbered five 



