TO LADAK. 119 



chase which was, by the hunters' accounts, a, most arduous 

 and perilous one. They had been long traversing the moun- 

 tains without a sign of game, and were returning, when 

 an ibex was viewed, and following him they had to climb 

 terrific crags ; to do which they had even to take off their 

 sandals, and, slinging their guns, climb up on all fours. 

 They became separated, and were in much apprehension 

 for each other's safety. But all turned out most happily 

 for their sport ; for Subhan was surprised by a fine buck 

 coming out of a ravine, and presenting him a fair broad- 

 side. He knocked him over; when another took his 

 place. He then disposed of that one, and others were 

 thus turned down to Mooktoo who floored his brace, and 

 wounded another. Two or three fell down the precipitous 

 crags, and were consequently much knocked about, but 

 the horns were luckily uninjured. I decided to halt to- 

 morrow to prepare the heads, &c. 



27th June. All remained busy in camp, stretching 

 skins, and preparing heads. Rain fell during the day. 

 In the afternoon, it having cleared up, leaving Phuttoo 

 working at the heads, the other two and I went off on the 

 chance of seeing something ; but heavy rain again set in, 

 and we returned drenched to camp. 



28th June. We struck camp, and set off to next 

 ground. The morning was heavy and cloudy, and it was 

 an uninteresting march along the river bed, here very 

 shallow, and broken into many streams. The mountains, 

 on either hand, were steep and craggy, and their lower 

 slopes, on the southern side, clothed with underwood, 

 dwarf birch, &c.,but, on the north side, covered with grass, 

 not a tree or shrub to be seen there. The slopes came 

 right down to the river banks, affording hardly a spot, 

 here or there, on which to pitch a tent. The valley, 

 running east and west, is narrow and wild. We arrived 



