TO THE SHAYAK. 177 



attracted our notice, and, stopping, we saw a man pursuing, 

 He was one I have omitted to mention as having been 

 provided by the jemadar as agreed, being competent to 

 shew the shooting grounds in the Lobrah district. He 

 fully corroborated the jemadar's statement of the quan- 

 tities of game to be there met with, ibex, shapu, and napu ; 

 and he seemed delighted at the idea of taking service, 

 enforcing upon the shikarries the necessity of taking lots 

 of powder, lead, and the moulds. This looked well. He 

 now overtook us, and told us we were in the wrong path, 

 and must cross a rough hill to get to the right one. 



This done, we pursued our way, and had again to look 

 back to ascertain why we were assailed behind by shouts. 

 It was my sepoy with a horse, the one sent by the thanadar 

 on the first day. Putting Mooktoo up, I walked on. 

 We stopped to examine some of the singular altar -like 

 buildings so numerous in this country, around the urn- 

 like top of which were piled a number of the horns of the 

 wild sheep why, is beyond me ; unless they were offer- 

 ings of successful hunters. Here we were again overtaken 

 by a queer-looking individual who announced himself as 

 Abdool, the man engaged as guide by Bella Shah. He 

 looks a likely chap ; quietly sent the other man, whose 

 name is Tar-gness, to the rear, and took upon himself the 

 duties of guide. 



A gradual, but rough and fatiguing, ascent brought us 

 to our halting place on the mountain-side, whence we 

 were to climb the summit on the morrow. It is a melan- 

 choly spot only a few stones heaped on one another, as a 

 shelter for travellers or shepherds distinguishing it from 

 the surrounding waste of rocks and stones. But there is a 

 beautiful clear stream at hand. 



I was just at the end of my breakfast, when a stir took 

 place, and, looking about, a score or so of laden horses 



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