TO THE SHAYAK. 191 



despicable poltroons they are ! I am confident that my 

 three Punjabies would 'leather' the three shikarries and 

 five coolies combined ; though of them Abdoolah is the 

 only one of true "grit/ He is a first-rate fellow, rough 

 and ready, honest and plucky. 



I followed the guide, going up the river, then descend- 

 ing on a bank which divided the main current, the water 

 flowing over it in diminished strength. I was in great 

 hopes we were about to triumph, as we now neared the 

 opposite party ; but on reaching the tail of the bank we 

 found the two currents there united which, sweeping 

 roaring through a deep channel of a hundred yards wide, 

 again effectually opposed us. I could have pushed my 

 horse through swimming ; and perhaps the tats with the 

 shikarries might have got safe through, though very 

 doubtful : but the coolies and baggage, never. We, 

 therefore, retraced our weary, watery way, and again 

 took downwards below the aforesaid bank, and got 

 into the main stream; but our bewildered guide again 

 retreated. 



He and others much amused me by their idea of sound- 

 ing the depth just taking stones, and pitching them in, 

 with the notion of judging the depth by the splash and 

 sound ; and this in a roaring flood. I now looked upon 

 the passage to day as hopeless, for we had now tried up 

 and down a mile in length ; but the goose of a guide still 

 rushed wildly about, entering the water where he could 

 have no real intention of going on : so I hailed Abdoolah 

 from the depth in which I was floundering to beat a 

 retreat, and with Subhan, my only adherent, turned 

 backward a most disagreeable alternative. I could not 

 halt on that bank in the middle of the waters, though 

 apparently safe, as I know the dangers and uncertainties 

 of floods in mountain regions. And to fight our way 



