198 



TO THE KARAKORUM. 



We had great work shoeing the thanadar's horse which 

 I must take with me in default of any other fit for my use. 

 There was no professional ' nahlband ' here, nor the usual 

 implements of that operative ; hut luckily ' a handy-man/ 

 as they call a bungler at several trades in a regiment, 

 turned up one accustomed to accompany kafilas to and 

 from Yarkand, and look after the horses. I was much 

 taken with the man's expression and manner, and became 

 more interested in him, when Subhan informed me that 

 he was well acquainted with the localities the yak 

 frequented, and, moreover, was willing to join my 

 expedition a most valuable recruit, I think. He reminds 

 me strongly of some acquaintance or other, I cannot think 

 who : his voice and way of speaking are peculiar, slow 

 and deliberate : he is the son of a Cashmiri by a Bhoot 

 mother, and I should fancy some twenty-five years old. 



The kardar produced two sets of shoes, made in the 

 neighbourhood, of such inferior workmanship and bad 

 metal that, taking one in my hands, I broke it in two to 

 the dismay of the kardar, who beat a retreat, and after 

 a time came back with a set of Yarkand shoes, as light 

 as racing plates, but of the best quality of iron, and a 

 lot of nails to match. Then the work began. A pair of 

 pincers, a hammer, and, after much research, a mortising 

 chisel, were produced, and satisfied with these rude tools 

 my new man set to work with confidence, and, I may 

 add, skill. The old shoes were soon ripped off there 

 being no file to take off the clench of the nails, I appre- 

 hended some damage to the hoof, but all turned out well ; 

 then, the hoof being placed on a piece of timber, the 

 other leg hoisted up by the active, useful Abdool, the 

 chisel was applied, and the hoof, bereft of its super- 

 abundance, roughly rounded to the form desired, the 

 inner surface and the bridge, frog, and heel, slightly 



