270 THE RETURN. 



superintendence, I got off two Bhooties with a supply of 

 water for them. The coolies had, as was supposed, 

 stopped at the haji camp, and so were as well off as if 

 they had reached ours, but that they assert that they 

 could get no food from the hajis, which, however, I do 

 not heHeve. 



8th September. The night was bitterly cold. I could 

 not sleep; experienced much oppression of chest, and 

 could not contrive to keep my feet warm, all I could do 

 three pair of worsted socks on, drawers and trowsers, 

 double blanket, felt namba, and flannel jacket and mack- 

 intosh over that, on the foot of the bed. In the night I 

 got flannel trowsers, and wrapped my feet in them, but 

 produced no warmth. The frost was very sharp, the 

 stream turned to ice. The sun, however, was bright and 

 cheery, and under its genial influence all were in good 

 spirits. After breakfast we hunters started in advance. 

 "We soon saw a herd of antelope. But they also saw us, 

 when we reached a low hill, behind which they slowly 

 retired. I went after them with Subhan, and opened 

 them about three hundred yards off. They soon increased 

 that to four hundred, when some five or six being grouped 

 together, I took a shot at them with Whitworth, and the 

 bolt only just cleared their backs by an inch or so. Off 

 they scudded, and I fired the Enfield, both balls seem- 

 ingly falling right amidst them, but stopping none. 



We crossed the plain where, on coming, we were so 

 fortunate, bucks jumping up under our very noses. Now 

 we just caught a glimpse of some in the distance, which 

 were off at once. A piercing blast, blowing off the 

 snowy Karakorum, met us in the teeth, cutting us 

 through and through. I never felt anything like it. It 

 seemed to enter my eyes, and wither my brain. My nose 

 and lips were in a terrible state. Moving on, head down, 



