LEH AND LADAK. 299 



lame my nags ; his hammer, a little round- headed tool, 

 falling with unsteady aim, driving the nail this way and 

 that. One only having been driven home, and another 

 with difficulty extracted, he relinquished the attempt 

 until morning, daylight now quite failing. Should I ever 

 undertake a similar journey in such barbarous regions, I 

 will go provided with farrier's tools, shoes, and nails, and 

 do my own shoeing. 



It was very cold here, snow falling on the mountains ; 

 and a bitter cutting wind blowing with sharp frost reminds 

 me of the Karakorum. But I can find means here to 

 repel the cold, which there no precaution could effect. 



29th September. Leaving the gopal at work at the 

 horses, I marched off, wishing to outstrip the coolies 

 already started, as there was some chance of seeing 

 shapu as on the former occasion. But many people were 

 passing to and fro, so that any animals were scared from 

 the neighbourhood of the path. It was a stiff pull up 

 the mountain to the pir, but I did not dislike the work, 

 the lungs here playing freely ; then, down again by a 

 long slope into a valley where the trusty Kamal had pro- 

 vided a fire and fresh milk. Having breakfasted, I 

 mounted and had gone but a few paces, when a duck 

 rose from the stream and resettled. The gun was at 

 hand, and the bird soon potted. On nearing Karbo, our 

 halting place, as I was descending to the stream watering 

 the valley, the shikarries signalled me and I was at once 

 aware of a number of teal in the ford just under us. I 

 got the gun, and creeping to a position to enfilade them 

 delivered right and left as they rose, stopping six of their 

 number. As they appeared to settle some way down 

 stream, I followed along the bank, and again came upon 

 them. Three fell to one barrel, the other did not go off. 

 But I had committed slaughter enough. 



