222 KAZIMA. 



pointed to one of the heaviest loads, and told him that if he 

 chose he might carry it, which offer he treated, as I expected, 

 with silent contempt, and disappeared. The next time I saw 

 my friend, he had divested himself of most of his fine 

 garments, and his fine airs also, and was toiling up a hill 

 with the identical heavy load on his back. Finding I was 

 not to be taken in, I fancy he had thought better of it. 

 Though I have called him an impostor with regard to his 

 capabilities as a shikaree, he was anything but one in his 

 proper capacity as a weight-carrier ; for, to do him justice, he 

 afterwards turned out to be one of the most willing and hard- 

 working men I employed, and whenever there was anything 

 to be done that required more than ordinary strength and 

 activity, Kazima was always to the front. 



From Uri I was accompanied by the Nawab, who beguiled 

 the time passed on our way with accounts of the kind of 

 sport I was likely to get, and also with some of his own 

 hunting experiences for both he and his younger brother 

 were men of sporting proclivities and on our arrival at his 

 village after dark, nothing could exceed his hospitality and 

 attention to all my wants. 



The following day was devoted to purchasing a stock of 

 supplies for my men and making a few final preparations for 

 our mountain work. The Nawab provided me with his two 

 best shikarees Gamoo and Hatha. The former was a very 

 intelligent little man, with a bright good-humoured counte- 

 nance ; the latter, who acted under Gamoo's orders, was an 

 active, willing fellow. 



Before proceeding further, it may be as well to give a 

 slight description of the noble animal we were about to seek. 

 The markhor (Capra megaceros), or, in English, snake-eater, so 

 called from his being supposed by the hill-men to be what his 

 name implies, 1 is without doubt the finest animal of the wild- 



1 It may not be generally known that goats are ordinarily addicted to 

 snake-eating, so say the Highland herdsmen, at any rate. 



