AN AWKWARD PREDICAMENT. 229 



branch that lay hidden beneath the snow, when my legs 

 seemed suddenly to fly from under me, and away I went 

 slithering down the steep slope. Fortunately, I did not go 

 very far ; but when I picked myself up, which I did witli 

 the assistance of my two men, who ran down after me, I felt 

 uncommonly sore all over, and there was a painful, parti- 

 ally numbed sensation about my left shoulder and arm that 

 made me feel rather faint. On recovering from the shock, 

 I soon became aware, from the position of my arm and my 

 inability to move it, of the disagreeable fact that I had put 

 my shoulder out. 



Here was an awkward predicament to be in. I was sitting 

 on a hillside, as steep as a house-roof, with a dislocated 

 shoulder, and no surgical aid within at least four days' jour- 

 ney. Bad as matters seemed, I could not but be amused at 

 the ludicrous picture of helpless concern presented by my 

 two companions, more particularly by old Gainoo, who could 

 do nothing but call on the name of the Prophet for help. 

 Hatha was the first to regain his wits, he having acquired, 

 more fortunately for me than for him, some knowledge of an 

 accident of the kind by a similar one having formerly hap- 

 pened to himself ; and from its occasional recurrence, which 

 is, I now know by experience, often the case with disloca- 

 tions, he had become rather expert in its treatment. Being 

 fully alive to the necessity for immediate action, I directed 

 the men to haul away at my arm, which they did for some 

 time, with no better result than to make me feel very faint. 

 This treatment having failed, with some difficulty I stood up 

 on the steep slope, whilst Hatha made a lever of my ann, 

 with Gamoo's shoulder under it for a fulcrum. My own 

 weight on one side and a steady pull at the arm on the other, 

 had the desired effect, for I could again move the limb; and 

 on examination, Hatha, with a grin of satisfaction, pronounced 

 it to be all right. 



At the camping-place 1 found the Xawab and his brother. 



