SNOW-BRIDGES. 241 



prevented our moving early next day, and after the storm 

 was over the mountains were so enveloped in mist that 

 stalking was impossible. During our stay here Kazima 

 brought me a fine pair of markhor horns he had picked up 

 somewhere near. He was much perplexed at my not caring 

 to possess such a trophy, merely because I had not shot their 

 wearer, and said he should keep them himself, to dispose of 

 to some other person who might not be so particular as to 

 how they had been obtained. 



When the weather had cleared enough to allow of a move 

 up the glen, I found, as I expected, that it was by no means 

 so impracticable as the men had reported. For the first mile 

 or so it certainly was very difficult travelling ; but the huge 

 piles of hard snow which blocked the contracted and pre- 

 cipitous gorge up which our way led, were rather an advan- 

 tage than otherwise, enabling us to cross and recross the 

 torrent by natural bridges formed of them. Higher up, 

 however, the valley became more open, and was pretty 

 free of snow. A more likely country for sport there could 

 not have been, and it did not belie its looks; for we soon 

 found the fresh tracks, as big as though they had been made 

 by heifers, of a herd which must have fed there that very 

 morning. Matters looked so promising that I sent back a 

 man with directions to have the tents brought on ; for we had 

 only taken with us kit sufficient for passing a night or two 

 under the best kind of protection from the weather we could 

 find. 



We were not long in selecting a snug spot for spending the 

 night under some splendid pine-trees, which were almost 

 impervious to rain. Here we sheltered from a heavy shower, 

 which lasted several hours. Towards evening it cleared up ; 

 so I started with Gamoo and Hatha, intending to prospect 

 the ground on either side of a steep, craggy, and partially 

 pine-clad ridge, that ran up towards the snowy height* far 

 above. 



Q 



