KRISH NULLAH 77 



out, and had a read, then breakfast ; and 

 finally lit a pipe, and went over to where 

 Lassoo and a party were smoking, some 

 ten yards off, with their rugs over their 

 heads, and their backs to the wind ; for the 

 day had clouded over, and a fine snow was 

 falling, only to melt as it reached the 

 ground. However, it was not bad as they 

 had lit a fire ; and we were soon talking 

 and smoking quite merrily. Presently I 

 noticed that the snow was beginning to lie 

 a little, and not melt as it had been doing 

 before. I made a casual remark to Lassoo 

 to that effect, and he, on looking round, in- 

 stantly ordered Chybra to get my things 

 together, saying that we were going down 

 the hill at once ; telling me at the same 

 time that we must be off as hard as we 

 could go, or we should get stuck altogether, 

 as, if the snow went on falling, the ground 

 would get so slippery that we should not 

 be able to move at all. We were soon in 

 full swing down the ridge, going as fast as 

 we could. The sky grew darker and darker, 



