FAIRLY IN THE WILDS 115 



was broken away, or under snow ; then 

 came half a dozen coolies carrying their 

 loads ; after them my bearer driving along 

 twelve sheep and four goats, and then the 

 remaining coolies. Every variety of load 

 they had too ; most of them carried "kiltas," 

 or leather-covered barrel-shaped baskets, 

 carefully packed ; another would carry the 

 canvas of my tent ; another, perhaps a 

 bundle of tent poles. The fowls perched 

 on the top of the loads if they were lucky, 

 and managed to keep their balance, if not 

 they were hung from them by the legs. 

 This latter method I considered an atrocity 

 and it was never adopted when I was look- 

 ing on, though it was probably resorted to 

 when I was not ! 



We started rather late the first day, and 

 made only one short march, to get things 

 into working order ; we did not even trouble 

 to undo the tents, but just slept under a rock. 



Next day we made two marches, cross- 

 ing the Zaig river by a snow bridge. It 

 could hardly be called a bridge, as it was only 



