124 A HUMMAM TN SRINUGGUE. 



kept by a queer character then well known in Srinuggur, 

 as barber to the European visitors, and dentist, chiropodist, 

 and general practitioner as well, among the citizens. As 

 may be supposed, old Mirza's establishment was not fitted 

 up with that luxurious elegance one finds in Jermyn Street. 

 Indeed, on first entering the hot dusky hole of a place, 

 which reeked with the vapour of stale warm water, it re- 

 quired only a slight stretch of imagination to fancy one's 

 self in some dungeon of old, and that Mirza and his assist- 

 ant — as they stood there in the dim steaming atmosphere, 

 stripped naked, save a dirty rag round their loins, their 

 swarthy skins streaming with perspiration — were the exe- 

 cutioners ready to seize their victim for torture. To 

 further this idea, they both pounced upon me, laid me flat 

 along the hot flagstones of the floor, and commenced what 

 seemed to be vigorous attempts at dislocating my joints and 

 flaying me, accompanying their exertions with sundry 

 grunts and startling exclamations that sounded quite fiend- 

 ish as they rang through the stone-vaulted chamber. The 

 only intermission in their labours was when old Mirza, 

 whose ideas were inclined to be socialistic, would some- 

 times, by way of taking a short rest, begin breathlessly 

 abusing the ruling authorities in rather unparliamentary 

 language. After thus giving vent to his political opinions, 

 he would resume the peeling process with renewed energy. 

 Thus far I quietly submitted to their operations ; but when 

 the principal torturer, with a demoniacal grin, proposed im- 

 mersing me in a dirty stone cistern full of scalding-hot 

 greasy-looking water, I objected to further proceedings. 

 After drying and dressing myself with the utmost expedi- 

 tion, I made my exit into fresh air with the least possible 

 delay, vowing never again to try a hummam in Cashmere. 



My companion returned from the mountains a few days 

 after me, bringing with him, amongst other trophies, one of 

 the most massive and altogether perfect pair of ibex horns 

 I have ever seen. They were upwards of 4 feet long, with 



