310 THE TRACK BEYOND NITI. 



this, but then at the risk of falling avalanches and other 

 dangers, and only for pedestrians, the snow being too deep, 

 and on steep slopes too unstable, for baggage - animals to 

 travel over. The Hoonyas,^ moreover, object to its being 

 crossed even by the Bhotias, before sending their vakeel 

 over to Niti to arrange matters of business with them 

 respecting the pass, which here separates the British and 

 Tibetan dominions. The " boss " of the party, a fine-looking 

 Tartar, paid me a visit at my tent. As he was to leave 

 Niti on his return homewards next day, I sent a polite 

 message by him to the "Jongpen," or governor of the 

 district beyond the pass, requesting his permission to hunt 

 there. But few of the Bhotias having as yet returned to 

 the village, I was delayed here a day or two whilst "joo- 

 boos " ^ for carriage, and supplies for our sojourn in Hundes, 

 where nothing of the kind could be procured, were being 

 fetched from the Bhotia encampments lower down. 



All arrangements being completed, I started on 6 th June 

 with fifteen laden jooboos, and eight Bhotias to look after 

 them. This may seem rather heavy marching-order for a 

 sportsman's requirements ; but having to carry with us an 

 extra tent for the Bhdtia followers, a month's food for about 

 a dozen people, and the baggage -animals having, moreover, 

 to be lightly laden for getting over the snow-beds, which 

 would still be lying deep along portions of our route, will 

 account for it. The summit of the pass is about 25 miles 

 from Niti village, beyond which the mountains, except for a 

 few birch-trees, become bare and desolate. The first day we 

 proceeded up the valley of the Doulee — here called the Niti 

 — to a spot called Goting. Soon after leaving the village 

 the way leads for some eight miles, in a succession of tire- 

 some ups and downs where it crosses deep precipitous 

 gullies, along a bare stony hill-face with so sharp a slope 



^ The Tibetan inhabitants of Hundes are called Hoon3'as. 

 2 The " jooboo " is a cross between the yak and the ordinary horned cattle 

 of the Himalayas. 



