THE RESIDENCY AT SRINAGAR 23 



Official duties had called him away, and I did not see 

 him again till just before dinner. 



" Will you take in Mrs Clifton-Brown ? " 



" I shall be delighted especially as she has not 

 got a cold in her head," was my mental reservation ! 



My neighbour on the left was a pleasant American 

 woman, the wife of the well-known Italian physician 

 and mountaineer, Monsieur de Philippi, attached to 

 the Duke of the Abruzzi's suite. She did not, how- 

 ever, intend to climb the K 2, except in thought, and 

 she told me that she should hire a house-boat at 

 Srinagar and remain there in peace whilst her husband 

 made his perilous climb. She also recommended to 

 me a cook whom I shall never forget as long as I live ! 

 After dinner I was introduced to Colonel Clifton- 

 Brown. He commands the I2th Lancers in Syalkot, 

 and he brought me greetings from Germany, from 

 the camp at Dflberitz, whence he had just returned. 

 In thought we galloped with the Dohna Cavalry 

 Division over the sandy plains of Brandenburg, only 

 to climb at once into the Cashmere hills in search of 

 markhor and barasingh. Later on, Younghusband 

 took the lead and we followed him over the ever- 

 lasting glaciers of the Himalayas, put the Thibetan 

 general to flight, entered with him the holy places of 

 Lhassa, and looked with wonder at the treasures of 

 the divine Dalai Lama. 



How easy all these deeds of valour seemed after 

 a good dinner, and how simply Younghusband 



