Chamba into Kashmir i r 5 



Our kit was all on the backs of coolies, and we 

 soon passed the long, perspiring string of them, 

 resting for a moment by the edge of the path, groaning 

 over their loads, as they always do. There were 

 twenty of them, carrying tents, provisions, clothes, 

 etc. Near them walked a little party, consisting of 

 the cook a huge, bearded man his mate, our own 

 bearer Mamdln, and later on the Jemadar, three 

 syces, and two shikaris. We were amused at the 

 big umbrellas each man walked underneath to shield 

 himself from the sun. 



We reached our first dak bungalow at Musroound 

 in the very middle of the day, baked with heat. We 

 had done what is reckoned as one march, thirteen miles, 

 at the rate of two and a half miles an hour, and not 

 always that. There was a verandah in front of the 

 empty bungalow, with an expansive view of the oppo- 

 site side of the valley. We pulled three charpoys (beds) 

 out on to it, and lay down on them. The natives 

 in the village, roused by the Jemadar, brought us up 

 a great brass bowl of milk, which was most acceptable. 



About an hour and a half later the servants and 

 coolies turned up with our supplies, and having lit 

 a fire, tea was brought us by MamdTn eggs, cold 

 chicken, and sardines. Then we broke it to our 

 appalled retinue that we intended doing another march 

 before nightfall. S. sent back the two ponies and 

 their syces, keeping Sphai with a man's saddle for 

 either of us to ride, as he seemed able to get along 

 without much difficulty. 



