1 82 A Sportswoman in India 



down the Sind Valley to Koolan, where we found 

 the vast paraphernalia of the Resident's camp. Sir 

 Adalbert Talbot and party were on their way 

 up to Sonamerg, and, luckily for us, happened to 

 have come up the Lidder and across by the Yem 

 Sar Pass ; thereby making things plain sailing for 

 us, every inch of the road having been doctored 

 religiously in view of the advent of so elite a party. 

 Their great camp itself, under the chenars, looked 

 more like an imposing fair than any other spectacle, 

 with its tents of all shapes and sizes, and of all 

 hues. There were tents to sleep in, to breakfast 

 in, to sit in, and to dine in. As for their colossal 

 caravan of mules and baggage, it seemed endless, 

 and, beginning to meet the vanguard at Sonamerg, 

 we continued to pass it on the path for several miles, 

 and at last left the rearguard behind not far from 

 Koolan. It blocked our little transport considerably, 

 and one of our poor mules, laden, was pushed over 

 the edge of the path and thrown into the river 

 below in trying to pass the string of mules coming 

 up, which were also laden. 



After the baggage we got into the stream of personal 

 servants, and met mounted flocks of beringed and 

 befrilled ayahs astride on mules, accompanied by 

 apathetic males in gorgeous uniforms, carrying their 

 hookahs and chattering of "pice and rice" the sole 

 topic of native conversation (money and food). These 

 were followed by cooks, cooks' mates, bhistis, sweepers, 

 servants of every caste. Last of all we met Sir 



