136 SPORT AND TRAVEL 



The wheat is grown in little terraces, banked one 

 above the other, beginning at the river-edge and ex- 

 tending to some distance up the mountain-side. If 

 one comes upon a village from the river-level, one 

 sees only the stone walls which bank up the terraces ; 

 but if one looks down from a high cliff, as is often the 

 case before descending, a mass of the most brilliant 

 green, intersected with the irregular lines of the 

 walls, lies spread out below. Every village, too, is an 

 orchard of apricot and mulberry trees, which adds 

 immeasurably to the pleasing effect; and very re- 

 freshing it is, after tramping for hours through bar- 

 ren ravines and over hot, stony cliffs, to drop down 

 into one of these villages, nearly drown one's self in 

 the icy stream, and then lie back at ease on a cool 

 lawn shaded by the fruit trees, to watch the tents 

 being pitched and supper prepared. 



The natives in these villages used to crowd around 

 our camp and watch us in the processes of dressing, 

 washing, and eating, with insatiable curiosity, and 

 this was often so embarrassing that we were obliged 

 to have them forcibly driven away. They are a 

 strange-looking race, these Baltis, with their heads 

 shaven on top and at the back, but at the sides their 

 black hair growing long and falling in unkempt 

 locks, generally interwoven with bright yellow flow- 

 ers. Their dress consists of a single tunic of the 



