IBEX-SHOOTING IN BALTISTAN 141 



The music was afforded by six tomtoms, three flutes, 

 and a big horn, which as usual created the most pain- 

 ful discords imaginable, and the natives howled in 

 unison. 



It then occurred to us that we were ravenously 

 hungry, having had nothing to eat for eight hours ; 

 and as the luggage was still some distance back on 

 the road, we intimated to the Rajah that anything 

 eatable would be most acceptable. Tea was at once 

 brought in an enormous samovar, a kettle heated 

 by coals in a chamber inside, and wheat-cakes, 

 which we gratefully received, and did not stand on 

 much ceremony about falling to. The inner man 

 having been temporarily satisfied, we repaired to 

 our camp-ground, where the Rajah sat with us till 

 our tents were pitched, smoking from a water-pipe 

 held by a kneeling servant, and would not go even 

 when we were most anxious to take our evening tub 

 before dinner, though he looked at us in an appeal- 

 ing sort of way as if he too were quite ready to leave. 

 Finally an interpreter came from the Rajah's house 

 and whispered that His Highness had been awaiting 

 our gracious permission to leave during the last half- 

 hour. We gave it without delay, and are now wiser 

 on points of Balti etiquette. 



On the following morning the Rajah again ap- 

 peared, no longer in his bright green riding-suit, 



