8 IN KASHMIR. 



avoid villages, and keep on high ground, it was 

 possible we might get a markhor, and return 

 without our throats being cut ! 



Going to the foot of the Rupel glacier, I left 

 my camp standing, and taking half-a-dozen coolies 

 with necessaries, started to find my \vay over the 

 pass. This I did without much trouble, except 

 from my coolies, who kept collapsing, saying they 

 were dying, and could go no farther. However, 

 I got over at last, and curled up below the glacier 

 for the night. 



The next morning, making an early start, we 

 caught sight of some natives, and as neither ap- 

 peared to be very confident of the other, we had 

 a talk across the ravine ! After explaining I only 

 wanted a markhor, two of them started off for 

 the Malik (headman), while we agreed to remain 

 there for him. In a couple of hours he appeared, 

 and inviting me over to confer with him, we soon 

 became quite friendly. Grey-bearded and vener- 

 able in appearance, he reminded me of the patri- 

 archs of old, and very kindly offered me a hut, 

 and a man to show me the ground, the only 

 proviso being that I should make but a short 

 stay, for fear some other Malik might hear of me, 



