MY GUNS. 25 



sighted it myself to shoot four drams of powder 

 with an express bullet, making it shoot beauti- 

 fully at 150 yards. This weapon it was my in- 

 tention to have always with me, and carried it on 

 a bucket slung on a native cavalry-saddle, the 

 thing of all others for that kind of work, as it 

 carries all sorts of odds and ends, and if carefully 

 adjusted never gives a sore back, besides being 

 comfortable for a long day's march. When in 

 full marching order I filled it up in the following 

 manner : Behind the cantel I slung my carbine 

 in bucket on one side, my soldier's canteen for 

 food purposes in a leather case on the near side ; 

 on the D.'s behind the cantel was rolled a good 

 big Inverness cape made of thick puttoo (Kashmir 

 homespun), and in front a pair of wallets for any- 

 thing else. This arrangement I found most con- 

 venient, and never altered it during the whole trip. 

 On June i;th Bower arrived, and on the 22d 

 we bade adieu to our kind friends in Srinagar, 

 and started for Gandarbal, at the mouth of the 

 Sind valley. We were accompanied by Major 

 Johnstone Douglas 1 of the 5th Lancers, who in- 

 tended to march to Simla via Leh. 



1 The sad news of Major Johnstone Douglas's death at Simla 

 has reached me since writing the above. 



