NATURALIST IN INDIA. 223 



without food all day, and fagged by a long and fatiguing 

 march, the alpine solitude only broken by the loud howling 

 of the wind overhead, and the creaking of branches ; nor 

 were our prospects promising, for after vain attempts to ren- 

 der the little shed waterproof, another downpour at 10 p.m. 

 left us no alternative but to place our beds under the drip- 

 ping roof, and resign ourselves to a hydropathic course of 

 treatment for the remainder of the night. 



The morning of the 27th of May was ushered in with 

 drizzling showers and a cold and cutting wind, which blew 

 with great force down the clearing in the forest. The ther- 

 mometer was 36°. We, however, continued ascending, 

 and soon found the pine gradually diminishing in size, and 

 being replaced by stunted birch-trees and juniper. Great 

 beds of snow were seen stretching across the summit of the 

 pass, which was covered with a fresh coating. As we toiled 

 up the steep ascent, wading to the knees, at times sinking 

 to the arm-pits in old beds, snow began to fall ; first in 

 occasional showers, and by the time we gained the top of 

 the pass a regular storm set in, so as to obscure objects within 

 a few yards. The worst, however, had to come. Our way 

 led through a large valley surrounded with steep ridges, and 

 across mountain-sides, where the guide had to trust entirely to 

 chance, the footpaths being all obliterated. Accordingly we 

 formed in line, treading in each other's steps, Halkett, Young, 

 and myself leading, with the coolies and servants in the rear. 

 It was an anxious march, for as we advanced the snow- 

 storm increased, until our bewildered guide reported that he 

 had lost aU landniarks, and that we must trust to Providence. 

 On we scrambled through the snow, until suddenly the 

 storm ceased, and we looked around on a boundless waste of 

 white, dotted here and there in the long distance by our ser- 



