288 WANDERINGS OP A 



not time to mark the characters sufficiently, but on going to 

 the spot, I observed a very large animal skulking through 

 the cover. It had no spots on its sides, and from its great 

 size I felt certain it was a tiger. The natives, however, posi- 

 tively deny that the tiger is ever seen in the valley ; but, judg- 

 ing from their accustomed timidity, I can fancy it is seldom 

 they wait to note the appearance of such visitors. 



Our little party broke up on the 29th of July, Halkett pro- 

 ceeding to Simla, by Piti and Konawar, whilst Young and 

 myself made up our minds to hurry back to Cashmere and 

 employ the few remaining weeks of our leave of absence in 

 hunting the Cashmere stag. It is painful at aU times to part 

 with a good companion, especially one who has shared your dis- 

 comforts as well as pleasures, and deeply so when you feel 

 that there is no hope of that good fellowship being renewed 

 under the same pleasant circumstances. 



On the 30th of July we bade farewell to our kind friend. 

 Shortly afterwards it commenced to rain, accompanied by a 

 cold biting north wind, which at last ended in a heavy snow- 

 storm, and we were driven to seek the shelter of the rocks, 

 until approaching night compelled us to encamp on the cheer- 

 less hiU-top without the means of prepariag our dinners. On 

 the following morning we were off again by another and 

 nearer route across the mountains to the Tooskee Lake, where 

 /we just arrived to encounter another heavy snow-storm, as 

 sudden in its onset as on the previous occasion. The ther- 

 mometer sank 30 degrees in half-an-hour, and hail and snow 

 lay thick around us. All rushed towards the little stone hovel 

 near the spring, to find it occupied by a party of Tartars and 

 their asses and sheep, which were laden with bags of salt and 

 flour. It is a serious matter in these regions to get caught 

 in a storm, as dried yak's dung and furze are the only fuel 



