NATURALIST IN INDIA. 293 



I observed the red-billed curlew {IbidorhyncJiMs struthersii). 

 A few bearded vultures were hunting along the slopes in quest 

 of small animals, whilst the Indian vulture was soaring over- 

 head, and numbers of the common swift wheeled around the 

 precipices. It was late in the day when our baggage arrived 

 at the foot of the glacier, and fearing we might, not be able to 

 cross before night, encamped close by on a green sward, down 

 which ran a rapid torrent from the glacier, forming one of the 

 chief tributaries of the Kartse. Like many other streams of 

 glacier origin, we noticed a great difference in its size in the 

 morning compared with mid-day and afternoon, which was 

 doubtless owing to thaws and heat ; consequently, several 

 streamlets which had flowed in the afternoon were frozen at 

 night and up to mid-day. 



The view from the tent was unquestionably very grand. 

 Above us rose a towering peak, with its summit hidden in 

 clouds ; whilst half-way down a tremendous icebed fiUed the 

 valley, and stretched in one huge tortuous mass between two 

 pei^endicular ridges. The surrounding mountains presented 

 a succession of rocky and scarped sides, whilst a series of noble- 

 looking ranges filled up the background, and stretched away 

 as far as the eye could penetrate. It had snowed off and on 

 during the day, and now cold drizzling showers were con- 

 tinually recurring, so that the servants and coolies, for want 

 of better shelter, were driven to seek the cover of any project- 

 ing rock. Their little fires sent clouds of smoke upwards in 

 dense masses, whilst our Eupshoo goats and sheep, and my 

 jaded pony, grazed silently around our little canvas home, all 

 of which consorted weU with the grandeur and wildness of the 

 surrounding scenery. On the following morning the party 

 started in mist and rain, and after an hour's scramble gained 

 the summit of the pass, which is said to be 13,000 feet above 



