124 H. C. Marsh— Description of a trip to the Qilgii Valley. [No. 2 



August ; then on again over desert till the Soneup stream is reached, which 

 flows from the peak behind the hills to the west, called Kumeregah, a day's 

 march off. Half the water is wasted, as is usual in these countries, owW 

 to carelessness and indifference : no tanks or dams are made to retain water 

 for the dry season ; water-wheels are also unknown. We forded the stream 

 sweet to drink, but icy cold, and rested in the village of Jutial just beyond' 

 from whence is seen, far below, the plain of Gilgit, with its Fort by the river 

 side. Here we had a great feast of grapes, rich clusters hanging within 

 reach of the road side. Throughout the country grapes are not picked by 

 the people before they are fully ripe. A day is fixed for the vintage, when 

 they are cut by the men and carried home by the women with great rejoi- 

 cing ; most honestly is this custom carried out, they do not object to a stran- 

 ger eating, but will not touch them themselves, they also impose a fine of a 

 kid on any one found trespassing. The old Justero of Minnor's little son 

 was brought to me for treatment, and on asking him if he had eaten any- 

 thing that morning, after a great deal of pressing and persuasion, he acknow- 

 ledged he had eaten some grapes ! ! ! A roar of laughter was raised at this 

 answer by the bystanders, as the old man would have to pay a kid for the 

 boy's fault. 



I had a deal of trouble and delay, caused by the frequent changing of 

 coolies, as they will only go from village to village. No amount of pay 

 could induce them to go beyond the next village ; for they hate carrying 

 loads, and do not care for the few pice they can thus gain. 



The plain immediately surrounding the Fort, the centre around which 

 the many villages are dotted, is about four miles long and two miles broad, 

 bordered by the river to the north, Jutial to the south and east, and the 

 heights of Nafur to the west. It is about 200 feet above the river, and is 

 plentifully watered by a canal, taken out four miles up the river ; on its 

 right bank it is well cultivated and peopled. 



On passing the first few houses of the village, the coolies asked me 

 where I should like to camp, so I chose a nice dry spot under a walnut tree 

 about 400 yards from the garden, in which lie the remains of poor Hayward, 

 who was murdered in Tassin in 1870. - 1 did not go near the Fort, because 

 of its disagreeable proximity to the Dogra sepoys, a dirty lot. The great 

 object in choosing a camping ground, is to escape from the musquitoes which 

 infest all damp places in the valley. 



Close to me were encamped two other travellers, who were having a 

 national dance performed by some Gilgitis. It was an animated scene, we 

 sat in the inner circle, and were surrounded by a large crowd of Dogras and 

 villagers, all attracted by the sound of the fifes and drums, to which the 

 dancers kept time. Some of the dances were ' Pas-de-seul', others again were 

 danced in a circle by a number of young men, the pace and gestures of each 



