J840.] Journal of a trip through Kunawur, fyc. 49/ 



from Dunkur some days afterwards, the ropes were still lying at Pokh, 

 and no joola had been conveyed across, so I conclude that the expe- 

 riment had either failed, or had not been resorted to, although I forgot 

 to make the inquiry. 



On the heights, in the neighbourhood of Pokh and Larree, the 

 wild sheep is said to abound, but there were no hunters in the villages 

 to send in quest of them, and the only one of whom Soomra could 

 lately boast, was now no more. 



In the past winter he had described a flock upon the heights behind 

 his village, at no great distance, and seizing his matchlock had started 

 for the chase which was destined to be his last. Night came and 

 passed ; the day succeeded and passed also, yet no hunter returned ; 

 and at last alarmed at his prolonged absence, his son started in search 

 of him, but all in vain. The traces of his footsteps were followed for 

 some distance up the mountain's side, when, as if the hunter had been 

 spirited away, or vanished into air, they suddenly ceased at a large 

 fresh field of broken snow. Days and weeks passed on, and the won- 

 derful occurrence of his disappearance had begun to be forgotten, when 

 a sudden thaw took place, and his body was seen yet fresh among the 

 snows, at the place where his footsteps had ceased. His gun was 

 in his hand, and he lay as if in a sound sleep ; but he was cold and 

 stiff, for he " slept the sleep that knows no waking ;" he had been 

 smothered in an avalanche from the heights above him. His were the 

 fields at Soomra which we saw lying barren and neglected, for his 

 family had left the place. 



Of birds, we saw but few, and they were chiefly the raven, and 

 two species of chough, or red-legged crows. Chikores were abundant, 

 and the shrill whistle of the Bhair, or Ladak partridge, was occasion- 

 ally heard high up among the snows. Of the smaller birds, none 

 but the hardy little sparrow was seen, and I could not help think- 

 ing that he, like the sons of Britain, appears in every corner of the 

 earth. 



Leaving Pokh at sunrise on the morning of the 17th of June, we 



travelled for about three miles along a flat and extensive plain, strewed 



thickly over with boulders of every size. From this we ascended a 



short but steep hill, in a N.W.b.W. direction, the river taking a 



somewhat sudden turn, forming an elbow, on the outside of which 



stands the village of Maness below the ManSrung pass, a difficult and 



3a 



