108 GHULAM MUHAMMAD 



keep trust in Provision, who was a servant of everybody. On this the Yaths sent " Trust " 



to the wolf, and he came with him to the ruler of the Yaths. The object was explained to 



him and he said that a bird called Garai Patan, who lived on the snows on the 



Coxus Mountain, should be sent for at once. Provision was first made the messenger; but 



the bird declined to come; whereupon Trust was sent to him and he came to see Bojare 



Shaland YamloHal Singh. Bojare Shal now sent for a mouse which lived close to his home. 



When everything was ready the wolf gave orders that Yamlo Hal Singh should stand 



in water as a pillar upon which Gorai Pattan should spread his wings, while the mouse by 



the making a hole into the ice should bring out and spread all the soil over the wings of 



Gorai Pattan. The orders were obeyed and the wings of the bird covered all ,the water, 



while the mouse brought out all the soil which was beneath the water. In this way the 



earth was turned over the water. 



X.* 

 " Neelo But" (The Blue Stone). 



There used to be at Gilgit a blue stone called " Neelo But," about a yard square, 

 where the present telegraph office is situated. No king was acknowledged in the 

 country unless he had resorted to it and prostrated himself before the stone. There and 

 then the people adorned his head with a crown, swore fealty and tendered their allegiance. 

 This was the clay when all the better class would gather to see the new " Ra " perform 

 all the ceremonies, and undergo all obligations considered necessary to the office of leader 

 of the nation. This was done in order to secure their confidence by a man who was to 

 become sole director over their destinies, among them being many who had taken an 

 active part in bringing him to the throne and proclaiming him their chief. 



When the ceremonies were over, all came one by one to kiss his hands, to receive 

 his blessings and to bless him in return. They would then dance to the beating of drums, 

 make merry, sing praises and recite poems describing the heroic deeds already performed 

 by the Ra, his ancestors and others whose lives had become endeared to all by self-sacri- 

 fice in the cause of their country. 



The danyal (soothsayer) was not left out on this occasion, for it was necessary to 

 foretell the future of the king and his courtiers, and to exhibit the state of ecstacy that 

 accompanies prophecy by the soothsayer. Before being dismissed at night all present 

 partook of a feast ; some were gratified with handsome khilah and other distinctions ; 

 some gratified by a gesture of kindliness 



The Ceremony of Shri Bai. 



Shri Bai is the name of a goddess who, as the people say, lived on a rock at 

 Nangam, a village in the Astore district. The rock too is called Shri Bai, and is always 

 kept covered with branches of juniper, while an attendant called "Boh Bin" resides there 

 to look after it. Barren women used to sacrifice goats to and pray before the sacred 

 stone in the hope of progeny. In the hot weather, when the people had gathered their 



* [See also p. 103 antea. — Ed.] 



