till noon. On waking and attempting to stand up, I found my knees almost locked and unbendable. Taiz Singh, who understood the art of shampooing thoroughly, soon restored the action of the joints, rubbing in plenty of salad oil; and the day of rest was thoroughly appreciated. We had done three long marches and close on 14,000 feet up or down, and been on our legs twenty hours almost on end.

CHAPTER IX

THE UPPER VALLEYS AND COUNTRY OF THE BHOTIAS

We were now about to enter the upper valleys of the great Himalayan range. The province of Kumaon, under British rule, includes the country of the Bhotias up to the confines of Tibet. The name Bhotia applies to the upper hill tribes, which are not Hindustani and not Hunia, but an intervening race speaking both languages generally, their own being of an intermediate type. In the Kumaon province there are the districts of Bians, Dharma, Chaudans; also Juhar and the Milam and Niti valleys.

The most difficult portion of the journey to the summit of the range lies where the traveller emerges from the deep valleys of the lower hills through the most precipitous defiles to the upper Himalayas, where the valleys are broader and more open, the climate much cooler, and instead of dense jungle there are grassy slopes and tall pine forests.

The route lay along the course of the Kali river, which, rising under the cluster of snow-clad peaks which form the main divide between British territory and Tibet, descends through the Bians valley, and forms the boundary between Kumaon and Nepal. It is joined at Titlakot by the Dhauli, which comes down from the Dharma valley. Between the two lies the district of Chaudans, which culminates in the snowy peak of Irvajung, 21,500

feet. On the Nepal side stand Namjung, 18,470, and the very conspicuous peak of Api, 20,000; mountains little known to fame and never explored by white men. Above Titlakot commences the country called Bhot. The Bhotias are a fine highland race, possessing some of the Tartar character of the Tibetans. They are a most intelligent and industrious people, and live by trading; also they grow some barley and oats in their valleys, and keep sheep, goats, cattle, yaks, and numerous ponies, which they breed and graze on the grassy slopes of the upper hills. The Bhotia ponies, called gunts, are notoriously good, sturdy, sure-footed animals, twelve to thirteen hands high, and can carry any weight. They climb anywhere a man can go, and their feet are so hard that they require no shoes. The religion of the Bhotias is allied to Buddhism, but they believe largely in fairies or deities of the hills, and they are not particular about caste. They spin and weave the hair and wool into strong rough cloth of which their coats and loose trousers are madeand blankets, which are heavy and soft to keep out the cold. They migrate south in the winter to the lower valleys, and in the summer cross into Tibet and bring down salt and borax, which they get from the Hunias, on goats' backs; and they return northward with flour and rice. Their villages are built of stone, with balconies and flat roofs of mud; and numerous poles surround the houses with white flags, which flutter in the breeze to keep off the evil spirits.

To reach this country one must pass through the defile of the Kali river, which is very deep and narrow, cut down between a whole cluster of lofty peaks, for four long marches. The river roars perpetually between precipices of rock, the height of which must be anything up to 10,000 feet above the river, covered with dense jungle of

spruce, silver firs, and pines of the usual sorts, besides sycamores, horse - chestnuts and oaks. Sometimes the path rises to pass the top of a precipice 1,000 feet above the stream, then again it descends by steps cut in the rock to the very edge of the torrent. The next outjutting crag is more difficult to negotiate, and iron pegs have been let into the face of the rock in places, to support a gangway made of poles and loose stones laid on top, overhanging the roaring waters which race and foam at its base. In one place the cliff is so hollowed out that a stone falling from this rickety gallery would drop on the Nepal side of the river.

In the rains traffic is entirely stopped, as landslips usually cut the road. Being an important trade route between Hundes and India, the Bhotias by custom supply men from every village annually to repair damage done in the monsoon, otherwise it would be quite shut up. The Indian Government, being anxious to encourage trade for the benefit of its subjects, Bhotias and Kumaonis alike, does not levy any duty on the salt brought into India by these passes. Everywhere else the salt is a dutiable product, and a source of great revenue to the Exchequer. If the import of salt on the backs of sheep and goats were stopped, then the flour, rice, sugar, and tea grown in India would cease to find a market in Tibet, and the Bhotias, who are good subjects of His Imperial Majesty, now well-to-do and driving a good business, would be starved and ruined. Having struck the Kali river at Darchula, we had to tramp steadily along the hot low valley for three marches, following this, the only, track, to overtake Mr. Drummond, who had gone on ahead. The view from some points of the road looking upwards is remarkable. The immense height of the great mountains on the Nepal side, to which there is no access or

bridge over the river, is realized. The precipices often overhang and impede the view; at other places the hillside slopes back at an angle of 50 degrees, clothed with fine forest of pine and silver-fir trees, towering above one another to such a dizzy height that the top seems three or four miles up in the air. The trees outlined against the sky, tall groups of conifers, seem no bigger than pinpoints. Some day these forests will be explored, and yield great stores of noble straight deals; but for many years to come they will grow in peace, a truly grand stretch of primeval jungle.

We came across several Bhotia encampments and large droves of strong, big goats accompanied by their drivers. The goats were allowed to graze on the surrounding slopes, while their loads, in double bags or packs made of strong yaks' hair cloth, were piled in heaps while the men cooked their food. They chose places where there were caves and overhanging rocks to afford shelter from rain. They kept great hairy Tibet dogs, exactly like the Maremma wolf-dogs, with pointed noses and ears and bushy tails, to guard their flocks from leopards. Where the goats or sheep are grazing you always see two or three of these big fellows lying on different points of rocks as if asleep; but they are keeping a sharp look-out for their prowling enemies. At night the goats are driven into the caves, around which walls are built, and on these the faithful dogs sit watching, and giving the alarm if leopards come round. I have myself seen two of these dogs, which I purchased from the Bhotias-one yellowishwhite with long silky hair, the other black, like a big sheep-dog, but much larger and heavier-tackle a leopard which came at dusk round my camp, and succeed, after a sharp scuffle, in scaring him off, greatly to the relief of my ponies, which, tied near the tents, were trembling