Every Ten Minutes
We Found Ourselves Aground Upon The Sand And Mud, And The Cooking
Boat Behind Us Followed Our Example, While The River Ahead Showed No
Prospect Whatever Of Deepening.
The Manjees, under the circumstances
performed wonders in the nautical manoeuvring line.
Jumping overboard
incessantly, they called upon Peer Dustgeer, their favourite patron
saint, to aid them in their difficulties, and shrieked and screamed
till the whole place resounded with their cries.
Sometimes the saints were stony-hearted, probably not being in a
humour to be shouted at, and then the entire body of silky-skinned
darkies would set to work, laughing and shouting, to clear away the
bar of sand. Their paddles forming in this operation, very effective
substitutes for spades and shovels, with much difficulty we reached
the lake, and about nine o'clock arrived at Baramoula.
Here the river ceases to be navigable, and abandons itself for a
short time to irregular and wanton habits, before finally sowing its
wild mountain oats, and becoming the staid and sedate Jhelum of the
Plains. Unlike some rivers, the Jhelum contains more water in the
middle of summer than at other times. Its principal resources are
the snows, and these mighty masses are so wrapped up in their own
frigid magnificence that it requires a good deal of warm persuasion
from the sun to melt their icy hearts to tears.
OCTOBER 3. - Took the road once more, and started for Muree. Our
train was increased by a couple of volunteer native travellers,
who were glad of our society in order that they might get clear of
the Maharajah's dominions with as little questioning as possible. Our
coolies numbered twenty-six, so that altogether our forces now reached
to thirty-eight. After a fine march, we halted at Nowshera, where the
dashing river afforded us an exciting swim before breakfast. Coming out
of the water, however, I had the ill luck to slip upon a treacherous
rock, and, falling heavily on my side, and so over into the rapid
stream, had some difficulty in fishing myself out again, and was very
near taking an unpleasantly short cut to the Plains. In the evening,
when the cook came to inspect the larder for dinner, it was discovered,
that, with an unusual want of presence of mind, a newly-killed sheep
had been left by mistake in the boats for the benefit of the already
overpaid boatmen. This was the third animal we had lost, from various
causes, during our travels, and the mishap most seriously affected
the success of our dinner arrangements for the day.
OCTOBER 4. - Found great difficulty in getting up this morning
after my fall, and still more in walking three miles, which I had
to do before finding a pony. The view was beautiful the whole way;
but we had been so gorged with scenery of all sorts and kinds,
that rugged passes, shady dells, waterfalls, &c., however precious
they may become in future recollection, were almost thrown away
upon us for the time being.
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