drivers, G-hulam Nabi, became ill through over-eating;
like many others who are addicted to the pleasures
of the table, he was very loth to believe that his
illness was due to this cause, and, as he continued to
gorge himself, his digestion grew worse and temporarily
incapacitated him from all work.
At this camp we rested for a day, and found it
very pleasant to rise late and while away the time with
the various odd jobs which continuous marchings render
so necessary.
It snowed during the night, but the ponies had
a good feed of grass and sufficient time for a nap
besides; actual rest and sleep was a luxury to which
they were quite unaccustomed, for as a rule their time
was fully occupied in trying to fill their stomachs.
Most of the ponies had lately improved in condition,
and were looking much better than when they left
Yeshil Kul, twenty-two marches back.
Hargreaves went out shooting in the morning and
brought back to camp a fine bag of game, consisting of
an antelope, a leash of hares and two brace of sand-
grouse. In the course of his expedition he came across
an old camping-ground which had been occupied only
a year or two before by a large number of men, yaks
and goats. A wooden bowl and a round stone wherewith
to wash gold were discovered, showing that
the men were probably gold-seekers, though no actual
excavations could be seen.
We moved on again next day through a country
rich in grass but poor in game. Hail and snow fell
during the march and thoroughly soaked the soil, and
as our bedding was always placed on the bare ground,
he dampness added one more pleasure to the joys of
etan travel and to the chances of rheumatism in
years to come.