earned ashore to his camp, where ended for ever
all conflict with contrary winds and tides, and a career
oi cunous interest and conscientious effort. As I
returned from my late stroll, Assiza was trolling out
in a full, fresh voice a sad little song, pinging a dismal
little accompaniment of minor chords and strangely
broken arpeggios.
LOVER’S LAMENT.
I would have taken golden stars from the sky for your necklace,
I would have shaken rose-leaves for your rest from all the rose trees,
And you had no need; the short, sweet grass sufficed for your slumber,
And you took no heed for such trifles as gold or a necklace.
There is an hour a t twilight, too heavy for mem’ry,
There is a flower th a t I fear for your hair had its fragrance.
I would have squandered youth for you, and its hope and its promise,
Before you wandered careless, away from my useless passion.
But what is the use of my speech ? since I know of no words to recall you,
I am praying th a t time may teach you your cruelty, not me forgetfulness.
Finding it hopeless to combat the melancholy suggestions
of the surroundings and the sad wail of my
retainer’s music, I concluded to retire, and trust to the
morrow for some cheering influence.
In the early morning my boatmen punted me across
to the other side of the creek, where we had been the
night before, past some islands with dimly-seen relics
of former great rulers, to a quiet little resting-place
beneath the village of Bandipura, now an important
place, being the starting-point for the Gilgit route.
Transport ponies are stabled here ready for the relief,
telegraphic and telephonic communications are kept up
with that distant outpost of the British I raj,” and stores
established for fruits and dried vegetables. Above
towered many giant heights, great Haramuk
seventeen thousand feet high, overshadowing the nearer
range of Gwash Brari. Its massive triple peak is
crowned by an emerald, so says tradition, powerful
enough to render all snake bites innocuous. Snow falls
for all the year, save for one week, on its rough sides,
and in the hottest weather its glistening rocks afford a
pleasantly cool vision.
My household was all out purchasing largely when
I was ready to go ashore, food-stuffs being very low in
price as compared to the more extravagant capital.
“ Fine chickens, five for one rupee,” announced one of
my retainers on his return from the bazaar. “ Eggs of
the finest, two annas a dozen; milk, twenty-four seers
a rupee! ” I quailed, for I foresaw the preparation of
an orgy, the eating of which would result in my instant
destruction, and the leaving of which would .cause the
face of my large-ideaed chef to be blackened.
Trusting for some means of escape when the hour
had approached, and with a brief command not to
create any delicacy that could mot be made to get comfortably
on my small dish, I tried to improve my
acquaintance with the female portion of my crew. My
task was not' easy, for Mrs. Assiza suffered from
shyness and a complete ignorance of all languages save
Kashmirian; but I was able, as I tried to make myself
understood, to admire her clear, rose-tinted, olive skin,
the straight nose and brows, and the fine, brown eyes,
set off by the tiny red cap worn under the homespun
head-covering folded squarely on the head. The