CHAPTER X
Hurrah for the storm-clouds sweeping !
Hurrah for the driving r a in !
The dull earth out of her sleeping
Is wakened to life again.
— Will Ogilvie.
Of waves and whirlwinds—A lake with many flowers, narrow
waterways, and fa ir women—Return to civilisation and
green vegetables.
I f the day had passed quietly the night was to be full
of emotions. When I went to bed the sky looked clear.
We were securely tied up in a good position for an early
start next morning, and I turned in, leaving on my table
my finished letters to be posted in Srinagar, and a chef
d’ceuvre in the way of a freshly-trimmed hat, wherewith
to make my entry into the capital, for even in Kashmir
woman’s natural vanity is not entirely killed. About
one o’clock a strange sound filled the air, and I had
hardly quite roused myself from sleep when the cries
of my men, “ Tufan” (whirlwind), “ tufan is on us,”
mingling with the roar of the sudden storm, restored me
to full consciousness. Through the length of the boat
rushed the wind, tearing away supports, pulling a t the
“ chuppars,” for all had been left open because of the
heat The boat swayed, straining at her ropes, and m
one second, in spite of wild efforts to save my most
precious belongings, lamp, papers, jacket, and new fiat
were all overboard, blown, by the one piece of good
luck that came to me that night, on the land side, where
the majority of my effects were retrieved from
the muddy bank. The men made great efforts
to get the boat away from the open spot where
she had been trying to shelter further up the
little stream, but torn forward by the fierce tufa
their strength was powerless against such might, an
it seemed an even chance whether the boat would bodi y
upset or be saved by the rending away of its covering
that were making it so top-heavy. As suddenly as
had risen the wind went down once more, the boat was
towed to safer quarters, and further sleep seemed
possible. Just as we were settling ourselves for thi
there was a shout from a boat above us *md once “
the tufan was buffeting us about. H M f g
taut, chuppars fast closed, ropes firm,
merely swayed in her efforts to swing with ^ fierce
current. In spite of the increased security I thought
it best to be ready for a swift departure if anything
untoward B j tike place, and,
cloak I lay in the well of the boat outside the tigfi y
H M sides and waited. The
of the dawn was stealing into the sky sending teeble
glelms toough the torn grey clouds, hurrying across
H R at the mercy of fte temUe g j p M t
destruction that had worked such B E Wm havoc on us. Wild from the tormented trees, and were
answered by the fierce roar of the waters tumbled into
a g r e a t foam-crowned wall that hurtled through the