Transcriber's Note:
Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as
possible, including some inconsistencies of hyphenation. Some
changes have been made. They are listed at the end of the text.
Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
OE ligatures have been expanded.
DIARY OF A HUNTER.
THE
DIARY OF A HUNTER
FROM
THE PUNJAB
TO THE
KARAKORUM MOUNTAINS.
LONDON:
LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, AND ROBERTS;
NORWICH:
HENRY W. STACY, HAYMARKET.
M.DCCC.LXIII.
NORWICH:
PRINTED BY HENRY W. STACY,
HAYMARKET.
PREFACE.
It is hoped that the circumstances under which this volume appears
may be considered such as to excuse its imperfections. It is--with
some omissions and completions of sentences but with hardly a verbal
alteration--the copy of a journal, not written with a view to
publication but simply as a private record, kept up from time to time
as opportunity offered in the midst of the scenes which it describes.
The hand that wrote it is now in the grave. And it is solely in
compliance with the wishes of many relatives and friends who were
anxious to obtain such a memorial of one whom they loved, that it is
now committed to the press by a brother.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER. PAGE.
I. PREPARATIONS AND EQUIPMENTS 1
II. TO SIRINUGGUR 7
III. SIRINUGGUR--TO THE WURDWAN 28
IV. SHIKAR IN THE WURDWAN 48
V. DITTO 67
VI. DITTO 89
VII. SOOROO PASS TO LADÂK 109
VIII. LADÂK 135
IX. LEH 157
X. TO THE SHAYAK 176
XI. TO THE KARAKORUM 196
XII. SUGHEIT 225
XIII. THE YÂK 249
XIV. THE RETURN 264
XV. LEH AND LADÂK 285
XVI. THE BARA SING 302
XVII. CASHMERE 324
[Illustration: Browne. Lith. Norwich.]
CHAPTER I.
PREPARATIONS AND EQUIPMENTS.
POSSIANAH, PIR PANJAL,
29th _April_, 1860.
An attempt at a Diary, with the intention of recording my adventures
and experiences in an excursion contemplated in Cashmere and adjacent
countries--that of Ladâk being a principal object--during six months'
leave from my duties at Amritsir.
Several times in former days have I resolved to keep a journal, or jot
down briefly the incidents and experiences of each passing day. But as
often, after the lapse of a few days, have I failed to persist in the
undertaking: whether from infirmity of purpose, or idleness, or from an
utter contempt of the 'small beer' I had to chronicle, I do not myself
know; and whether I shall be more successful in this present effort
remains to be seen. Primary indications are not promising, as I have
now been 'en route' from Amritsir, from the 16th to the 29th, thirteen
days, and have excused myself, on one ground or other, from making a
commencement until now.
To be in order, I must note my preparatory arrangements, detail my
supplies--their quality and quantity--the number and office of my
attendants--the extent of my stud, and the amount and nature of my
sporting equipments; especially this latter, as the chase, or, as it
is called in India, 'shikar,' is with me a sort of mania, and all that
appertains thereto is to me of very great importance. Therefore, as a
guide for myself, or to advise others on some subsequent and similar
occasion, I must minutely specify my shooting apparatus and fishing
appointments, and, in the course of my diary, especially take note of
efficiences and deficiences in this respect, as occasion may demand.
To commence with the most important part of my travelling
establishment,--the servants,--there was, First in consideration,
the khansamah, who unites the duties of caterer, cook, and director
general of the ways and means. Secondly, the sirdar or bearer,--the
individual who, in this land of the minutest division of labour, looks
after the clothes, bedding, &c., and assists in dressing and washing.
He was a new hand, hired for the occasion, as my regular sirdar had to
remain behind in charge of my property. Thirdly, the bheestie, who,
in addition to his ordinary duties of fetching water, undertook to
assist in cooking, washing up dishes, &c., for the consideration of
three rupees additional wages, which I thought preferable to hiring a
mussulchee, as the fewer attendants one has on the road to Ladâk the
better, considering that for some marches all provisions and food have
to be carried for the whole party. Fourthly, the classee, in whose
charge were the tents and their belongings, &c.--his duty to accompany
and pitch them. Fifthly and sixthly, two syces, grooms, in whose charge
were my two ponies: one of which was a stout animal from Yarkand,
a famous animal for mountain travelling: the other a good-looking,
good sort of pony from Cabul, which I bought at hazard, taking him
according to description in an advertisement, and he seems likely to
justify fully the account given of him.
In addition to these attendants, I agreed, after consultation with my
excellent friends, the missionaries of Amritsir, to attach to my party
a native Catechist, who by birth claims to be a Cashmiri. He has been,
however, brought up and educated in the Punjab; where, when serving as
a khitmudgur or sirdar, he became a convert to Christianity, and has
for some years been in the employment of the Amritsir Mission. He has
been in Cashmere and Ladâk, and understands the language of the former
country. The object of his accompanying me is to circulate the Gospel
in Bibles, Testaments, and tracts, which I received for that purpose
from the missionaries, having myself first suggested the possibility
of my being able to promote the spread and knowledge of the Christian
Faith and Hope, by means of these books, in the heathen lands to
which I was going,--intending to distribute them personally should
opportunities offer. But the co-operation of the Catechist was a sudden
after-thought of one of my good friends, the missionaries; which, as it
only had birth two days before I started, was rather embarrassing to
mature and act upon. But after the project had almost lapsed, owing to
some misunderstanding resulting from the excited and unsettled state
of mind of Suleiman, the Catechist, consequent on so sudden a summons
to start, with little or no preparation, on such an arduous journey,
leaving, too, a wife and family--she in a delicate state--it was
finally arranged that Suleiman should accompany me at my charges.
My retinue was again unexpectedly increased by engaging a Cashmiri who
presented himself to me as I was returning home from breakfast at mess.
He shewed me a certificate of character, stating him to be an useful
servant, capable of any personal attendance required by a traveller
and hunter. He had the strong recommendation, too, of an intimate
acquaintance with the country of Ladâk, and the routes north and east
of Cashmere, together with the sporting localities, the haunts of the
yâk (wild cattle), and the kyang (wild horse); so thinking him an
acquisition I closed with him at twelve rupees per month, and directed
him to proceed to the rendezvous at Bhimber.
Having thus enumerated my personal attendants, I must now mention my
coolies, Cashmiries, twenty of whom I engaged at five rupees a month to
convey my baggage to Sirinuggur, the capital of Cashmere.
My stores, and all articles that could be so disposed, were packed
in long baskets, called kheltas, which the Cashmiries hoist on their
backs, strapping them to their shoulders: and with them they carry a
stout crutch about two feet high, on the cross-piece of which they rest
their load when pausing on the road, and taking breath in ascending
mountains--an excellent mode of relief as it does not cause them to
shift or put down their load. They only straighten their backs, so that
the khelta rests on the crutch; and when refreshed again bend to their
burden and trudge on, often--too often for the early arrival of one's
baggage--repeating this process.
This mode of hiring coolies answers admirably. They are returning
to their homes in Cashmere from Amritsir, to which grand emporium
for Cashmere goods they had brought loads of merchandise in the
commencement of the cold season, and it is to them, of course, a piece
of good luck getting return loads. They all appeared strong, sturdy,
well-limbed men, and got away with my traps, my servants and horses
in company, the whole under charge of my khansamah, Abdoolah, on the
evening of the 8th April.
I must not forget, in my catalogue of live stock, two little dogs, of
no particular merit, but dear to me as affectionate companions after
their kind.
I had made ample provision for my creature comforts, having been told
by an experienced traveller, and having gleaned from books of travel,
that the Ladâk country is sterile in the extreme, and consequently
possesses little of what constitutes by habit the necessaries of an
European.
I took 4 tins of bacon, 1 case of maccaroni, 1 ditto vermicelli, 2
ditto biscuits, 1 tin of cheese, 3 pots of jam, 7 bottles of pickles,
24 lbs. of tea in 3 tins, and 3 lbs. for immediate use, two 8-lb. boxes
of China sugar, and some 5 or 6 lbs. I had by me, 3 bottles essence
of coffee, 7 lbs. raw ditto, 2 bottles fish sauce, 4 various ditto, 3
bottles lime juice, 2 vinegar, 2 oil, 6 lbs. candles, besides which
Clarke's patent lamp, and lots of candles, 6 bottles brandy, 12 sherry,
12 beer, to which I added, carrying with me, 6 bottles of hock and 6
claret--some of a batch arriving the day I left, which, having ordered
expressly for the mess myself, I was anxious to taste. I took, by way
of medicines, 12 drams of quinine, a box of Peake's pills, one phial
chloridyne, some Holloway's ointment and sticking-plaister, with some
odds and ends I do not remember. This was my stock.
Of fire arms, I took a double rifle by Blissett, 10 bore--one heavy
double Enfield, ditto--one rifle, military pattern, by Whitworth--one
double-barrelled Westley Richards for shot; 8 lbs. powder, good supply
of bullets, shot No 3 and 6, caps, wads, &c.
These guns were taken from their cases and placed in a woollen case,
then in a leathern case respectively, this being, I think, the most
convenient way of carrying them, four of my servants having charge,
each of one. Two Colt's revolvers and ammunition, shikar knife and
belts, knives for skinning, four boxes arsenical paste, from Peake and
Allen, cleaning rods, bullet moulds, and all the paraphernalia of a
sportsman.
Of fishing-tackle, a large salmon-rod, a common trout-rod, a gaff, two
large winches, one small; stout plaited silk line, and hair for the
small rod, a variety of flies, and a good supply of spinning tackle
and hooks, on which, from past success, I principally depended. Being
without good spinning gear, I had some hooks, or rather the spinning
contrivance to which they were fitted, made by a 'maistry' in Amritsir,
after a model I had given him; and very well he succeeded. The system
of hooks was devised and fitted by a young brother officer, an ardent
devotee of the gentle craft, and clever at all kinds of fishing gear.
Having the year previous killed some good fish in a fine stream 'en
route' to Cashmere, I anticipated some sport this time.
My tents were, the one a small two-poled shikar tent made very light,
about 12 ft. long by 7, which for the present trip I had covered so as
to resemble, in some degree, what is called a Swiss cottage tent; the
other was a small thing, just big enough to put a bed in, and carried
altogether by one coolie: the bigger one takes four. I had also a
folding wooden bed, and lots of bed clothes, &c.
I have now enumerated all I recollect of my equipment, a good stock of
suitable clothes being understood.