Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 137.djvu/115

1885.] of magnificent pines. Being in a hollow, and having a vast catchment-area of encircling rock, there ought to have been water in plenty; but here, as elsewhere, the previous ten months of drought had dried up ponds and the hidden sources of springs. That night was spent miserably enough. Sleep visited few. Each man kept turning his body round and round, like a joint on a spit before the kitchen fire, according as the part affected felt frozen or roasted. A happy mean betwixt heat and cold was impossible, because one had to lie on the lee side of a log-fire or run the chance of being roasted to death or suffocated. Towards morning men dozed off, and the sun was well up before the thawing process was sufficiently advanced to let the most active prepare breakfast.

The inner man warmed and renovated, the northern peak (11,300 feet), locally called Ubashta Tzuka, or Juniper Point, from a presumably lucus a non lucendo reason, was scaled, and found to be quite easy walking. Though the view disclosed was vast, commanding an area of more than 40,000 square miles, it was disappointing. On all sides, except directly southwards along the dorsal ridge of the main range, which was black with pine-forests, the country looked like a crumpled sheet of brown paper, with here and there a glistering atom of mica on it, indicative of water. However, the surveyor was satisfied. He managed to "shoot" all his points, and that was the main thing. That night was spent much as the former one, and next evening, towards sunset, the Pazai Bivouac was reached once again. There, a mile below, shone the white tents of the standing camp, with all the luxuries it contained – water to wash in, the steaming stewpan with its savoury contents, and the delicious certainty of a sound sleep at night. Some went down at once, but the majority had to stand fast. The indefatigable R.E. major, balked of placing his triumphant theodolite on Solomon's own particular seat, insisted upon the necessity of a good base-line, and therefore of a southern as well as a northern station. He had his way as usual; and next morning, strongly escorted, reshot all his points from a suitable peak to the south of our bivouac. Whilst he was so employed, the sepoys both warmed and amused themselves by lighting large bonfires. A herd of markhor – the chamois of the locality – seemed in no way disconcerted at our noisy intrusion upon their solitudes; but grazed on unconcernedly immediately below, until they came so near that one could have dropped a stone on to them. Their confidence was not misplaced, as, had a volley been fired at them, the picket at the Pazai Bivouac might have been disturbed; and had the signaller there flashed down to the General, "Heavy firing in survey direction," some one would have got a wigging which the present of a haunch of venison might not have averted. About noon a cloud was observed to the south, an unusual sight for us. It seemed to be in a hurry to deliver some message with which it was charged. It sailed along towards us, skipping from peak to peak, and leaving the summit of each covered with its whitest note-paper. It reached us in time, and delivered its message in the same polite way, softly, silently. The message was easily read. All mountain-climbers know it and obey. It ran – "Time up; you must vacate my premises." We did so. The indefatigable major shut up his umbrella and grudgingly grumbled forth: "I have done. It's a pity, though, I missed two points over Quetta."