Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/247

Rh give way in great masses. We had this day several tough ascents from, and descents to, the bed of the Braldoh River, close to which, at one place and all within a mile of each other, were three hot-springs, their temperature 137°, 122°, 117° F., all sulphurous, the water issued in small quantities yet enough to make good baths if required.

On reaching Chokpojong, I started again at once, so as to reach the summit of the mountain above by evening. A fine view was thence obtained up the Hoh Loombah, with its large glacier and branches. Next day I proceeded to Dusso, and remained there till night, as the Zuks or skin-raft had not come up. On the ridge above Dusso is the holy rock of Shanasir Pir, which is an enormous round block of granite, jutting out just below the ridge, but overtopping it. The block itself is quite inaccessible, and all the people tell you so, and it is this I suppose that constitutes its sanctity; but they also add that on the top is a velvet embroidered cushion, a lump of gold, and a white spotless fowl, and that it is the residence of the Pir. The rock is held in great reverence and the people salaam to it every day; nevertheless the villagers of Dusso and Nigit are about the worst of any about here, and many a thing is laid to the account of the Shanasir Pir, which may be well accounted for otherwise. Thus any small article which might be missing in the morning, was gravely said to be a miraculous disappearance by his intervention. The skin-raft arrived in the course of the night, and the next morning we went down to the river and embarked. The men expected that we should reach the opposite bank near a large rock; but though they exerted themselves to the utmost, we soon saw that this was quite impossible, and we were swept past it some 50 yards distant, and went down the river at a mad pace, causing that curious feeling of excitement which a sense of some coming danger always produces; nor were we long kept in suspense. The boatmen or rather raft-men behaved with great coolness, and steered safely close to the edge of a bank of boulders which lay on the right; we passed also some ugly waves beneath the cliff on the other side. Thus we went along all right for about half a mile. Nothing could be seen ahead but white curling waves and foam, with great black rocks here and there: into the midst of this our raft glided. Mahomed and the manjis repeated the Kulmah or Mahomedan Creed in a rapid whisper, as we were carried over the crests and down again into the troughs between the curling waves. At one time I did not expect that we should come out of them; for whilst in the trough a great wave broke right over our frail raft, and completely buried us. I held on, but for several seconds did not know whether some of my people had not been swept off. For a moment we came to the surface, the manji shouted, “Ya Ali, hold tight!” and in