group—rough, hard, determined-looking Kanjutis, in long loose woollen robes, round cloth caps, long curls hanging down their ears, matchlocks slung over their backs, and swords bound to their sides ; the timid, red-faced Kirghiz ; the Tartar-featured Ladakis ; the patient, long-suffering Baltis ; the sturdy, jovial little Gurkhas ; the grave Pathan, and a solitary Englishman, met together here, in the very heart of the Himalayas, in the robbers' stronghold. It is on thinking over occasions like this that one realizes the extraordinary influence of the European in Asia, and marvels at his power of rolling on one race upon another to serve his purpose. An Asiatic and a European fight, the former is beaten, and he immediately joins the European to subdue some other Asiatic. The Gurkhas and the Pathans had both in former days fought desperately against the British ; they were now ready to fight equally desperately for the British against these raiders around us, and their presence had inspired so much confidence in the nervous Kirghiz that these even had summoned up enough courage to enter a place which they had before never thought of without a shudder.
I now found that the Hunza chief really meant to receive me, and the man in charge of the outpost informed me that an official would meet me on the other side of the Shimshal Pass to welcome me in the name of the chief. So we marched on towards the pass for another three and a half miles, to a camping-ground called Afdigar, where grass and low willows and other scrub for firewood were plentiful. A number of small side nullahs were crossed, and each was lined with a wall of defence. Seven Hunza men came on with us, and the Gurkhas quickly fraternized with them, winning their hearts by small presents of tobacco. I also gave them a good dinner, and their tongues were gradually loosed, and on that and other nights that they were with us they told us many interesting things about their country. They complained, much of the
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