are now no volcanoes in the Himalayas.  Its lips are rugged and serrated like the teeth of a saw, and form a very perfect circle I cannot tell the depth of the basin, but on the further side I can see that the edge rises perpendicularly to a considerable height, and at the bottom of it I just got a glimpse of a steeply sloping floor.  On its exterior are deep grooves containing strong blocks, which at this distance appear to show by contrast of colour their igneous origin, but I cannot speak positively on this point.  My Bheistie to whom I gave three days leave to visit his family, came in saying he had walked one hundred miles.  He does not look any the worse for it.

JULY 30th.—­Another short march of five miles to Soorapra, a small village around which stand several enormous hills, half obscured by clouds, for it is a thoroughly wet day, drizzling rain having fallen ever since my arrival.  It is very cool and pleasant, but I have got up too far and am now in the rainy region, so to-morrow I shall retrace my steps, three or four marches would take me over the Himalayas into Ladak.  This would be an interesting trip, but there still remains much for me to see in Kashmir, and I have not time to do both.  Passed another, but smaller and less perfect crater.  Some natives brought a young black bear, which they had just caught to show me.  It was no larger than a good-sized dog, but had very long sharp claws; its expression was anything but ferocious.  A dense pine and walnut forest extends down one of the hills to the verge of the village.  I was strolling in that direction, not a hundred yards from the huts—­before the arrival of my baggage—­when two men ran after me and begged me to come back on account of the number of tigers there.  I imagined they meant leopards, but on making enquiries I find cows are carried away, which could not be done by leopards.  This would be a good ground for the sportsman, but no Europeans come here as it is off the regular track up the valley.  I crossed the river this morning by a ricketty bridge built of a couple of firs, on which logs were loosely laid, leaving the main road which runs along the other or right bank.  Just behind my tent a stream of deliciously cold and transparent water issues from the hill side; a rough sort of shed is erected over it, and the water is conducted a short distance in a wooden trough, from the end of which it falls to the ground.  It is the custom in Kashmir to build over the springs and esteem them holy.  No mosquitoes up here, delightful prospect of a good night’s rest.

JULY 31st.—­Back to Kungan in one march, but did not encamp on the same ground as before, as I found a better place by the side of the river.  I have been thinking all the morning about my future career, whether I shall obtain the appointment in the Guards that I have applied for, (my application has by this time reached England) if not, what will they do with me when I get home, or shall I remain