IBEX GROUND NEAR THE SIACHEN GLACIER

(Being Extracts from a Diary written in 1909.)

Lieut.-Col. O. L. RUCK.

IN May 1909 I went up the Nubra valley to the Siachen glacier ; and I give these notes and extracts from, my diary in the hope that they may be of use to sportsmen who wish to try their luck in those parts. I believe that no better ground for ibex can be reached on a two-months' shoot.

17 th May. Marched from Leh and camped under the Las wan La. The Khardung La is still impassable, and up to now no party has yet crossed the Laswan La this year.

18 th May. Crossed Laswan La (about 16,400 feet) : Joined by a dozen Ladakhis, who came over with us. Heavy snow. Camped at Digar. Quite warm.

19 th May. Marched to Kharchar, about 16 miles ; very sandy and hot. Forded Shyok twice, 2 ½ to 3 feet of water. Passed Tsati, 2 P.M.

20th May. Left Kharchar 6 A.M. Thirit 8 A.M. ; changed yaks to ponies. Panamik, 8 P.M. A hot, sandy march, over alkali plain. Welsh terrier's feet got blistered and we had to carry him in a basket.

21 st May. Marched from Panamik 7 A.M. ; passed Arunu and Kimi; changed ponies at Arunu ; reached Zongsa, 4 P.M., passing the big moraine at the entrance to the Saser route.

22nd May. Marched up to Laguyok, fording the Nubra three times ; passed a Gompa with yellow-capped Lamas—the last habitation up the Nubra. Formation after Gompa, 1000-ft. cliffs straight up each side of Nubra bed. Saw 4 male ibex.

23rd May. Saw several herds, nothing big ; four with horns over 40 inches and one very old male with no horns.

24 th May. Marched up to the head of the Nubra valley and camped under the snout of the Siachen glacier, under a cliff on right bank. Went about a mile up the glacier, but found ground near snout most promising. At the snout, on left bank, immediately opposite my camp was a grand-looking amphitheatre, about 1500 yards wide, and a mile and a half deep—very good grazing, water, ice, snow and precipitous peaks to take cover in, all handy. I called it the " Punchbowl " from its shape. A " Punchbowl " cut in half vertically describes it, the back of the bowl being a mass of 22,000 to 24,000-ft. peaks, on the other side of which is the Rimo glacier7 Spotted a herd with 14 bucks in evening from camp. Estimated two heads at over 45 inches ; visibility poor.

25th May. Crossed the Nubra with three ponies, blankets and grub and two men. Found a nasty ford about 50 yards below the snout. The stream flowed from underneath the snout, which was 15 to 20 feet high, black and dirty, and seemed to be in retreat. There were two separate channels, each being about 50 yards wide, with 50 yards between them ; depth anything from 3 to 10 feet ; bottom consisted of boulders as big as a cow—one or two seemed to be the size of a cottage ; current about 8 miles an hour ; Nubra bed 300 yards wide.

We crossed over and into the " Punchbowl " fairly easily. Found yesterday's herd about 600 feet up. Shot a good head 47| inches, and saw three more, one about the same and two bigger. I put them down at close on 50 inches.

26^th May. Up the " Punchbowl " looking for yesterday's " big three." At midday, from about 1000 feet up, Hooked at the camp across the river-bed, and could see through my glasses that the stream was now a swift-foaming torrent in a single main channel, although at 8 A.M. it was as we had crossed it yesterday.

My companion, a Takza man, and I did not take long to descend that thousand feet, meeting on the way the other Arunu man who— stout fellow—had loaded up the ponies and come to find us. There was no way out of the " Punchbowl " except across the river. We were in a cut de sac, so we each put our arms round the neck of one of the little Yarkandi ponies, and half swimming, half scrambling and floundering, they took us across to a point on the opposite bank about 200 yards below.

The stream was then five to fifteen feet deep, with a current of about 15 miles an hour, and about 200 yards wide. I take off my hat to the Yarkandi pony as being the toughest but one of God's transport animals—the first place, of course, going to the army mule.

Two hours later we should have been caught in the " Punchbowl." There was no apparent reason for the sudden rise, sky and temperature remaining unaltered.

27th May. Marched down to Zongsa. Missed an ibex about 44 inches en route. Water increasing.

28th May. Up Zongsa nullah ; rough going. Saw several herds—nine good heads—in evening ; one 45 inches.

29th May. Up Zongsa nullah after a good head. Came up with him after a 4-hour stalk, but he bolted with a smaller one ; and in the hurly-burly shot the smaller one, 40 inches.

30th May. Marched down to Arunu. Picked up a 39-inch head brought down by ice.

31^st May to 2nd June. Marched up the Thulanbuti valley to Tutyailak to look for burrhel. Saw many but all small round the Thulanbuti. Went up to Mamostong glacier and saw several herds, one of 200 head. Saw nothing bigger than 24 inches, which I shot under the Mamostong.

3rd June. Marched to Panamik. Saw a herd of ibex in Zing- moche and shot a 45|-inch head.

4th June. Panamik to Thirit.

5th June. Thirit to Leh over the Khardung pass (17,600 feet). Marched 3 A.M. ; reached crest of pass, 12 miles, at noon; Leh, 3-30 P.M. Yaks arrived in evening, having done very well, 24 miles with Khardung pass in the middle.

In the above extracts I have given notes from my diary from Leh onwards, but details of the journey from Leh to Panamik can be found in any good Kashmir guide-book. Distances are approximate, and where I have been unable to verify them, the names of places are as I jotted them down according to the pronunciation of the " locals."

It will be seen that the left bank of the Nubra is better for sport than the right. I only saw a few herds on the right bank and one or two pairs of horns brought down by the ice and snow. The difficulty is to get on and off the very best ground, which I have called the " Punchbowl," owing to the very heavy and sudden spating of the glacier stream. To avoid this difficulty as much as possible, the crossing of the range between Leh and the Nubra should be made as early as the passes are practicable.

The notes are twenty years old and several men must have been there since I shot over it for the first time. Nevertheless I believe that the " Punchbowl " will never be shot out, owing to the uncertainty of access. Even if the “Punchbowl " cannot be reached, there are good heads to be had lower down the valley.

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