We were enjoying ourselves immensely, so when an official cover reached us with the signature of the dreaded Deputy-Commissioner in the corner, we agreed that it would be unwise to open it just then.
Khagan was almost buried in snow.

The scenery was magnificent, and became every moment more wonderful as we slowly climbed the steep ascent in front of us; range after range of snow-capped mountains disclosed themselves to our view, rising higher and higher into the air, until at last, towering above all, Nanga Parbat[4] in all her spotless beauty was revealed to our astonished and delighted gaze.
We could not get beyond Khagan.

Our coolies refused to go further, alleging as their reason the danger to be dreaded from avalanches in that month; but I suspect that fear of hostility from the tribes further north had more to do with their reluctance to proceed than dread of falling avalanches.

We remained at Khagan for two or three days in the hope of being able to shoot an ibex, but we were disappointed; we never even saw one.
We retraced our steps with considerable regret, and reached Habibula-Ki-Ghari on the 31st May.

Here we received a second official document from Abbottabad.