Photographs of India

300 x 239 mm. View looking along the valley floor towards a distant, unidentified peak. The Hamta Pass is situated in the SE part of the Pir Panjal Range some 60 miles east of Dharmsala. Bourne was battling against great odds to get photographs in this area; after becoming separated from Dr Playfair he felt himself lost in this 'dreary valley eight or nine miles long, filled with boulders, ascending towards vast masses of snow visible in the distance.' After rejoining his companion he found that the weather was not suitable to take the views he wished to record and he had to wait several days to obtain even a small selection. 'By eight o'clock I had securely boxed three 12 x 10 negatives, when the clouds, which for the last hour had been fast forming and gathering round every summit, now closed round me and hid everything from view. Though I had now four negatives, they did not represent all that I wanted; there were two or three more views quite as good, if not better, than those I had, so I resolved to wait for the chance of a break. But, alas! No break came; rain and cloud drew an impenetrable curtain over all, and I was wrapt as in a shroud. But I waited on all through the weary hours of that day. The coolies shivering under their blankets, cast towards me many a wistful glance, wondering what possessed me to stay so long in such a place as this. It was not till five o'clock that another chance came; there was then a break, but only for seven minutes; but this was quite sufficient to permit me to secure one more negative, when the clouds reformed, and I packed up and descended to my tent, half starved, but not altogether dissatisfied with my day's work', (B.J.P., 24 December 1869, p. 614). Bourne no. 1454.

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