\\\E-UNIVERy//) CAUFO% ^ "^ -O* <^ v tNIVERJ//, LIBRARY*?/ ^ X \IOS ANGEL ERS/A -1 ! BR ARY-9/ \\l LI BR ARY O/ tJ -4 4 ***' - " . - A 4 ^ \l ^ ^ ^ JJ h? ^ a JJ IfK .\\T. r ;r r NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY FROM CAUNPOOR TO THE BOORENDO PASS IN THE HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS, Viit GWALIOR, AGRA, DELHI, AND SIRHIND: BY MAJOR SIR WILLIAM LLOYD. AND CAPTAIN ALEXANDER GERARD'S ACCOUNT OF AN ATTEMPT TO PENETRATE BY BEKIIUR TO GAROO, AND THE LAKE MANASAROWARA: WITH A LETTER FROM THE LATE J. G GERARD, ESQ. DETAILIIsG A Visit to the Shatool and Boorendo Passes, FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING THE LINE OF PERPETUAL SNOW ON THE SOUTHERN FACE OF THE HIMALAYA, &c., &c., &c. With Maps. EDITED BY GEORGE LLOYD. VOL. II. J. MADDEN & Co., (LATE PARBURY & Co.) 8, LEADENHALL STREET. 1840. LONDON . E. TARTY, 27, CAMOMILE STREET, BISHOFSGATE. DS 7 v.Z. BOOK II. * CAPT. ALEXANDER GERARD'S NARRATIVE. INTRODUCTION. The Editor takes the liberty of extracting the passages below from some recent letters from Captain Alex. Gerard to him, in order to explain several portions of the following Narrative. " You will see that the letters were written on the spot, in a very hurried manner; sometimes after a fatiguing journey of eight or ten hours on my feet, for I had no other conveyance, except once, when I got a pony for nine or ten miles. " The whole, with the exception of the notes which I have marked J. Gr. Gr., was written by myself, but my brother wished his name to be put down, as he accompanied me part of the way, as VOL. II. B far as Sungla, but he was obliged to leave me on the afternoon of the 23rd of June (1821); so as far as Sungla, 28th June, are letters I wrote to an intimate friend. All the rest were addressed to my brother James at Soobahtoo. " From the 23rd June, until I reached Kotgurh, I was entirely alone, " I should now say something regarding the heights of the principal places, which you will find somewhat different from those published in the Calcutta Journal, but not very much. As my letters were originally written on the spot, I of course had no correspondent observations of the barometer, and I took them as I had found them in former years at Soobahtoo. After my return, I recalculated them from corresponding observations taken by my brothers, Patrick and James, so those I sent are by far the most correct. There is also a difference between my heights and those by Captain Herbert, in vol. 14 of the Asiatic Researches, sometimes I believe 300 or 400 feet. This is easily accounted for. In the first place, Herbert had no barometer, whilst I had two of the very best, by Dollond. Herbert's heights were calculated from the boiling-point of water, a degree of the thermometer being equal to 500 feet, whereas it requires half an inch of the baro- meter to make that difference. Again, the degrees of the thermometer are so small, that they cannot be minutely subdivided. " When Herbert was at Soobahtoo, he made several comparisons between his thermometer and my barometers, and a difference of a degree, and sometimes a degree and a half, in two different trials, even in the space of a few minutes, was no uncommon occurrence. This arose from the dif- ficulty of making the water always boil the same, the least alteration in the state of the fire would make this difference ; but you may take down the barometer and put it up again, and there never will be a difference of the two hundredth part of an inch, equivalent to five feet, even if the mercury in the cistern is lowered and readjusted. Besides, Herbert had no correspondent observations, whereas I always had at Soobahtoo or Kotgurh, B 2 or both places. Even Herbert allowed that my heights were more accurate than his, as he was aware that his thermometer could never be com- pared to my mountain barometers. The differ- ences in the heights in general are very little, and Herbert deserves great credit for getting them so correct with such an instrument. " With regard to the latitudes, where our places of encampment were the same, I do not believe the difference ever exceeds more than a few seconds, which is of no conse- quence, since I have only put them down to single minutes, which is correct enough for most maps. I could give them to seconds were it necessary. The longitudes are different. Mine were reckoned chiefly from Soobahtoo, where I got at least twenty immersions and emersions of Jupiter's first Satellite, nine occul- tations, two solar eclipses, and fifty or sixty lunar transits. I also observed satellites on the route, as you will see by the narrative. Herbert's and my longitudes do not, however, differ more than a couple of miles at most, if so much. It is now many years since I examined them, so I speak from recollection. When Herbert and I observed at Kotgurh with different telescopes, and different chronometers, each taking his own time, there was never once a single second difference in the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites." BOOK H. CHAPTER I. SNOWY PASSES. Departure from Rol: ascent of Shatool 15,555 feet above the level of the sea: Musquitoes : halt at the Pass: return part of the former route : ascend Sheear Pass . grand Scenery : descend to Jangleeg, crossing the Seepon river : fruitless attempts to induce the people to accom- pany us to Soondroo Pass. We left Soobahtoo in the beginning of June 1821, and the first part of the way was travelled expeditiously, that we might have more leisure. We were well supplied with instruments. We had two perambulators, three theodolites, one of which was by Troughton, divided to 20", a 50-feet chain, a 5-feet standard scale, by Dollond, two 8 excellent 10-inch sextants, graduated to 10", a Troughton's reflecting circle, and two mountain barometers, by Dollond ; these last were of the most improved construction : they had glass cis- terns, scales of eighteen inches, which could measure heights of 23,000 feet, and all the neces- sary adjustments ; we had spare tubes, filled and boiled by Dollond, to fit into the frames, thermo- meters, and several other instruments, besides a capital transit and chronometer. From Soobahtoo to Rol is 101 m. 4 f. June 6. Rol is a small division containing five villages, in Chooara, one of the large districts of Busehur ; the villages are from 9000 to 9400 feet above the level of the sea, which last is the highest inhabited land in this quarter on the south-western face of the Himalaya; the crops are wheat, barley,* ooa,f p'hapur, and peas ; the upper limit of cultivation is 10,000 feet, and the grains frequently do not ripen. * Barley. Hordeum hexastychon. f Ooa. Hordeum caeleste. J P'hapur. Fagopyrum esculentum. Having reduced our baggage, and completed our preparations, we left Rol at 3 P. M., intending to halt at the highest trees ; the footpath at first was a gentle ascent upon turf, it then rose rapidly through a beautiful wood of oak, yew, pine, rho- dodendron, and horse-chestnut, with some beds of juniper ; we overtopped the forest by half-past 4, and a mile of good road upon grass brought us to Boochkal Pass, which is the highest limit of forest. The barometer showed 19.465 ; the tem- perature of the mercury 63, and that of the air 51, answering to an elevation of 11,800 feet ; the rest of the way to our camp at a halting-place named Reoonee, on the bank of a rivulet, 4| miles from Rol, was extremely difficult and tedious, leading amongst piles of loose stones, that seemed to have lately descended from the cliffs above. Our camp was at the height of 11,750 feet, and around were stunted birches, dwarf oaks, pines, and juniper, and two plants resembling rhododendron, one is called talsar* by the natives, and the leaves, when rubbed, emit a strong aromatic smell ; * Talsar. Rhododendron aromaticum ? 10 plenty of thyme and cowslips flourished in a moist, black, rich turf, not unlike peat, which might pro- bably burn well when dry. June 7. Water froze, and at sunrise the ther- mometer was 35. The road to Shatool makes a bend to the eastward, and as we had travelled it before, we struck across the ridge to see if we could discover any thing new. We ascended the verdant slope of a grassy glen, decorated with odoriferous flowers, the summer abode of shepherds and their flocks ; we passed many rills trickling amongst turf, and at half-past eight halted in the chilly recess of a huge granitic rock, near a rivulet, arrested in its precipitous course by frost ; after observing the thermometer, which was 45, we proceeded alternately through snow-beds and swamps. The snow became more frequent till we attained the crest of the ridge, where it is con- tinuous at this season, although next month it will be dissolved ; here the barometer was 18.320, and the temperature of the air 42, equal to an ele- vation of 13,450 feet ; from this spot we descended upon angular fragments of gneiss, granite, and 11 quartz, jumbled together in wild disorder ; every step was dangerous and fatiguing, and we were somewhat tired when we reached our halting- place at Kunneejan, a distance of only 5 miles. Our guides started objections to our proceeding further to-day, so we indulged them in their own wishes. The height of this place is 13,400 feet, and the ground is but seldom seen at this season, there being much snow around, and in the bed of the Undretee River, one of the branches of the Pubur, which rises near Shatool. There was no want of many various beautiful flowers where the snow had melted, but there were no bushes, and the fire-wood was brought from the last camp. From this spot the piles of stones at the Pass, now half buried in snow, were clearly visible, and the great eastern peak, named Dunerko, had a formidable appearance ; the ascent seemed no less appalling, for the crest was nearly 2200 feet above us, and the angle seldom under 25; here and there a solitary rock projected its black head, but all else was a dreary waste of unfathomable snow, aching to the sight. To the E. and S. E. was 12 seen a low part of the Himalayan Chain. Its alti- tude is considerably less than Shatool, but it is rendered impassable by a perpendicular wall of gneiss, that forms an impracticable barrier for several miles. During the day the thermometer did not rise above 43, and at sun-set it was 34. June 8. At day-break we heard, as we had often done before, at these elevations, the sound of the wings of large flocks of pheasants, passing to the southward over our heads ; these birds live at the edge of the snow in general, and come lower down as it descends; in winter they are rarely seen under 6000 feet ; there are many species, amongst which are the Golden and Argos Pheasant. At sun-rise the thermometer was 29, and the ground frozen hard ; at this time, and for an hour afterwards, we observed the shadow of the eastern peak of the Pass, projected upon the sky in a beautiful black streak. By the advice of the guides we did not move till half-past nine, as they said we should other- wise find it difficult, from slipping, to ascend the 13 snow-bed before the sun's rays had melted the upper surface. We reached the crest a little past eleven, dis- tant two miles and a half, and the ascent, although laborious, was easier than we expected, for the snow generally sunk two inches, and afforded good footing, so we had to cut steps in but few places. The barometer, during our halt here, ranged from 17.040 to 17.120, and the thermometer from 24 to 41, which, compared with corre- spondent observations at Soobahtoo, gives 15,556 feet for the height of this pass ; the barometers used were those by Dollond, and it is worthy of remark, that the height now deduced is only two feet more than what my brother James made it last year by barometers of our own construction. We were astonished to find the snow com- pletely covered with an insect resembling a mus- quito. They were in a state of torpidity, and we thought them dead ; but breathing upon them caused them to jump about, and the sunshine revived them. The rocks here are chiefly mica-slate and gneiss, 14 with some granite ; the direction of the strata is almost perpendicular to that of the range, which forms a series of inclined planes sloping to the E. and E. S. E., at an angle of from ten to twenty degrees with the horizon. In some places the stones are pure mica, yielding easily to the hatchet, so by clearing away the snow, and cutting the mica, we got a place for our small tent. This was the first camp that was ever pitched here, and we were the first people who visited Shatool this year, indeed nobody had crossed the pass since September last, when my brother James effected the passage with great difficulty, and lost two of his servants, who were frozen to death at mid-day ; we found the body of one in October, about a month afterwards, and that of the other was discovered eight or ten months later. Strange to say, our servants, inhabitants of the hot plains of India, were the only people who would remain with us ; our hill-porters, and even the guides, who were constantly in the habit of cross- ing these mountains, went down to pass the night in a sheltered ravine, two miles beyond our former 15 camp. We had plenty of fire-wood, so we de- tained ten of our servants with us, and as we could not keep a fire in the tent without being in- commoded with the smoke, we regaled ourselves with the hookah, cherry-brandy, and rum-punch, to keep out the cold. June 9. At sun-rise the thermometer was eight degrees below the freezing-point ; we slept but little during the night from headaches and difficulty of breathing, and the chilling wind whistled through the tent, and kept us in constant alarm lest it should come down; for the ropes were indifferently secured, by a few short iron pins (the only ones that would penetrate the rocks), and some stones to which the ropes were tied. We found some mosses on the few rocks, and saw several birds like ravens and linnets. Here, as at all lofty Passes, there are piles of stones erected by travellers, to propitiate the Deotas or Spirits of the mountains. This evening we had a smart shower of snow. June 10. The thermometer was 26 at sun- 16 rise. We marched at half-past eight, and in an hour reached our former camp at Kunneejan, having slid down upon the snow beds a consider- able part of the way. We proceeded down the dell of the Undretee, crossing the stream frequently by arches of snow, and passing over the ruins of recent avalanches, we gathered some leeks in full bloom, at 12,000 feet. The first bushes we met with were the Talsar, or Aromatic Rhododendron ; these were succeeded by birches, oaks, pines, horse-chestnuts, and roses; at noon we reached the lowest point of the road, where the barometer marked 20.010 or 11,000 feet, hence the path ascended very steeply through a thick tangled wood, it was often rugged, and sometimes tedious, from our slipping back several feet upon the dry leaves of the pine ; at 2 P. M., we encamped on a pleasant spot at the height of 12,300 feet, just above the limit of forest, on the bank of a rivulet named Deengroo, which rushes down a steep de- clivity of a single rock in a flood of sparkling spray. The distance from Shatool is seven miles. The ground is a rich sward, cut up into 17 innumerable grooves, by a large kind of field-rat, without a tail.* There was a shower of sleet and snow in the evening, but it did not lie on the ground. Our halting-place at Reoonee, across the Undretee, was visible ; there the range is grassy, has a gentle slope, and there is little snow ; on this side of the river the mountains are precipitous, showing large portions of naked rock ; this is the case with all the Himalayan valleys, the face exposed to the N. W., being invariably rugged, and the opposite one shelving, and it may be remarked that the roads to the most frequented passes are on the gentle declivity. We found the leeks pretty well tasted, but they would have been better had they been younger. June 11. At sunrise the thermometer was 35, and water froze. We marched at nine, and had a laborious ascent of a mile and a half; the path was very steep, and crossed several snow-beds, inclined at an angle of 20 or 30. Here we were obliged to * Spalax. (Mus typhlus?) VOL. II. C 18 cut steps with a hatchet, which delayed us much ; the next mile was less dangerous, but fully as tire- some ; it led amongst gigantic oblong blocks of mica-slate and gneiss, disengaged from the im- pending crags that frowned above us ; the latter part of the way to Sheear Ghat was better, and it rose gently upon snow and turf. This Pass is 13,720 feet by barometer. The ground here is plain for about 100 feet. It is a swampy turf, sinking some inches. From this spot the prospect is extensive; towards the Plains on the S. W., appeared the Choor mountain, 12,143 feet by barometer ; on the east the flanks of Boorendo, but not the Pass itself; and to the S. E., snowy summits of immense altitude in the direction of Jumnoutree, rose one above another, in majestic disorder, presenting mountains of perpetual snow towering to the clouds. The source of the Pubur at the foot of Goonas Pass was visible, and beyond it one of the huge Ruldung peaks, upwards of 21,000 feet ; across the Pubur to the S. E. is the Chasheel range, through which are several Passes between 13,000 and 14,000 feet; below us were 19 seen dark forests of oak and pine, and still further down, the villages of Rol and Jangleeg, with their green meadows and crops, interspersed with horse- chestnuts in bloom. From Sheear we descended upon soil, grass, and turf, and at the limit of forest we observed the barometer 19.560, equal to 11, 800 feet; this is the general height of trees on the southern face of the Himalaya ; the northern slope is not so steep, and has more soil, which is for the most part formed of decayed vegetables ; it is better wooded than the southern declivity, and the trees extend higher. Three miles of a gentle descent, through a stately wood of tall oaks and pines, brought us to Tangno, a small district comprising five villages ; we passed abundance of thyme, strawberries, raspberries, nettles, thistles, and other European plants. The height of this place is 8800 feet, and the houses are shaded by horse-chestnuts, walnuts, and apricots. We wished to visit Soondroo Pass, and although we promised a large present if the guides would conduct us to the first snow-bed, nobody would c 2 20 consent. After stopping some time, we marched at 5 P. M., and in an hour reached Jangleeg, 9200 feet ; we descended 600 feet to the Seepon, and thence ascended 900 feet. At the union of the Seepon and Pubur, the streams are of consi- derable size ; they are pent up between crags nearly perpendicular, overhung by oaks and pines, most part of whose roots are bare ; the declivity of the land is very great, and the torrents dash with extreme fury over rocks, and exhibit nothing but a sheet of white foam. On our arrival we sent for the most intelligent people to inquire about Soondroo and Yoosoo Passes, they told us that the inhabitants of Tangno only were in the habit of crossing them ; we made large promises if they would show us the way, but to no purpose; we called other people, and received the same answer, and after collecting almost every body in the place we dismissed them, as it was very late : shortly afterwards two of them returned, and on condition of receiving a handsome reward, said, they would conduct us to Yoosoo, but they would 21 not visit Soondroo upon any account. You shall have a description of Yoosoo in my next from Boorendo Pass, where we intend to halt a couple of days. Distance travelled to-day, llf miles. Camp, Jangleeg, llth June, 1821. 22 CHAPTER II. SNOWY PASSES. Preparations for Yoosoo : ascend and cross Bundajan Pass 1 4,854 feet .- encamp on the bank of a stream at 1 3,650 feet, without fire-wood : visit Yoosoo Pass 15,887 feet in height: return: re-cross Bundajan, and strike off to the Eastward to Lectee on the way to lioorendo. June 1 2. We made preparations to visit Yoo- soo Pass, by reducing and packing our baggage, and taking only the most necessary articles with us ; we sent the rest of our baggage to the highest trees towards Boorendo. We marched at noon, passing the highest cultivation at 10,000 feet. At first the way ascended steeply through woods, intersected by rills, trickling amongst soil and turf; we passed the dry bed of a lake, covered 23 with the most beautiful verdure ; a little further we met with several caves, formed of large rocks of gneiss and granite, projecting out of the ground, and making an angle of twenty or thirty degrees with the horizon ; there were eight or ten of the same kind, more or less inclined to the N. W., and at each were some posts stuck into the ground, to serve as a support for a covering to shepherds, who reside here in July, August, and September ; we then took leave of the trees, and ascended gently on the summit of a range, which separates the Seepon from the Pubur; we en- camped at a place named Beemchutur, in a fine sequestered hollow, sheltered from the chilling winds. The height of our camp was 11,950 feet, the oaks and pines were upon the same level, and the birches extended a very few feet higher ; we found a single patch of snow in the shade of the rocks ; this glen continues for half a mile, and ends in a bare rocky mountain on the N. E. We had a fine view of the dell that confines the Seepon, it is bounded on the N. W. by a grassy spur of the Himalaya, about 14,000 feet, 24 the slope is gradual, and over it leads the road from Tangno to Zhanee, in Koonawur, by Soondroo Pass, said to be high and difficult, crossing a double range of snowy mountains. On the S. E. is the ridge upon which we halted, that divides the Seepon from the Pubur : in this place it is not above 12,000 feet, but it rises higher towards the Pass ; to the N. E. the river takes a sudden turn, and is lost to view ; in this direction appear lofty mountains, at an angle of 13 or 14; one is about 18,000 feet; it has a broad table summit, and, for 3000 feet down, it is completely white with snow. To the S. W. the glen joins that of the Pubur; on either side, to the altitude of 1 1,500 or 12,000 feet, this valley is clothed with thick woods, presenting a variety of lovely tints; the trees, in general, are oaks, covered with lichens and creepers, of many curious forms ; amongst them is thinly scattered the light-coloured ever-green pine, and above all appears a yellow belt of birches, intermixed with rhododendron. These are the last trees, but the talsar and juniper reach nearly a thousand feet higher; towards the 25 source of the Seepon the trees grow stunted, and in the form of bushes ; they rarely go beyond 11,400 feet, they seem to shrink from a near ap- proach to perpetual snow, and this remark applies to all the valleys on the southern face of the Himalaya. The Seepon rushes furiously through the glen with a loud noise, heard from our camp at least 3500 feet above its bed. The dell of the Pubur is narrower than the other, and it is not so well wooded ; on the left bank of the river the mountains are precipitous, and the forest is mostly pines, broken into stripes by numberless ravines ; the altitude of this range is about 15,000 feet, and the snow lies deep for 2000 feet down, wherever it can find a resting- place; the limit of trees there is 11,800 or 12,000 feet, but on the right bank of the Pubur they scarcely rise to 1 1 ,400 feet ; this difference of the elevation of forest is remarkable in the Himalayan glens, which, for the most part, run almost per- pendicular to the range, or from N. N. E. and N. E. to S. S. W. and S. W., on the declivity towards the N. W., which we before observed is 26 most abrupt, the trees in general rise several hundred feet higher than those on the opposite face, and, in some instances, the difference exceeds 1000 feet. The distance of to-day's march is only three miles, and we might have gone much further, but the guides objected, as there is no fire-wood nearer the Pass. June 13. Water froze, and the thermometer was 38 at sun-rise; at this height (12,000 feet) water appears to freeze every night, unless during the periodical rains. We marched at seven A. M., and ascended for a short way upon soil and grass, we then lost all vestige of a footpath, and scrambled for half a mile over fragments of rock, shaking under our feet at every step ; after clearing this ruin with difficulty, we had three miles upon the summit of the ridge, alternately upon sward, black soil, swampy ground, of the temperature of freezing, sinking over the shoes, and snow-beds, the upper three inches of which were partially melted. We reached Bundajan Pass, where the baro- 27 meter showed 17.585, the temperature of the mercury 48, and that of the air 35, which gives 14,854 feet ; we observed several birds like linnets, and had a good view of Yoosoo Pass, which seemed to be about three miles distant, and had an ele- vation of 3 59'. The dell of the Seepon, between Bundajan and Yoosoo, is shut in to the N. E. by snowy moun- tains upwards of 17,000 feet, amongst which the river has its source; the descent to the stream seemed gradual, and not above 700 feet, and the ascent to Yoosoo looked also gentle. Imagining we could visit the Pass, and also return to this spot, we ordered the baggage to the nearest trees. From Bundajan we descended easily for a few hundred yards, but the path became so steep that it was necessary to cut steps in the snow, and the bottom of the valley appeared so far below us, that we were sure we could not reach the pass and return ; we therefore ordered the baggage to the bank of the Seepon ; the descent was fully 1200 feet, and the angle from 30 to 34, all a sheet of pure snow ; several of the people slid 28 from top to bottom ; I had no intention of doing so, but my foot slipped, and down I went with velocity ; this is an easy and expeditious mode of descending snow-beds. The Seepon, or as it is here called Yoosoo, after the Pass, is broken into several streams ; we crossed all but the principal one by arches of snow; the largest which we forded is 40 feet broad, and six inches deep, the bed is full of pebbles, and the margin, which is snow, is washed by the river. The distance from last ground is five miles ; we encamped at the height of 13,650 feet, near the bank of the stream, upon the S. E. face, which is free from snow, and covered with short grass, but there are no bushes ; the rocks here and at Bundajan are gneiss. This dell is like the other Himalayan valleys, the N. W. face is craggy, and the angle of the slope is often 50, there is no vegetation, and the lowest 500 or 600 feet, are concealed by unfathom- able snow, which has descended from above, and is the accumulation of ages ; Bundajan is by far the most gradual acclivity, and consequently the 29 snow lies there in quantities. The S. E. aspect again is more gentle, its inclination being from 20 to 30 ; at this season the snow is melted to the height of 14,000 or 14,500 feet, and there is a good deal of grass near the river. The level space in the bottom of the glen may be a bowshot across; here and there a few pebbles are seen, but with the exception of the principal channel of the Seepon, and some openings partially disclosing the smaller branches, the rest is a bed of snow six or eight feet thick ; the river flows smoothly in an expanded bed, and this dell only wants wood to make it a delightful spot. In the evening we took a walk of a mile down the valley, to where the Seepon seems to have forced its way through the mountains ; we pro- ceeded over snow-beds, crossing the stream by arches of ice of enormous thickness ; now and then the river was visible undermining the snow, and passing below huge vaults, whose lower surfaces were formed of ice, clear as rock-crystal, from which the water dripped in showers. A few inconsiderable streams take their rise on 30 the abrupt side of the dell, but from the other innumerable rivulets descend from the melting snow-beds, some making a bound of several hun- dred feet, over a perpendicular cliff, others bursting from the side of a mountain, and immediately forming large torrents, that leap from rock to rock in a succession of glittering cascades, whilst a few gush out of the ground, and trickle down the mountains with a gentle murmur. The further we went, the glen became more contracted, till at last it was bounded by mural rocks of granite, with the Seepon forcing its pas- sage between them in impenetrable obscurity, under immense solid heaps of indestructible ice running in ridges, and studded with tumuli of snow, shaped like inverted bottles ; the fall of the torrent here appears to be above 20, but it was not measured, the theodolite having been left behind. We noticed several flocks of birds like gulls, skimming along the surface of the Seepon, but we could not get near enough to take a shot. At sun-set we returned to camp, if it may be 31 called one, for we had no tent of any kind ; some large stones served as indifferent shelter to our people, who as well as ourselves passed the night without fire. June 14. The ground, and even our beds, were frozen, the thermometer was 24, and from having no firewood, being exposed to the bleak and chilling winds from the vast snow-beds, and the sun being concealed by lofty cliffs, our situa- tion was neither comfortable nor cheering ; a few biscuits supplied the place of a warm breakfast, and cherry-brandy was a capital substitute for tea; our attendants seemed like ghosts, and we could not get them to stir before eight o'clock. We sent our baggage to Leetee, a stage a little above the limit of trees nearest Boorendo, trusting that we should fall in with them in the evening. We then set out on our visit to Yoosoo ; we formed a motley group : first went the three guides, who promised to conduct us to the pass ; they looked not unlike banditti, which indeed they formerly were ; but we knew well that they could be trusted ; they were clothed in a brown- 32 coloured coat of woollen ; as a girdle they wore a rope of many folds, made of goats' hair ; in which was stuck a hatchet to cut steps in the snow, and a knife in form of a stiletto ; their cap was of black woollen stuff, like a cone, and upon the whole they made a savage and formidable figure ; next came my brother James and myself, just as terrific as the guides : we had long beards, our clothes were partly Asiatic, partly European, and all the skin was taken off our faces by the sun and glare from the snow ; behind us were eight of our ser- vants with the perambulators, theodolites, baro- meters, &c. We found the ascent extremely tire- some, although the road was pretty good, but whe- ther from the little rest we had the night before, or from what, we were so completely exhausted at first, that we halted every hundred yards ; we ob- served the thermometer every minute almost, in order to show the people we were doing something. We purposed several times to turn back, and we certainly should have done so, had we not been ashamed before so many people, some of whom 33 we got to accompany us by much entreaty ; after ascending a mile and a half, we partly got rid of this debility, and pursued our way to the Pass. We crossed several inclined snow-beds in the ravines, and the last mile and a half lay over a field of snow ; we reached the crest about eleven, completely tired; them ercurial column was 16.940, the temperature of the mercury 55<>, and that of the air 35, which, calculated from cotemporary observations made at Soobathoo, gives 15,877 feet for the height of Yoosoo Pass. The peaks on each side seemed about 800 feet above us ; the rocks, inclination and direction of the strata, are almost exactly similar to those at Shatool. Gneiss is most prevalent, but there is some granite and a good deal of mica-slate. At the top there is a plain, covered with snow, of 400 or 500 yards, and the ground then slopes suddenly to the valley of the Sutluj. This Pass is situate far in amongst the Himalaya, and we consequently had not a good view ; the Jumnou- tree peaks were seen bearing S. 25 E., and Pur- geool N. 51 E., under an elevation of 1 11', VOL. II. D 34 which agrees well with the former measurement of that mountain. We left Yoosoo at noon, and proceeded directly down the snow-beds ; we some- times ran, sometimes slid, and in a short time reached our former camp ; after a halt to observe the thermometer we commenced the ascent of Bundajan, and, with frequent rests, we arrived at the top in one hour ; the snow sunk from four to six inches, which was a great convenience to us. I before noticed that the angle of inclination is sometimes 34, and I think this is the utmost that a person can ascend upon snow, unless it be furrowed, or steps cut ; hence we descended upon broken slate, intermixed with snow, and at two p. M. observed the barometer 18.655, upon a level with the highest juniper, answering to 13,300 feet; after descending, often steeply, for three miles, on the bank of a rivulet, we fell in with the direct road from Jangleeg to Boo- rendo, whence to camp was an almost impercep- tible ascent, along the face of a range with the Pubur a short way below us on the right. This day's march was upwards of twelve miles, and it was late when we arrived. 35 Here we found the whole of our baggage We encamped on a pleasant green spot, at the height of 1 1,600 feet ; the trees do not attain this elevation on the face exposed to the S. E., but on the opposite side of the Pubur they reach to 12,850 feet. The river was unfordable, so we had to send back a full mile for fire-wood. This place is called Leetee, from a stream so named, which rises in a snow-bed on the north, and forms a beautiful waterfall ; opposite us was seen Galre Pass to Lewar, which is between 14,000 and 15,000 feet high, and leads over a spur that runs down from the Himalaya, and divides the valley of the Pubur from that of the Gosangro, one of the branches of the Tons. Camp Boorendo, 16th June, 1821. We intend to visit all the Passes near this ; so, as we shall be several days amongst the snow, I shall not have an opportunity of writing till we reach Sungla, D 2 36 CHAPTER III. SNOWY PASSES. Ascend Boorendo Pass 15,121 feet: cross the great outer Himalayan chain : descend and enter the romantic valley of the Buspa : visit Neebrung and Goonas Passes, up- wards of 16,000 feet, Ghoosool 15,851, and Roopeen Pass 15,480 feet: descend to camp at Donison: visit Nulyoon Pass 14,891 feet, during a shower of snow .- and descend to Sungla on the bank of the Buspa River. June 15. At sun-rise the thermometer was 34^. As we had to collect fire-wood for the Pass, we could not march before 3 p. M. We had previously sent off all the baggage we did not require, to Sungla, and therefore took but few articles with us. We arrived at the crest of Boo- rendo Pass by sun-set; for the last part of the way the angle of the ascent was between twenty 37 and twenty-five degrees, but the road was good, for the most part on rocks, occasionally inter- rupted by snow-beds. To-day's journey was five miles. June 16. The thermometer at sun-rise was 22J degrees. As is usual at these elevations, we slept but little, and were troubled with head-aches and extreme difficulty of respiration; the night was calm, and its solemn stillness was only inter- rupted by the crash of falling rocks, and by the groans of our attendants, who had no shelter, but were abundantly supplied with fire-wood. Now and then the fall of a near peak, split in pieces by the frost, alarmed us, and made us start out of bed ; our situation was very disagreeable, and we sighed for daylight, that we might see our danger. The guides left us at sun-set, and passed the night at the highest trees. June 17. At sun-rise the thermometer was 24, and during the day it ascended to 49, which was the highest. We compared several baro- meters, of our construction, with two by Dollond, and they agreed exactly. In 1818 we made the rrr *****- 38 height of this Pass 15,095 feet, but the observa- tions taken this year give 153 feet more, which is owing to the temperature in June being higher than in October. June 18. At sun-rise the thermometer was 30. For these two days past we had in vain been endeavouring to persuade the guides to accompany us to the source of the Pubur, and thence across one of the high Passes to the valley of the Buspa ; but they represented these Passes to be so steep as to be impracticable for loaded people at this season ; we stopped several hours in hopes of being able to prevail on them to show us the way, but in vain ; so we were consequently obliged to proceed by another road which made a circuit. We left Boorendo at half-past twelve, the first mile and a half led over snow, which, as the de- clivity was pretty steep, we slid down most of the way, by seating ourselves upon a blanket. This mode of descending is invariably practised by the mountaineers where there are no rocks ; then we had a dreadfully dangerous footpath 39 along the rugged side of the dell. It led through several clumps of birches, and crossed eight or ten snow-beds, inclined at an angle of 30 or more, below which, at the depth of 500 or 600 feet, were piles of large stones ; the snow-beds delayed us considerably, as the guides had to cut steps, or rather notches, of a few inches, for the feet. Here, on the northern face of the Hima- laya, the upper limit of birches is almost 13,000 feet, and the pines and oaks, which run in belts, are only a couple of hundred feet less. We took leave of the trees and ascended a grassy spur to Sheoo Ghat 13,350 feet, thence the way de- scended towards the N. E. to the limit of the forest ; the extreme altitude of the birches was observed at 12,800, the pines at 12,000, and the highest cultivation, which was P'hapur, at 10,650 feet; near this are several detached houses, the summer-residence of shepherds. Two miles more descending through pines, currants, and roses, brought us to Soang, a village in Koonawur, which we reached by six p. M., after a journey of nine miles. Some of the pines attain a great size, and we measured one, close to the village, thirty feet in circumference. The height of this place is 9100 feet, and the village is pleasantly situate, shadowed by apricots and walnuts, which surround it to some distance ; here there is only one crop, and it is poor ; the grains are P'hapur, Wheat, Barley, Ooa, Chabroo, Ogla, Bat'hoo,* and Peas. Snow generally lies here for five months, and the rains are pretty regular, but not so heavy as on the southern face of the Himalaya. June 19. Marched at 5 A. M., the thermometer being 55 ; at first we had a steep descent of 1800 feet, through many varieties of forest-trees, to a middling-sized stream, whence there was a fatiguing ascent of three miles to camp at Chasung, which is about the same height as Soang ; the road was tolerable, and it lay chiefly amongst pines of three kinds. We stopped here till 3 p. M. and then proceeded to a hamlet named Chamaling, about 4| miles from Chasung ; the path descended * Bat'hoo, Amaranthus anardhana, Ogla or Ogul, Fago- pyrum cmarginatum. 41 steeply to the level of the Buspa, a noble river running smoothly through a romantic valley, which the people have a vague tradition was for- merly a lake, and it has every appearance of it ; the channel is broad, and the stream forms many islands of sand and pebbles, overgrown with bar- berries and willows. The level space is frequently almost a mile wide, and it is beautifully laid out in fields, and diversified with apricot, peach, and walnut trees. For three miles the road lay in this valley, and we crossed the Buspa twice on wooden bridges, on account of an impassable cliff; we passed the fort of Kumroo, situate on an abrupt rock, upon the right bank of the river, and en- camped in a field of beans near the union of the Boktee, a stream of some size, with the Buspa, and opposite the town of Sungla. This valley is bounded on each side by abrupt ranges of the Himalaya, which present a great deal of bare rock ; at the bridges, where the Buspa is narrowest, the breadth is from 77 to 83 feet, and the elevation of the bed 8500 feet. The distance to-day is nine miles. 42 The grains produced are the same as at Soang, and there are turnips, peas, and beans, and a few potatoes. The periodical rains extend partly to this valley, and in consequence the vine does not thrive. June 20. Marched at 7 A. M. For three miles the road ascended pretty steeply, but it was good, lying partly through pines, partly amongst culti- vation, and passing many hamlets belonging to Sungla; the fields are wheat, which extend to 11,000 feet, the barometer being 20.160. Hence the ascent was more gentle upon the south-eastern face of a grassy range, richly adorned with flowers ; the Boktee lay upon our left, rushing over stones with a loud noise. This valley resembles the others here, the S. E. slope being gentle, grassy, and generally un- wooded ; the other side again is very abrupt, and cut up by ravines, with belts of birch and pine : the upper limit of pines is 12,000 feet, and that of birches 12,900 feet; we passed several lakes and swamps fringed with black turf, resembling peat, and encamped at Nooroo, a stage for travel- 43 lers, where there are several good caves for shelter ; a mile below this the Boktee is joined by the Nulgoon, a stream coming from the Pass of the same name; the distance travelled to-day is 9 miles, and the height of Nooroo is 13,150 feet. June 21. The ground was frozen, and at sun- rise the thermometer was 37 ; the clouds began to collect about the Ruldung Peaks, and we much feared that the rainy season was at hand, and we should not have sufficient time to visit all the Passes ; we left our camp at half-past eight, and continued ascending by an excellent foot-path for nearly two miles, to another halting-place named Donison, where seeing a tolerable spot for the tent, we ordered it on here; half a mile more brought us to the inferior limit of the snow-beds, which we found to be 14,700 feet, the road then lay over deep snow, for a mile and a half, and it ascended easily to Neebrung Pass, which has the appearance of a gateway, and leads between two perpendicular rocks, 35 feet high. We stopped here for an hour, and took several observations of the barometer, which was 16.867, equal to 16,035 44 feet, the difference between the temperature of the air and sun was greater than we had ever ob- served it, the former being 35J, and the latter 104. Three hundred yards along the top of the ridge brought us to Goonas Pass, 16,026 feet ; it was needless to try the barometer here, so we only ob- served the altitude of Neebrung with the theo- dolite; we proceeded along the summit of the range a quarter of a mile more, to Ghoosool Pass, where the barometer showed 16.950 answering to 15,851 feet. These three Passes lead from Sungla to Chooara, and although they are so near to each other, they can only be crossed at different times ; Neebrung is first open, and it had become prac- ticable only a few days before we arrived, the other two Passes were shut, and had not been attempted this year. We left Ghoosool at 1 p. M., and in an hour reached Roopeen Pass, by barometer 1 5,480 feet, the road then descended alternately upon snow- beds and swamps, for 2| miles to Donison ; the journey was 8J miles. 45 The rocks found at all the Passes are gneiss and granite, the former being most prevalent. June 22. At sun-rise the thermometer was 31. During last night, as well as the former, there was a continued crash of falling rocks on the rugged side of the dell. We ordered the baggage to the highest hamlet above Sungla, and marched at eight for Nulgoon Pass ; we proceeded a short way along the former road, and then crossed the Boktee by an arch of snow : here the path was of the same description as all those on the north- western face of the range, rugged and abrupt in the highest degree, and passing over snow-beds much inclined to the dell below ; when we turned round the spur at the junction of the Nulgoon and Boktee rivulets, the road was suddenly quite changed, the craggy declivity being on the oppo- site side of the stream : the path lay upon turf, it was good, and sloped gently up the glen, which is broader than most others ; the Nulgoon river fre- quently expands into large and deep sheets of water. At the bottom of the continued snow, the baro- 46 meter was 18.100 or 14,200 feet, and in the vici- nity we observed the plant named Talsar, which may be called aromatic Rhododendron. It had been cloudy all day, and here we took shelter for half an hour amongst some rocks, to avoid a heavy shower of snow and hail ; we then proceeded up a moderately steep snow-bed to the Pass, which we reached at noon: Nulgoon is the lowest Ghat through the Himalaya that we had yet visited, it is only 14,891 feet, the barometer being 17.500, and the temperature of the air 33, here we had a smart shower of snow accompanied with a high wind, which made it troublesome to put up the barometer. From the Pass we descended in the valley of the Nulgoon to its union with the Boktee, the road was good, and often led over old snow-beds, thence we proceeded along the bank of the latter stream, and encamped at Seroden, a hamlet of two houses at the highest cultivation. The length of to-day's march was llf miles. June 23. At sun-rise the thermometer was 44. Marched three miles along the road we 47 before travelled, crossed the Buspa, and encamped at Sungla ; the height of this town is 8,600 feet, and during five days that we halted here, the tem- perature of the air varied from 49 at sun-rise, to 660 in the middle of the day ; it was very cloudy, and much rain fell, so we congratulated ourselves at having seen so many of the Passes, and en- joyed ourselves by the side of a blazing fire, in a very comfortable and neat temple. Just above us the huge Ruldung mountain, upwards of 21,000 feet, is seen under an angle of 28 13. This range was generally obscured by clouds, but on the 28th it was clearly visible, and by measure- ment we found that the snow had descended so low as 13,200 feet in the last few days, although it was almost 15,000 feet before. Camp, Sungla, 28^ June, 1821. CHAPTER IV. VALLEY OF THE BUSPA. Route from Sungla to Chitkool up the valley of the Buspa river : fruitless attempt to reach Kimleea Pass : immense snow-beds : heavy snow shower : dangerous situation from sinking : attain the elevation of 1 5,500 feet : impossibility of proceeding further : return to Chitkool . June 29. We moved our camp from Sungla to Rakcham, distant 6f miles. The road was gene- rally good, lying in the dell, which is from a quarter of a mile to three furlongs broad. For the first two miles you meet with cultivation, intersected by thousands of apricot, peach, and walnut-trees, loaded with fruit, and here and there a shepherd's hovel. Hence is a large plain, nearly half a mile in diameter, formed of granite gravel, 49 in which unfriendly soil a few ill-grown deodars vegetate. Through this the Buspa winds in several streams ; beyond it there is a steep ascent of half a mile, over tremendous blocks of coarse- grained granite, the decomposition of which seems to have formed the present bed of the river, and gives the water its turbid appearance ; the granite is white, and from a distance looks like chalk. The Buspa has here a very great fall of many hundred feet; I was not in view of it, but can imagine a grand effect from such a body of water. From the top of the ascent I had a glimpse of the high Pass to Chungsa (Neilung), bearing S. 53 E. I could see two ranges, the nearest almost black, but beyond it were mountains of snow. The road was now level for a mile and a half; sometimes stony, and a bowshot from the Buspa ; the first part leads through fine green pasture-lands, and fields watered by streamlets diverted from their course by the hand of the mountaineer; and latterly, through a thick forest of various kinds of trees, chiefly willow, red-rose, and hazel. The valley thus far is of the same nature as VOL. II. E 50 most others formed by the Himalaya, but con- siderably wider. The face of the mountain ex- posed to the S. W., which is part of the masses of the Kylas, presents abrupt precipices and threatening cliffs, with little soil, and but few trees. The opposite face again is more sloped, and is thickly wooded with pines below, and above with birches. To the south (or the direction perpendicular to the great chain) the mountains have a good deal of snow on and near their tops, the upper surface of which appears to be fresh, and must be the remains of what fell on the 24th and 25th, when my camp was at Sungla, and which I found by measurement to be so low as thirteen thousand two hundred feet (13,200) from the level of the sea. To the north the snow is only seen in stripes in the ravines ; the last half mile is a slight but rugged descent upon enormous masses of granite. The dell near Rakcham has a pleasing appearance, and expands to three fur- longs in width, half of which is laid out in thriving crops of wheat and barley, and the rest is occu- pied by sand-beds, which form many small islands in the river. The village of Rakcham is about 10,500 feet high ; the barometer (Dollond's), which you know was in excellent order, and agreed with the others, showing 20.520. It is situated in the western corner of the glen, under huge piles of bare rock, which rise abruptly in numerous black spires, to about 9000 feet higher above the village ; the nearest pinnacles have an angle of 40, and even more. To-day we crossed two large streams (feeders of the Buspa) flowing from the Kylas, the Chool- ing, and Gor; up the course of the last there seems to be a break in the range, but I under- stand there is no road. From this place there is a Pass to the southward, leading to Lewar of Gurhwal, which branches off into two, near the crest of the range : one to the westward called Lumbeea, and that to the east, Kimleea. I wished to have visited them, but the villagers, as you might expect, made great objections on account of the difficulty and delay in crossing the Buspa, there being no Sango, and the river having risen greatly within the last three days : had I urged E 2 52 the object, it is probable, I might have got a bridge constructed in a short time; but I was less anxious for it, since there is a road from Chitkool to Kimleea and Lumbeea. On the 30th I proceeded to Chitkool, the last and highest village in the valley, distance 6| miles. For 2| miles the road was quite level, first amongst fields, then, entering a beautiful and heavy forest of pines (the species named by the natives, Raee), which often sheltered us from the rays of the sun. The Buspa, a short distance on my right, rolled over pebbles, sometimes smoothly in divided streams, sometimes in one, rushing with rapidity. From this spot I had a view of part of the road up the course of the Sering to Lumbeea Pass; the angle of elevation is only 10 34', and no snow is visible as far as you can see. I should have thought it a low Pass, but the guides told me that on the way to it there were two Snowy Ranges, confining a branch of the Tons, and they were both high. For the next 1J mile the road is not so good, being encumbered by many water-worn stones, 53 and crossed by fallen trees which have lost their hold in the soil from the practice of setting the grass on fire. Two considerable streams were met with, the Mungsa and Shootee ; on the banks of the latter, the stones are piled up in high ridges like those at Shatool and Boorendo. As you pro- ceed the soil becomes more scanty, and there is less grass, but abundance of sweet-smelling flowers. The level portion of the glen continues much the same, varying from a quarter of a mile to three furlongs in breadth, and is well wooded with Race pine. A little further on, there is an extensive plain, without trees, the ground being literally covered with thyme in full bloom, which perfumes the air; then there is a pile of large stones tumbled from above ; the road lies over these for a mile, and the footing is difficult and insecure, with many short ascents and descents upon the loose fragments. The dell here becomes more contracted ; this side (the right bank) being very precipitous, and almost mural to the Buspa, which dashes amongst the rocks with a loud hollow noise. The last 54 1 mile to Chitkool is quite plain, through the fields, and along the margin of a canal, which it crosses many times. This village is higher than I expected : the barometer now stands at 19.760, which will give about 11,400 feet. I got no star last night for the latitude, but should think it about 31 20'. 1 observed double altitudes of the sun, but have not yet worked them; the chro- nometer makes it 9J miles east of Sungla, which is not far wrong. Above this the valley is about 800 yards wide for two or three miles. The Buspa then makes a bend more southerly, and the view to the eastward is shut up by snowy mountains of great height. The banks of the river are grassy, and form gradual slopes ; and on this (the right) are a few straggling pines, but no other trees. Opposite, they extend 400 feet higher, or to 11,800 feet, but they are all stunted. Be- yond this limit, birches again appear, and rise to about 13,000 feet. A mile up the dell the trees cease to grow. There are two Passes to the southward; the Kimleea leading to Lewar, and the Sugla to the 55 east of it, communicating with Boorasoo : I shall take a look at both, and then attempt that to Neilung, if I can persuade people to accompany me. Most of my baggage has gone off to Kim- leea, and I shall move in a short time. The Pass to Charung * has a formidable apppearance from this; the elevation is 25; and from the edge of the dell it must be at least 35. Camp Chitkool, 30th June 1821. " I wrote to you before on my progress to this place, and my determinations in the neighbour- bourhood, the result of which you may perhaps be anxious to know, but you must neither expect a very long, or a very amusing account, as I am suffering from severe cold, the effects of the snow, which beset my prospects, and chilled us to the * The Charuug Pass leads behind the clustered peaks of the Kylas to the Teedoong dell ; the ascent from the Buspa is difficult, and made dangerous by the aspiring forms of the rocks ; the elevation is great, and much eternal snow occurs in the sheltered situations; but this direction saves the circuit by the Sutluj, and will be chosen by the traveller on his return from Neilung for other reasons. J. G. G. 56 bones. Having heard of two or three Passes quite close, I wished to employ my time to every ad- vantage, and decided on reaching Kimleea, and returning to the nearest trees in one day, an undertaking which I was convinced I could accom- plish in good weather without much difficulty, considering the great elevation of my camp ; viz., 11,400 feet. Accordingly, on the 1st of July, after an early breakfast, I began the excursion by descending into the bed of the Buspa, which is about 200 feet below the village, the barometer showing a rise of a tenth and half, and marking 19.941, and the temperature of the stream 41. 5. We crossed it by a sango of two trees fastened together by the usual transverse basket work ; the river here is sixty-five feet broad, and extremely rapid and muddy ; hence we had a steep conti- nued ascent of two miles and three quarters, generally upon soil and turf, passing through a forest of pine, birch, and yew, and soon rose above them, but there were abundance of juniper-bushes, and the shrub to which you recollect we gave the 57 name of aromatic rhododendron.* The road was pretty good, and lay a short distance from the right bank of the Rosoo, a large stream flowing from the Pass ; both ridges of the dell are slaty and much sloped, with grass in some places, and in others crumbling in pieces. Oppo- site, across the dell, at a point that seemed to be on my own level, were the highest birch-trees, and I put up the barometer, which gave 18.498, and will answer to about thirteen thousand feet. (13,000). From this spot, the road, or rather the worn track, is very bad for one mile and a half, lying in the course of the stream, which is here * This is a shrub, having the character of the Rhododen- dron, in the number and form of its leaves ; they are five, like a hand crowned by a tuft of yellow flowers, resembling a rose; hence the name, from poSov a rose. It vegetates on the elevated regions between eleven and fourteen thousand feet, and in the season of blossom, perfumes the air with a highly aromatic fragrance. It occupies the zone above the larger trees, thriving best on the north and west faces of the mountains, where we find it in conjunction with rhododen- dron and juniper, but more hardy than either, it rises to the confines of the eternal snow, and is among the few of the arborescent productions that accompany the traveller, in ascending the Himalaya. J. G. G. R. aromaticum. 58 increased in rapidity and turbulence to a torrent, and foams in dreadful agitation and noise. Amongst the scattered stones our footing was sometimes upon water-worn pieces, but most com- monly on pointed fragments of rock that have descended from the cliffs on the left, which rise abruptly in a variety of wild shapes, and appear liable to be detached by the slightest puff of wind. ' The stream here is derived from a double source, one branch rising in the snow of the Sugla Pass, which bears S. 10 W., and the other, or smallest, in that of the Kimleea, about S. W. For the next two miles the road ascends gradually upon snow of immense depth, in the channel of the current, which now and then shows itself in blue deep stillness, passing along the margin of a lake 150 feet in diameter. We found our situation very dangerous ; smooth and solid ice casing the declivity to the lake at an angle of above 30. In this we had no footing, till notches were cut in the ice by an axe, an operation which delayed long our pro-. gress. It was already 10 o'clock, and it 59 began to rain, but we kept in motion, first ascending for one mile and a half on a rocky ridge, in the middle of the valley, or rather glen, since it is only about three furlongs broad, with several streams running below the snow, which, sinking in some places by its weight, discloses the water. Hence onwards half a mile over mounds of un- fathomable snow ; yet so loose and shallow as scarce to be capable of supporting us at the depth of three feet, but sometimes indeed our extended arms only kept us from settling lower, and alto- gether. The people of Chitkool had previously observed to me this state of the snow, but I did not expect to find it to such an extent. The cause of it is difficult to explain, and it cannot be traced to any general source, or we should find similar appearances at the other Passes, and at none of those that have occurred on the route had it been remarked ; we might suppose it to arise from the permanency of frost, or a state of it that arrests the progress of a thaw by the sun's rays, and of a subsequent congealing of the mass. The upper surface only had the least hardness ; below. 60 it was powdery, and exactly of the sort which you will recollect used to give us so much uneasiness at home from its want of cohesion in making snow-balls. The guides told me that early in the morning, before the sun had any effect, it bears the weight of a loaded person in this month, although in May and June, when the Pass is most frequented, it does not sink at any time of the day. At a quarter past two, we reached a few rocks, and as we were wet through by the sleet, which continued to fall as thick as ever, I halted in hopes it would give over, and put up the baro- meter, which stood at 17.058, or nearly the height of the Shatool.* The dell here is about half a mile broad, and covered with snow in high wreaths. The right-hand mountains which have a S. E. exposure, are nearly bare, a few patches of snow only appearing at great heights, with little soil and a poor vegetation ; I reckon the line of cliffs about seventeen thousand five hundred feet, * Fifteen thousand five hundred and fifty-four feet above the level of the sea, or nearly equal to the height of Mont Blanc. J. G. G. 61 (17,500). On the left the mountains are nearly of the same height, and present a chain of mural precipices topped by sharp pinnacles, eaten away by frost into forms like towers and steeples. Much of the rock near the summits is exposed, and the snow, having lost its hold on their steep craggy sides, has accumulated below.* * It is a general observation, that the south-west and west aspects of mountain ranges, are precipitous and rugged, while their opposite faces slope less rapidly, and spread out over a greater extent of country. These characters are pecu- liarly striking throughout the various ramifications of the Himalaya, and no where so remarkable as in the central ridge itself. The traveller, in tracing the streams to their source in the snow, observes, that the north-west exposures of the ridges, present bold and inaccessible masses, heavily wooded and thick set with plants, till the bare rock and ac- cumulations of snow only stop their growth. On the other hand again, to the south-east, the mountains soften into a sloped and regular surface, where trees are less active, and generally cease to reach their level ; on the northern faces, the soil affords the richest pasturage, the limit of which seems only to be regulated by the line of congelation. It is this disposition of the rocks, or what geologists call the dip of the strata, that forms those inclined planes which so much astonish the traveller ; the angle of the slope varies from 25 to 55, they fall down from the highest crests in one pure sheet of snow, and produce an effect, which language fails to describe. J. G. G. 62 The Kimleea Pass from this place bore S. 67 W. It appeared about two miles distant, and fourteen or fifteen hundred feet higher, and the whole way to it is over the snow. I rested here till a quarter before four p. M., by the watch, which however stopped twice while travelling, and I was uncertain of the time, having no sun. The sleet still fell thick, without any prospect of its clearing up, and as we were all dripping and shivering in a strong wind, at the temperature of the freezing-point, I thought it prudent to order a speedy retreat, especially as the guides became greatly alarmed. We made slow progress through the half mile of sinking snow, but hence leaving the line of our ascent, we ran down the firm snow- bed, and crossed the Roosoo by a large arch of it, the surface of which is laden with soil, stones, and rubbish, the slow gatherings of ages, from the heights above. We reached our camp, at the birch-trees, at half-past five by the watch, which on comparing with the chronometer, I found half an hour slow. Had the day been fair, I am very sure I could have made out the Pass, and returned 63 to the camp in good time, but you know what ex- ertion is required to move at all under such cir- cumstances, when the wind at the temperature of the freezing-point, blows the moisture of the wet clothes, as it were through the body ; and I do not think I could have reached the Pass, even had I been in motion the whole time ; the shower of sleet continued with us the greater part of the descent, and latterly changed to rain with a milder climate. From the craggy side of the dell, the rocks were loosened by the rain, and fol- lowed each other in their fall, in a continued crash- ing, and some pieces tore up the path, at a few yards from us. I forgot to tell you that I had several good observations of the Pass to Charung on the way up ; from fourteen thousand one hundred feet (14,100) it had an elevation of 6, and allowing for the breadth of the Buspa dell, I think it must be seventeen thousand five hundred feet (17,500). I intended to have attempted the Passes again, but the effect of the rain and sleet left me no choice, unless that of returning to Chitkool. I am half 64 determined to halt here to-morrow, and if I am not then in travelling condition, I shall defer the journey to Neilung, and proceed by the Pass in the Kylas to Murung, from whence via Nisung to Bekhur. Had I reached the Kimleea Pass it would have been a respectable day's account, since the Perambulator gave the distance 13. 1. The Sugla Pass to Boorasoo is said to be more difficult, and the snow lies eternal over a greater space. Camp CMtTcool, July 3, 1821 P. S. I had no opportunity of sending off the former letter, so they will both go together. 65 CHAPTER V. PASSES IN THE HIMALAYA. Danger of crossing the high Chungsa Khago range at this season ; endeavours to persuade the Guides to attempt it ineffectual , march towards Charung : Halt at Shulpeea 14,300 feet: heavy rain: mild temperature of the air.- cross Charung Pass 17,348 feet: great difficulty and danger experienced ; descend and enter the valley of the Teedoong ; rugged nature of this dell : reach Murung on the bank of the Sutluj. I wrote you of the failure of my attempt to reach Kimleea Pass, and I should have made another, hut the state of my health decided against my inclination. I am now in the old line of route by the Sutluj, in progress to Bekhur on the Table land ; but as I shall stop here to get an observation for the rate of the Chronometer, I cannot do better than lead you over the ground VOL. II. F 66 travelled since the date of my last letter from Chitkool, which is a new route, amongst the ruins of the Kylas ; and from the height of the Pass, and the difficulties and dangers of the road, it will require a longer attention than any of my former letters. I halted at Chitkool on the 3rd and 4th, and amongst other inquiries, I got more information on the Passes to Gurhwal, which you will not consider uninteresting, however free of incident, since it is only by a collection of such concurrent materials that we shall ever become acquainted with the nature of this extraordinary country. From near Rakcham a road leads to four Passes which communicate with Lewar, the Barga, Lum- beea, Marja, and Seenga, situated as close to each other as those that open into the lake of the Pabur,* and, like them, they are crossed in dif- * The Passes here alluded to, are the Neebrung, Goonas, and Goosool, which communicate directly between the valleys of the Buspa and Pabur. They cut the Himalaya ridge within the space of three furlongs, and at nearly the same level, at an absolute elevation of fifteen thousand seven hundred feet (15,700), which is about 1000 or 1200 feet 67 ferent months, according to the state of the snow, which varies its form with the nature of the ground beneath it. The Barga is most accessible, and is generally open for six or seven months in the year ; the others are only traversed during two or three. Further east is the Kimleea Pass, lead- ing direct from Chitkool to Lewar : it is open in Jyfh, Bysak' h, Jet'h, and Ashar (March, April, May, and June), but no later, as the snow then breaks asunder, forming rents and chasms that dare not be approached. East again of it is the below the highest summit, on one side, and only 400 on the other. Considering that the chain is here traversed in its crest, along which the snow forms a cliff, with no intervening peak or protuberance between the Passes, and that they all open upon the basin of ice which feeds the sources of the Pabur, we are surprised to be told, that they are frequented at different periods of the year, according to the state of the snow in each at the time. In some, at certain seasons, it separates, leaving deep and dangerous rents, which cannot be crossed ; and often breaking loose, is precipitated in whole fields, with a noise louder than thunder. When this is going on in one Pass, the route leads by another. They all enter the region of perpetual congelation. J. G. G. F 2 68 Sugla Pass, crossed during six or seven months ; it leads to Boorasoo, from whence there is a road to Jumnoutree and Gungoutree. All those Passes are travelled by loaded sheep and goats. I in vain endeavoured, by extravagant offers, to get a guide to accompany me to Neilung ; and from what I experienced on the passage of the Charung Ghat, I am now quite convinced that this is not the proper season for traversing the more elevated ridges. April, May, October, and November, are said to be the most favourable months; since a single rainy day would make the attempt very dangerous. Several years ago, eighteen people perished in crossing to Neilung, since which time few loaded travellers have ventured by this route, and the tribute of copper and lead to Bussahir is generally sent by Bekhur. All my informants stated that there was, on the smallest allowance, one and a half day's journey over the snow ; and they added, that my people could never accom- plish it without a covering of sheep-skin from top to toe. At Chitkool there is one Lama. He is of the Geloopa sect, who wear yellow caps ; there is 69 also a Mane* and Ghosting and two or three wooden cylinders, which are turned on their axes for sacred purposes^ The Lama chiefly holds his situation and procures subsistence by writing * This is a long narrow tumulus of stones, like a dyke, on which are placed vast numbers of slabs, and large pebbles covered with hieroglyphical inscriptions. f This is a small square building, surmounted by a knob, and painted different colours, and enclosed on three side by a roofed wall. Three or four are sometimes together in a row. They are objects of sanctity. J These whirligigs, or wooden cylinders, are filled with rolls of sacred writings, and move on points like a horizontal wheel : they are set in motion by sojourners or pilgrims, and by the residents of the spot, for devout purposes; although these give place to more worldly calls as the occasion suits, as appears by Mr. Moorcroft's narrative. When at the town of Daba, upon the bank of the Sutluj, he says, " On leaving the temple, we were desired to turn some wooden cylinders, supported on iron pivots in recesses iu a wall, and to go round the building seven times. Whether this was mentioned merely to enhance the sanctity of the place or personage (Lama), or was really the custom, I know not ; but the ceremony was interrupted after one round, by a message from a priest, that the guide, officiating master of ceremonies, was wanted elsewhere. He under- stood the signal, and went to a small door, which, when knocked at, was opened by a laughing, ugly fellow, who pointed to four coils of shawl-wool, for which a bargain was immediately struck." J. G. G. 70 and printing, from a block of wood, sacred sen- tences. On the 5th I proceeded towards Charung, and encamped a little above the highest juniper, ba- rometer at 17.800, which answers to about 14,300 feet. The distance did not exceed 2 miles, but the general ascent was nearly 30; the road, frequently good, was upon the bank of a stream, sometimes free, at others concealed under stones. Angular blocks of granite now and then were passed over, and soil producing juniper and thorny bushes. We halted at Shulpeea, a resting-place for travellers, and had scarcely arranged our small camp when it began to rain, and continued heavy and incessant for the following three days, during which period neither presents nor promises could induce the Chitkool people to move. From this spot the valley of the Buspa has a fine appearance. A few houses of Chitkool were visible, bearing S. 22 W., with a depression of 20 31', which will give an hypothenusal distance of about two miles. Green crops of wheat and barley were in view in the dell, and offered a lively contrast to 71 the muddy impetuous stream of the Buspa, whose hollow roar was distinctly heard. Across the dell to the S. W., the mountains, which have an elevation of 8 or 9, are white with snow near their tops; lower down, much of the rock ap- pears, from which the snow descends in stripes along the hollows, nearly to the upper limit of the birches, which overtop all the other trees. Part of the road to Kimleea Ghat, over vast fields of snow, was observed bearing S. 23 W. The Pass itself, lying more to the westward, was not visible. The mountains in the neighbourhood of Charung Pass are almost bare. The rock is of a slaty gneiss, marked by long decay and the action of frost, which has worn it bluff : other portions are solid masses unchanged by time, but the pre- dominating form, is crumbling at its surface. All my heights hitherto had been observed with Dol- lond's portable barometer: and here being de- tained by the rain, I put up another well-boiled tube, and was glad to find them agree so nicely, the difference never exceeding .010, which you know is often less than the error of reading off. 72 The climate at this height was milder than I expected, considering that, only ten days earlier, snow had fallen 1000 feet below this level. At sun-rise the thermometer never was under 42, or higher than 53, in the middle of the day ; an equality of temperature owing entirely to the presence of fog and rain. The 9th was cloudy at sun-rise ; but it did not rain, and the guides, who I conclude were as tired of the place as myself, said they would attempt the Pass, although they dreaded the fall of stones, and the delay from the sinking snow. We were all in motion by 8 A. M. The Lama, soli- citous for our safety, or rather his own, invoked the protection of the gods, and was very expert in repeating the sacred words Oom ManepaeemeOom.* He prayed for a fair day, but with no effect ; for we had not proceeded a quarter of a mile when it rained, and did not cease the whole day. * On this head Turner says, " We reposed amidst gods and whirligigs. It is necessary to explain that this machine is no other than a painted barrel, which revolves upon an axis. In the twirling this instrument about, and repeating at the same time the magic words, ' Oom Mane paee me Oom,' consists a material exercise of their religion." J. G. G. 73 The road for three quarters of a mile had an ascent of 31, the best idea of which may be con- veyed by the difference of the barometer : here it showed 16.936, the temperature of the air being 39 J. This answers to about 15,700 feet, or a perpendicular ascent above the camp, of 1400 feet. From this place I got a bearing of the Pass, north 32 east, at an angle of 16 47' : hence for an equal distance there was an easier ascent upon a ridge crossed by snow-beds, giving way up to the thigh. About the height of 16,300 feet, the barometer being 16.536, there commenced the perpetual snow in continuous beds : the next half mile was also on a gentle acclivity over the snow, which gave way to the depth of two feet ; and lastly, we ascended the steep slope to the Pass. It was scarcely half a mile, but it surpassed, in terror and difficulty of access, any thing I have yet encountered. The angle was 37| of loose sfones, gravel, and snow, which the rain had soaked and mixed together, so as to make moving laborious and miserable ; and it was so nearly impracticable, that although I spread myself on all- 74 fours, thrusting my hands into the snow to hold by it, I only reached the crest by noon, and then under great exhaustion. The whole distance from camp was scarce two miles and a half; but the feet and hands were frozen by so long an exposure to the snow. Several stones broke loose over our heads, and one of immense size bounded within a few feet of us. From the numbedness of my hands, and the violence of a freezing wind, which drifted the snow upon us, I had extreme difficulty in setting up the barometers ; but I got an obser- vation of both : Dollond's portable gave 15.852, the plain tube 15,860, the temperature of the air 33 ; which will make the height of the Pass, seventeen thousand, three hundred and forty-eight feet (17,348) above the sea. I noticed the same circumstances here as at the Shatool : when I left camp the mercury seemed to be pure ; but at the Pass, it lost its lustre, and adhered to the fingers and cup as if it was amalgamated. The whole way from the Buspa to the Pass, the rock is granite or gneiss ; but to the N. and N. E. it is of a blueish colour, highly stratified, and intersected 75 by quartz veins. The dip is to the N. E., inclined to the horizon at an angle of 10 or 15. I at first supposed the rocks were limestone, like what are found in the Ludak Pass from Soongnum, and in that of the Chinese frontier to Bekhur ; but on applying the muriatic acid no effervescence oc- curred. The descent from the Pass for half a mile was at an angle of 33 upon gravel and snow, with a sharp-pointed rock occasionally running through it ; and to avoid coming in contact with them, each of us took the path agreeable to his own ideas of security, some sliding down the snow-bed with dreadful velocity. The person who rolled the perambulator, thought this plan easy and expe- ditious, and placing the wheel in front, took his seat upon the inclined plane of snow, grasping it with both hands. He descended at first with a steady, brisk motion, and the wheel kept rolling ; but losing balance, was soon in a position of a very different nature. He went head foremost for some time, and then head and heels alter- nately with vast despatch, darting past the pro- 76 jecting edges of hard rocks. He was brought up in time to avoid being bruised beyond help, and neither he nor the perambulator were injured. Here ended the steep part of the road : hence we proceeded for one mile and a half on an easy slope of snow, but travelling was made laborious from our sinking one and a half to two feet. It snowed furiously all the way, and I actually thought at every step that I should leave a foot in the snow ; my hands had passed through the stages of torpor and freeezing several times, and that reaction of returning warmth which you know is worse than the contact of solid ice. I was glad when we reached some rocks, on which I sat down, and rubbed my feet with a blanket. On our right the snow, often of a reddish colour,* appeared in banks of an enormous thick- ness. Having by its weight separated from its parent hold, it formed perpendicular cliffs, which * The snow was probably soiled from the corroded sur- faces of the rocks : this is always the case, unless upon the highest summits, where nothing approaches ; but I have never observed it of a reddish hue. J. G. G. 77 although too remote to disturb us, yet filled us with apprehension. On our left, the mountains were less precipitous, and afforded a better resting- place to the snow. For one mile and a half we travelled over heaps of loose stones, snow, and slush at the point of congelation, sinking up to the knee. We passed by several deep-blue lakes, with banks of solid snow, and in every probability their bottom crusted with perpetual ice.* These are always to be dreaded ; and we made a circuit to clear them, choosing rather a path more dan- gerous to view, than risking our silent, but certain end. Two avalanches descended just opposite to * As those lakes are formed in the mass of snow, we can- not but suppose them below their margin lined with a glacier, the more especially when we consider the severity of climate at those elevated regions ; but we cannot so readily illus- trate the opinion of Professor Leslie, that the bottom of the Lake of Geneva, (600 fathoms deep) may be of a similar nature. After discussing the subject of the decrement of temperature, in descending through a body of water, he says, " I am hence strongly inclined to believe that the bottoms of those profound lakes are always on the verge of freezing, or perhaps somewhat below it ; nor is it impossible but the beds of such vast collections of fresh water are incmsted with banks of perpetual ice, a sort of subaqueous glacier." J. G. G. 78 us, one of rock, which spent its force in distance, the smaller pieces just reaching us ; the other of snow, but arrested and ruined by intervening rocks. Soon after leaving the snow, we came upon the banks of the Nungaltee stream, which has a spread of a quarter of a mile in several channels. On our right were perpendicular crags of blue and marled rock, the beauty of which weakened the effect of their ruggedness ; on the left were grassy knolls like artificial mounds of 500 or 600 feet high, and behind them were towering cliffs, whose decayed sides threatened to lay waste every thing at their feet. After fording the Nungaltee, we met with thyme and turf ; and further on, with juniper, mint, sage, and a variety of odoriferous flowers. We crossed four considerable streams, rising at the back of the Kylas, (which, either joining the Nungaltee, or seeking other courses, at length mingle their waters with the Teedoong,) and encamped at Keookoochee (an enclosure for cattle), where are a few yaks of the cross breed, called Zo. By the stream of the Nungaltee, which is very rapid and unfordable, the barometer 79 was 19.138, indicating an elevation of 12,500 feet. In the vicinity of the camp, there were plenty of juniper and other bushes ; but no birches, although across the stream they rose 400 or 500 feet above us. We passed four Tartars driving a flock of sheep, loaded with salt, to Chitkool. They had been detained two days at the upper extremity of the bushes, by the rain, and would not attempt to cross till it cleared up. This was a good day's journey ; the perambulator gave ten miles, and together with the long slide, which neither it nor the man who accompanied it, gave any accounts of, and difficult parts of the road, the distance would be nearly eleven miles. With the exception of the chronometer and some of the instruments, the baggage did not come up till dusk. I arrived at 5 h. 30 m. p. M. We had slight showers of rain the whole way, which still continued to the utter misery of the loaded people, three of whom had given way to their misfortunes, and unable to summon courage to bear their burden longer, stopped at the Pass, evidently to get sooner relieved from all trouble ; 80 one of them, perhaps more impatient than the otheis, sat down upon the snow. People who had suffered less were despatched to their assist- ance ; but it required more solid terms than those of mere friendship for their associates, to make them undertake the trip under such pressing cir- cumstances. They met one of the stragglers in better condition than was reported, descending slowly, having left his load in the snow. The other two were found in the Pass at dusk, sitting behind a rock uncovered, they having torn up their blankets to save their feet, which were very sore ; they passed the night at that elevated spot ; but fortunately it did not snow, while the clouds prevented the descent of severe frost, or they certainly would never have survived the night. On the 10th, at 1 h. 30 m. p. M., I marched to Koono, a small Tartar village of three houses, distance three miles and three quarters, half of which was along the left bank of the Nungaltee to its junction with the Teedoong. Amongst the usual productions of the country was the species 81 of juniper, named Shoor : it grows from 15 to 20 feet high. The dell was here inbound by white granite with a mural cliff; the stream was fu- riously rapid, and suspended in mixture a great deal of fine white sand raised from its bed. We crossed it by a slender Sango, 15 feet long within the margin. The noise of large stones carried down by the force of the water, was in- cessant; and mingling with the roar of the stream, produced an effect, which however fine to feel, we were glad to part with as fast as pos- sible. At the Sango, the barometer gave 19.917, temperature of the open air 61 J, and that of the stream 49. We travelled up the course of the Teedong for 1| miles, where it divides ; the largest body of water, retaining the name of the river, flows from E. S. E. Upon its banks, two miles above this point, is the Tartar village of Charting, which can scarcely be under 12,000 feet. The other fork comes from the N. E. and leads us to Koono. Gooseberry-bushes and juniper were plentiful ; and near the village fine-looking fields of barley and phapur, at an elevation of VOL. II. G 82 eleven thousand seven hundred feet (11,700); the barometer at the camp being 19.600. The mountains in this neighbourhood are all of blue slate, steep, and naked to near their tops, which, to the east, tower in sharp detached groups at about 18,000 feet high. They exhibit decay and barrenness in frightful forms ; no vege- tation even approaches their feet, while their ele- vated summits offer no rest to the snow. I could get no accounts of a road from this to Nisung, Dabling, or Shipke ; but there is one up the course of the other branch (Teedoong), four days' journey to Stango, from which place Bekhur and Neilung are each about 1J stages distant. This road lies in the bed of the river, and is only travelled in the cold months, when it is frozen over. The Pass is similar to that from Chitkool to Neilung, having on its approach a tract of high table land, buried in eternal snow, which occu- pies a whole day's journey. I here met an old friend, who was very useful in communicating my wants and wishes to the Tartars, since I could with difficulty understand a word of their language. On the llth, I proceeded to Thungee, a tire- 83 some day's journey of 1 1 J miles. The road along the bank of the Teedong, for ten miles, was bad; for besides crossing it six times by Sangos, we had to pick our way upon smooth surfaces of granite, sloping to the raging torrent, and as often winding amongst huge masses of rock, projecting far from the bed, and forming capacious caves, in some of which sixty people might dine with free- dom. For eight miles, the country was uniformly bare and rugged, with a cliff-front on either hand, at an elevation from 55 to 60 impending upon the stream, without trees or verdure, except some arid juniper, gooseberries, and mountain-ash. Precipices of 500 and 600 feet were knobbed with granite and a blue stone, and here and there a bank of clay and rubble. In some parts of the road there were flights of steps, in others frame- work of rude stair-cases, opening to a gulf be- low, and embracing ruin from above. In one place is a construction, still more dreadful to behold : it is called a Rapeea, and is made with great difficulty and danger. I never saw any- thing of the kind to such an extent. It consisted of six posts driven horizontally into the clefts of o2 84 the rocks, about 20 feet distant from each other, and secured by wedges : upon this giddy ground- work, a staircase of fir spars was formed, of the rudest nature ; twigs and slabs of stone connected them together just as in the Sangos. There was no bar or support of any kind on the precipice side, which was deep and perpendicular to the Teedoong, a perfect torrent. After surmounting this dreaded part of the road, we came to another, the recent doings of the river ; but from previous intimation of it there had been time to construct two Sangos, which brought us and the baggage in safety to our line of route. For six or seven miles, the fall of the stream is 300 feet a mile, and in some 'places nearly double, where it pre- sents an entire sheet of foam and spray, thrown up and showered upon the surrounding rocks with loud concussion, which is re-echoed from bank to bank with a noise like thunder. The road hence to the camp was better ; and I once more enjoyed the shade of fine forests of Deodar and Newsa.* My friend who was so useful to me at the * Newsa or Neoza. Pinus Gerardiana. It is supposed to be identical with the Chilghoza mentioned by Elphinstone. The seeds form an article of food, like those of the European 85 Tartar village of Koono accompanied me to-day, and amongst many subjects of conversation, he mentioned that the report of two or three gen- tlemen being encamped in the Boorendo Pass spread like lightning throughout Koonawur. The Chinese, on learning it, were instantly in agitation, and people from Chubrung and Thooling had assembled at Bekhur to stop us. " The latest accounts," he said, " stated that there were up- wards of 200 people at Bekhur, who were dis- posed to allow us to reach the village, but not a step beyond it." No cultivation was passed to-day further than what was attached to the residence of a Gelong or Monk, called Lumbur ; these were a few fields of wheat, barley, turnips, peas, and beans. Thungee has two divisions, G-ramung and Henrung, a quarter of a mile distant, and between them is a Lama's place of worship. I encamped Pinus pinea and Pinus Cembra, the Japanese Gingko, and the Californian Pinus Lambertiana. Vide Royle's Illust. Bot. Himal. Mountains, p. 352. " The commonest trees in the mountains are pines of different kinds, one of which, the Jelgoozeh, is remarkable for cones larger than artichokes, and containing seeds resembling pistachio nuts." Elphin- stone's Caubul. vol. i. p. 193. 86 at the former, which is pleasantly perched upon a southern hill slope, the houses rising over each other with the inclination of the soil. There are few fields here ; but they are thriving. The grains are wheat, barley, phapur, ooa, and cheenee,* with some patches of turnips and peas ; the whole neatly laid out and intersected by aqueducts, whose banks are adorned with walnut, apricot, apple, and poplar trees. The apricot crop was destroyed by a severe frost, which occurred when they were in blossom ; but the apples and walnuts promise abundance. The houses are well built and roofed with birch bark and earth. Each has a durchut, or pole, with a flag of white cloth, inscribed with the sacred sentence, " Oom Mane pace me Oom," surmounted by a black chouree (cow's-tail.)-j- There is a Gelong and five Nuns * Cheenee. Panicum miliaceum. f Mr. Moorcroft makes a similar observation ; and together with Captain Turner's remarks on the whirligigs and nu- merous other objects detailed in his interesting work, we may at once assign a common character, costume, lan- guage, and religion, to the whole country from the confines of Ludak, at least to the debouchure of the Brahmapootur. Mr. Moorcroft, in speaking of the temple of Narayan at Daba, says, " The parapet of this building was adorned with masses of black hair, formed, I believe, of the tails of the 87 here, all habited in red cloth. The Nuns were shy, and would not allow me to approach them ; nevertheless, they stared at me all day from the balconies of their retreat. There are thousands of Manes and Chostins in this vicinity, and several sacred Cylinders. The hills here are all blue slate, which runs in horizontal plates, pretty much sloped, and produce thick woods of Newsa pine. On the 12th, (to-day,) I reached Murung, dis- tance six miles, two-thirds of which was new ground of easy access, and now and then of a mo- derate roughness. I was at my camp by half- past eight o'clock; here I found all the grain cut, the apricots ripe, and in luxuriant perfection. I shall halt here to-morrow, and the day after, and perhaps longer, as I am anxious to find the rate of the chronometer ; I shall then proceed to Bekhur ; and if the weather is favourable, I may fix the transit in the Pass above this. Camp Murung, July 12, 1821. Chowree cow (Soora) reversed, plaited and intermixed with pieces of some shining substance, and having on their tops iron tridents." J. G. G. 88 CHAPTER VI. TOUR IN THE HIMALAYA. Journey f ram Murung to Nisung .- proceed in the dell of the Taglakhar . ascent of Rothingee Pass 14,638 feet .- singular appearance of the country and its productions .- rise of the valley : astonishing altitude of birch-trees : en- camp at Zongchen l4,7QQfeet. MY last 1 letter to you was dated the 12th July, from Murung, a considerable village in the dell of the Sutluj, where I was detained a few days longer, in collecting supplies, and arranging for the trip to Bekhur. Murung, although eight thousand five hundred feet (8500) above the sea, enjoys a milder climate than we could expect from such an elevation. During the eight days I was encamped there the thermometer in the open air 89 ranged from 58 to 82 the extremes, and the flies were unusually troublesome. Most part of the grain was cut, and the apricots were ripe and of delicious flavour. On account of the high hills by which the village is environed, sunshine, even at this season, (midsummer,) is limited to nine or ten hours, scarcely reaching us before eight o'clock, and retiring behind the heights by five p. M. I had not a single clear day ; but alternate clouds, sky, and sunshine, and now and then some rain, which is always light in these regions. The Ruldung cluster, (Kylas Peaks,) twenty-one thou- sand feet high (21,000), which occupy the area between the Buspa, Teedoong, and Sutluj, and are prolonged south easterly towards Neilung and the Ganges (Jannubee), were, as usual in clearer weather, involved in clouds, and I did not get a sight of them. Being thus unavoidably delayed, I had an opportunity of setting the Transit ; but the unfavourable state of the weather prevented me making so many observations as I wished : the few, however, were very satisfactory, and showed that the chronometer had been going 90 well. On the 16th, supplies for ten days were collected, and I intended to have moved my camp the following day; but hearing of a Lama, who was conversant in Hindostanee, and could write the Tartar language, and under the expectation of being stopped by the Chinese at Bekhur, I thought it judicious to make use of his talents in communicating to the Garpan, or Governor of Garoo, by letter, my wish to pass the frontier, and tender my respects to his authority. I sent for him, and on the 18th we conversed together upon the subject. He proved himself intelligent and completely familiar with three languages, viz. Hindee, Tartar, and Koonawuree; he could also write the Nagree, Tankree, and the Tartar cha- racters, Oome and Ochen, carve upon stone, and make wooden blocks for printing sacred sen- tences. He was acquainted with the complai- sance exacted by the Chinese in their corre- spondence, and had been in the habit of writing to them on the part of the Bussahir Raja. In the course of conversation, he told me signi- ficantly that H. and P. marred their hopes, by 91 sending to Garoo so adverse a token of friendship as a sword. This, being received as a challenge to fight, was returned ; and with it the sentiments of the Chinese so impressively designed on the hieroglyphical painting, which all at Soobathoo saw ; and further, the material omission of a silk scarf to accompany the present, agreeably to the usage of the country, was a quite sufficient reason for not accepting it, had it been the finest speci- men of British ingenuity. By the Lama's advice I had three letters pre- pared: one to the Garpan of Garoo, another to the Zongpoon* of Chubrung, and the third to the Chinese officer of Murmokh, the district contain- ing Bekhur : they were written upon European paper, and signified complimentary expressions, friendly intentions, my hopes of an interview at Chubrung or Garoo, and of being permitted to visit the celebrated and sacred lake of Mansaro- * This is evidently the same title as occurs in Turner, who makes it Soompoon, the commandant of the Castle at Tassusidon (any port or castle, and keeper of warlike stores.) J. G. G. 92 wur. Each of the letters was folded in a khut- tuk or silk scarf, with the upper cover sealed all round. The khuttuks to the Garpan and Zong- poon cost three rupees each, and that to the officer at Murmokh eight annas ; the two first person- ages were addressed Bimboche, which is one of their titles.* Some pyramids of sugar, a few al- monds and dates in cloth bags sealed and directed, accompanied the letters, agreeably to the esta- blished custom. ' They were ready on the 19th, and on the following day I marched to Nisung, distant eight and a half miles. We halted at a small spring for refreshment, and it is the only one offered by the arid rocks : in this weary encounter Nature seems to have made an extraordinary exertion to accommo- date the traveller to her frowns, which menace him to the verge of the boundary of perpetual congelation. We had only come two miles, but * Here also we recognise the same character of people in places fourteen geographical degrees apart : Lama Bim- bochay ; high Pontiff, Chief Priest ; Pungin Eimbochay , great Apostolic Master, the mitred professors of religion. Gelong, Monks ; Anee, Nuns, Turner, p. 325. J. G. G. 93 we were already at a height of 11,350 feet. At this spot the juniper and gooseberries first ap- pear, and the soil fed by the spring produces flowery verdure. From this, Murung had a de- pression of 25, but the angle of ascent is often 30. The few trees which vegetate on this inimical soil, are Deodar and Newsa: they are ill-grown, and shrink and disappear 500 feet below this ; but a few birches, scarce deserving of the name, reach an absolute elevation of 12,000 feet. While I rested here the two Ruldung (Kylas) Peaks burst through the clouds : one was rocky, the other a vast dome of snow : their sides were wrapped in a dense line of cloud, and at their feet the richest vineyards flourished. Hence to the top of the ridge by the old line, the only road upon the hill face, the juniper and thyme were in bloom, and highly fragrant. At the crest, which is 13,000 feet above the sea, I found herds of yaks feeding. At this point the traveller is recreated by a more level and softer surface to tread upon, and is con- siderably relieved by the pleasure he derives in looking down upon the abyss, and the extent of 94 his toils ; but he still ascends, more gently, it is true, yet under little diminution of labour, till he arrives at the greatest elevation of the road, which, you will recollect, was determined in 1818 at thirteen thousand seven hundred and thirty nine feet (13,739) above the sea. The barometer now showing 18.291, temperature of the mercury 62, and of the air 56, will give nearly the same as before. The rocks are all clay-slate, inclining to the eastward at an angle of 30 or 40 ; not a patch of snow lay within reach, or was visible near us : the line of snow-beds upon the mountains beyond the Sutluj (5 or 6 miles distant), had an elevation of 3 or 4. In descending to Nisung I met a flock of goats and sheep laden with salt from Bekhur, tended by three Koonawurees, who said that the Chinese had assembled in force about two miles on the hither side of Bekhur, and had thoughts of advancing to Keoobrung Pass to meet me. The rocks near this are of dark blue slate, la- minated, and easily worked for the inscription of the mystic sentence " Oom Mane pace me Oom." 95 Nisung is elevated above 10,000 feet from the sea, and in summer possesses an agreeable climate : the thermometer at sunrise was 54 and the max- imum of the day 75. The tenants are Tartars, who are the slaves to superstition. Each house has its Durchut, or pole and flag, on which are neatly printed mystic words in different colours, each alternating with the other. A black yak's tail is always fastened above the flag : cylinders, as before described, are frequently attached to the pole, and are constructed so as to revolve by the action of the wind, a very convenient agency for mitigating the more rigorous exercise of manual devotion. In the vicinity are many tumuli, con- secrated to the Deotas, by sprigs of juniper, pieces of quartz, or rags, to which travellers add their offering. I remarked a custom here similar to that of the Scotch farmers, who, on commencing harvest, plait some of the first cut stalks of corn, and fix them over the chimney-piece till next harvest. The Tartars fasten three stalks of barley over the outside of the door, the ear hanging down : every door in the village was thus orna- 96 mented. Several kinds of head-dresses are worn here : the women are bare-headed, the hair flow- ing loose about their shoulders : some of the men wear the common Bussahir cap ;* others, caps similarly shaped, but of red blanket ; a few have hats like our own, but with a narrower rim ; they are of yellow cloth, fringed with red worsted thread, diverging in radii from the crown, and hanging loose all round : this last form of cap is very neat.-j- There is a considerable extent of cultivation surrounding the village ; the crops are chiefly barley, phapur, and ooa, and have a promising appearance. The mountains in this vicinity are subject to the same law of formation as those of other valleys in the Himalaya. On the Nisung side of the Tagla stream, which rises in the Passes * A description of this cap will be found in Fraser's work. | A cap similar to this, hut peaked like a trident, was certainly observed amongst the Chinese at Shipke in 1818 ; and this fugitive idea is further strengthened by Mr. Moor- croft's mention of the trident in addition to the Masonic Insignia. J. G. G. 97 to Tartary, their faces are softer, gravelly, and nourish a thin scantling of forest pines. In the clefts and ravines the snow descends very low, being precipitated from the steeper portions, and becoming perpetual from its mass. Across the stream, and with a south-west aspect, the moun- tains are rugged beyond conception, sterile, and horrid to view ; and when a person is approaching the frontier by this (the left) bank of the Sutluj, their appearance has a wonderful effect upon the untried adventurer. In the evening (20th July) two Gelongs or monks paid me a visit : they were clad in red blankets ; one wore a red-peaked cap, the other a hat of English form, of a lightish gray colour,* and a broad rim like a Quaker's. They chanted a melancholy strain, and marked time with a tambourine, adorned with pieces of silk of many colours. One of the Gelongs had a human thigh-bone pierced with two holes, through which he blew, and it sounded like the sacred shell of * Mr. Moorcroft, in speaking of the painted houses of Daba and Tirtappooree, remarks their having a margin of a French gray colour. J. G. G. VOL. II. H 98 the Hindoos. With the exception of the Gelongs, I found nobody but old women and children, all the adults having gone to Garoo for salt and wool. On the 21st of July, I made a journey of six miles and a half to a resting-place for travellers, named Oorcha. Three youths, from twelve to sixteen years old, accompanied me as guides : they had handsome prepossessing countenances of the Tartar feature. I had difficulty in explain- ing myself to them at the outset of the march, but having copied a few words from my vocabulary into my route-book, and by the aid of an intelli- gent lad who anticipated my meaning, I was pretty successful. The road to-day offered no variety, neither was it of that description which interests by its difficulties. The narrow dell of a rapid stream was confined within ridges capped by eternal snow, but so precipitous, that the field of vision was limited at a few thousand feet above us. Many tumuli or manes occurred, the inscrip- tions beautifully executed. You know that there is always a path on each side of them, and the 99 Tartars invariably pass them on their right hand : an observance, which, as well as I remember, Turner accounts for to prevent the words being traced backwards. This is certainly a mistake, since the writing is from left to right, the same as ours. Part of the road was level, and exhi- bited the usual scanty variety of the productions of the interior : the thyme, a prickly bush called Keechoo, the Pama or creeping juniper, and abundance of Shookpa, or the species that grows to twenty feet high. The inclined stratification of the rocks formed a severe footing, and our shoes were frequently pierced by their sharp angles, par- ticularly on the descent to the Pangrung, a stream of some size, which we crossed by a crazy sango of two thin spars, the slates on them being ren- dered slippery by a raging spray. Three quarters of a mile further we crossed the Tagla, which at this season is a large body of water ; the bridge of trees planked over, afforded a firmer step than most of the kind. The stream was thirty-eight feet broad, muddy, and highly agitated by masses of rock projecting in its bed ; but the fall on this H 2 100 point of its course is considerably less than that of the Teedoong. Hence to camp was two miles of rude and heavy footing, our road frequently rising 300 feet, and skirting along the rugged faces of the rocks, a furious stream below, and frail cliffs threatening us from above ; again descending, and tardily picking our steps upon a loose declivity washed by the river. A portion of the road was formed by sharp-pointed slates, another on rubble, like the lower stratum of a turnpike road. Inclined planes of rock where the foot had no security, and insulated fragments of a very ancient date, were to be climbed over ; and now and then we passed by the dark avenues, which they formed in their fall : such was the general nature of the route for two days' journey. Trees of every sort shrink from the arid air of Tartary, not on account of the elevation of the soil, for here we were much below the limit of forest belt. A few dwarf deodars appeared for the last time, but the birches still find a favourable climate, and even pass the frontier, and thrive in groups on the Tartaric side.* * A clump of birches was observed upon the banks of a 101 The rocks here are frittering away by decay, the frost every successive year leaving them more naked. Soil is not formed here as upon the moistened sides of the Himalayan ridge : scarcely a stream is derived from the body of the rock ; and those fed by the snow are scantily supplied from the summits of the mountains, where only it rests, although at enormous elevations. I reached Oorcha at 12 h. 45 m. p. M., but the baggage did not come up till past three ; the baro- meter stood at 20.001, which is equal to eleven thousand (11,000) feet. It was generally cloudy, but at five o'clock it cleared for a short time, and the thermometer in the tent rose to 99, while the temperature of the air was 79 J, a considerable heat for so great an elevation. But such is the nature of the Intra-Himalayan regions, while again the winter season is proportionably intense, stream which ran east-north-east to the Sutluj, or in the op- posite direction of those from the Indian side, the snowy chain being then on my south-west, and the table-land in front. The barometer at camp was 18.180, and at the upper limit of the birches close to it 18.080, answering to an eleva- tion of about 14,000 feet. J. G. G. 102 on account of the short duration of sun-shine ; so that the cause of the great solar reverberation also produces the severe cold. On the 22nd of July, the thermometer at sun- rise being 55, we proceeded to Rukor, a resting- place for travellers, distant six miles and three quarters road as before, but less rude, and more dangerous. In some parts, where the stream has formed a margin of soil and loose gravel, the footing is very insecure. The only considerable accessions which it derives, before the dell con- tracts and separates, or, we should say, the only diminution it suffers, is by the Khatee Choo, rising, on the Himalaya, south, and descending through a gap of some expanse, over which the stream scatters itself; and the angle of descent being very great, it is ruffled into foam. Along its course, which is soon lost behind the moun- tains, a lofty snowy peak rises into view : it is the only one yet observed on either side of the dell. In tracing with the eye the flexuous passages of these mountain-streams, one feels an irresistible desire of following them to their hidden sources, 103 and there to look upon the revolutions of matter, unapproached by man, or living thing. Two miles and a quarter from camp, we crossed the Tagla to its left bank, by a sango like the former, thirty-seven feet within the margin of the stream. The bottom of the valley is here about 12,000 feet above the sea : a little further on the dell is shut up, or rather is turned at a very great angle towards the east, to the table-land ; and a fork named Rothingee, with a small supply of water, runs from the south-west. By this our route lay, ascending remarkably steep, but only preserving our level with the stream, which frets in a narrow channel and leaps from rock to rock. We tracked its course scarcely a mile above its confluence with the Tagla, and we were already at an elevation of thirteen thousand five hundred feet (13, 500); and on this level we crossed it by a prodigious arch of snow, thickly covered with soil and stones, accu- mulated by the decay of the impending cliffs, which are a most dejecting spectacle to the cower- ing traveller, who beholds them from the inbound gulf as he stands upon the frozen vault. 104 The ascent which brings us out of the abyss to the Pass, also named Rothingee, is one mile, at an angle from top to bottom of 43; but the actual inclination of the road was reduced by its windings to 30 or 35. The sun was perpen- dicular to us, and, darting fiercely upon the barren rocks, reverberated a glow quite oppressive. The barometer in the crest was 17.856, the temperature of the mercury 80, that of the air 63|, which indicates an altitude of 14,638 feet. From this spot I could trace the dell of the Rothingee, in the direction of south, 20 east : it is of the same nature as all the others. The mountain-face we ascended is a south-west ex- posure, which we may now venture to assign as the cause of its steepness. The opposite (or left) bank is a verdant acclivity, sloping gradually to the line of congelation ; above which, rise hoary summits of incredible height and grandeur, with extensive valleys between them, loaded by pro- digious bodies of undissolving snow. We de- scended but little from the Pass, one mile to Rukor. This is a green level spot, with a stone 105 enclosure for the goatherds and their flocks, who frequent this route. The entire elevation is about 14,000 feet, the barometer varying from 18.155 to 18.220; neither is this Alpine zone, which in equatorial America only produces a thin vegetation of grass, abandoned to frost and bare rock ; for we have here pasturage for cattle, beds of Pama, Juniper, Keechoo, and Tama : the latter is the prickly plant to which we gave the name of Tartaric furze, in 1818.* I had now an oppor- tunity of seeing it in flower, and it exactly resem- bles that of the Whin, although the leaf is dif- ferent. About 200 feet below this were a few birches. The visible summits of the slope on wlu'ch I had my camp, I reckoned from 1500 to 2000 feet higher, and these had not a patch of snow. Across the Tagla the mountains are astonishingly abrupt, and spire into slender cliffs, decayed by age, and crumbling into ruin, and soil, which occupies the more gentle declivities, and produces large beds of juniper and furze. The line of peaks seems * Tama or Tartaric Furze. Genista versicolor. 106 about 18,000 feet, and the snow only finds a rest near the crests, and then in stripes. Towards the head of the valley, in a north-easterly direction, is seen a huge table-mountain loaded with snow, having an elevation of 24. To the west-south- west, along the course of the Rothingee, are to be seen pure white masses of vast height, which, when illuminated by the retiring sun, sparkled with the lustre of a glacier. It was 2 h. 30 m. p. M., when I reached camp, and at three the transit arrived ; it was imme- diately put up, and gave me excellent observations for the time. I find this is by far the best plan, and the only one, when you do not reach your ground till afternoon, in which case it requires the latitude to be observed to a very great degree of nicety, to get the time to accord ; but with the transit, operations are very simple. A pillar is erected in ten minutes, and the transit is fixed within a few minutes of the meridian, levelled and ready for observing half an hour after it arrives. By a short calculation, (for I have got tables which reduce the computation at least two-thirds) if I 107 get two proper stars, which one seldom fails to do in these serene regions, I can obtain the time and deviation of the telescope, and thence the variation of the needle. During my halt at Miming I had an excellent opportunity of comparing the results of the transit with those of equal altitudes, and the greatest difference was only once a quarter of a second. I saw stars of the fifth magnitude very clearly in the middle of the day ! On the 23rd of July the thermometer at sun- rise was 40 y. This day's journey brought us to Zongchen, a stage for travellers and their flocks, with an enclosure for the cattle, distant eight miles and a half. The road was pretty favourable, but continually undulated, and forming very acute angles with the recesses of the mountain : it wearied by its flexure and jagged surface, yet did not fatigue us. Some birches of considerable size, wonderful to record, were passed, on a level with the last camp, or 14,000 feet above the sea. At three miles and a quarter we came into the bed of the Tagla, and crossed it to the right bank, by a good sango of three spars ; breadth twenty- 108 two feet, and temperature of the stream 43<> ; the barometer standing at 18.438, indicates an altitude of 13,700 feet; and the distance travelled from the last point of observation will give the average fall above 300 feet per mile. The road hence is in the contracted channel of the river, and is of the most rugged nature ; and in addition to the asperities described at the commencement of this route, we had slender balconies of the most difficult access, and leaning over the stream. We were confined on each side by horrid-looking cliffs, at an elevation of 60, and never less, frequently perpendicular; in some places the view opened out, and such a scene of chaos and sterile horror is beyond the limits of imagination to conceive. The snow itself, which would otherwise find a resting-place at those lofty regions, is denied it here : so sharp and rugged are the cliffs, and so naked and arid, that the heat of the sun stagnates in the clefts, and carries its influence to the sum- mits. The rocks were of many colours, and dipped to the east-south-east, at an angle of 30 ; scarcely a shrub or plant is to be seen. Having 109 travelled a mile and three quarters from the sango, we observed the stream passing under a large snow-bed ; and a little higher up is another of immense size, with tumuli of stones and earth, fifty or sixty feet high. Those accumulations are eternal, although the line of perpetual snow, and that of congelation, is greatly more elevated. Two miles further on, over gravel and loose stones, fatiguing in the extreme, I met two Chinese with a flock of sheep and goats, laden with salt, on their way to Nisung, They were frank and well-disposed ; and on my asking them if I would be permitted to reach Bekhur, they laughed heartily and said, " Oh no," making prohibitory signs at the same time. The latter part of the march was by the edge of the stream, which is shallow and slightly ruffled, and the banks are thick set forth with furze. This encampment is about 14,700 feet, the barometer showing 17.640. The face of the country here suffers a sudden and remarkable change, to the amazement of the traveller, who is led by the state and complexion of nature in the Himalayan ridge, crossed from the 110 Indian side, to expect perpetual rigors, barrenness, and masses of ever-resting snow. About a mile below this, the peaked mountains are limited, the valley expands, and the traveller finds himself surrounded by a more connected land, whose surface is regularly sloped, and productive at vast heights: whole fields of loose gravelly soil, steeply inclined, are formed by the crumbling of the loftier regions. The Tagla, now pure as the snow from which it rises, had a greater spread, and was gently ruffled by pebbles of many colours : the banks were of gravel and soil richly clothed with Tartaric Whins ; and along the margin of the stream was a slip of the greenest sward. The dell had an expanse of a bow-shot, from the limit of which the mountains rose in vast connected masses with a soft and swelling sur- face, and entered the region of perpetual snow at a height far beyond its equinoctial boundary. A- head the dell was closed in by table-land, just patched with snow. The sun shone bright, and gave an agreeable warmth and liveliness to every thing around : we gazed in amazement upon the Ill scene. The rocks here are wholly limestone, of a variety of hues, and crumbling away at their surface, form a fine soil : much of it is beautifully marled, and close to Camp it is of blue, brown, pink, and many other shades, strangely aggregated, as if by the union of a number of small pieces, since you cannot get a fresh fracture of half an inch. In a north-east direction the mountains are gravelly, and contain clay ; having a very little snow near their summits, which are fully 1 8,000 feet. To the south, across, is the Langoorge Choo, a stream flowing from South 35 East, nearly twice the size of the Tagla, which it joins a short way below camp; the mountains are gravelly, and show a fine vegetation. Notwithstanding the altitude of this spot, we had many flies ; and in the evening the Tartar boys came running in haste to say that there were three large deer of the species called Nean quite close, and that with assistance they thought they could secure one of them. All my people, about sixty-five in num- ber, went out, and were fortunate enough in forcing one to seek shelter in a narrow ravine, 112 where they killed him with stones and sticks ; the flesh was good, and tasted like that of the Ghorul, so abundant in the hilly belt towards India.* Camp, Zeenchin, July 26th, 1821. * Ghoral. Antilope ghoral. 113 CHAPTER VII. TOUR IN THE HIMALAYA. Journey to Zamseeree: ascent of Keoobrung Pass 18,313 feet : great difficulty of breathing . descend to Camp 15,600 feet: ascent of Hookeo 15,786 feet: wonderful height of sward: conference with the Chinese upon the Table-land on a plain studded with ammonites at the height of 16,000 feet : their peremptory refusal to allow the camp to proceed to the village . and consequent- ly retrograde movement. ZONGCHEN CAMP, July 24, 1821. Thermo- meter at sun-rise 39. I marched to Zamseeree, distant 8J miles, road along the edge of the Tagla, which is still a lively stream rippling over its pebbled bed, and well accords with the tran- quil character of the country. The mountains sloping with a steep, but regular surface, spread VOL. II. I 114 out into a flat covered with turf, 150 yards broad, through which the rivulet winds. The visible summits of the mountains from this (the right) bank have only an elevation of 15 or 20 ; on the opposite side they show 30, but are scarcely peaked, a few points now and then rising from the rest of the ranges ; for several hundred fa- thoms down to their base is green and gay, with blooming tama; for 2J miles the dell is of this nature, and the traveller never ceases wondering at the face of the country, the lowest point of which is the expanded bed of a stream fringed with green sward at an elevation of 15,000 feet above the sea. Where the dell is shut up, the Tagla is joined by the Pelachoo, coming from the north at the back of a range of high land, which sends down its waters from its opposite face to the Sutluj ; the Tagla, now a fretting rivulet, and its channel a gorge, makes a sharp turn south- easterly, by which the route lay; the furze was found here in highest bloom where nothing else could grow ; the bleakest situations seem to be its favourite soil. 115 The hills on both sides are of gravel and marled limestone, and attain a height of 18,000 or 19,000 feet, but astonishing to say, are only tipped with snow. The Tagla was crossed twice upon arches of snow, and at 2J miles from its debouche into the dell, I got a view of the Keoo- brung Pass at an elevation of 20 28'. The ba- rometer was now 16.092, temperature of the air 46, or a height of seventeen thousand feet (17,000), yet I observed upon the range to the westward a kind of bushes at an altitude of 2'. Three quarters of a mile further, upon rubble, with a proportion of white marble, brought us to Keoobrung Pass; the ascent was more gentle than we generally find near the crest, but I experienced great difficulty of breathing and debility, but had no head-ache, although all my attendants suffered from the increased impetus of the circulation alluded to by Mr. Moorcroft. I was led to expect the Chinese here (rather too cold a spot for a piquet, and I doubt if their zealous vigilance would carry them so far) but was agreea- bly surprised to find nobody i 2 116 The view from this lofty situation was confined by clouds. In front to the east, the country looked arid and undulated, and continued for a great extent, beyond which was seen a lofty chain running N. 30 W. and S. 30 E. it extended from N. 45 E. to S. 68 E. when the prospect was intercepted by the nearer hills. This range seemed most elevated to the N. W., but the sum- mits being hid in the clouds, prevented me making good observations; it was, however, perfectly white. South-easterly the line of snow was very close to the tops. I could only distinguish one prominent point loaded with snow bearing S. 85 E. at an altitude of 3'. To the N. W. I have no doubt the peaks would show a considerable eleva- tion, but they were all buried in clouds. This chain must extend much further than I could see, and it is probable that it trends along the bank of the Indus, from Mansarowur to Leh of Ludak, or even to the limits of Kashmeer. To the South, not far distant, there was a cluster of snowy peaks, the highest having an ele- vation of 46', to the N. W. and W., the line 117 of snow was near the summits, and on the North across the Sutluj the snowy bases of enormous mountains were visible, but their crests shrouded in clouds. There was a little snow on each side of the Pass, but none on the ridge, which is above 18,000 feet. I put up both the barometers, Dollond's portable was 15.470, and the tube 15.455. A few ravens hovered above my head, and I heard the call of a bird which reminded me of that of the golden pheasant : the guides named it Kangmo. It began to snow, and a thick mist obscured every thing just as I had finished the barometrical observations ; the thermometer, how- ever, was so high as 44, but the westerly wind blew strongly, and chilled us quite enough. From the Pass to Zamseeree, distant two miles, was a very steep but easy descent to the Sheltee Choo, running from the south by several streams in a bed of 100 yards broad. To-day's march occupied 7J hours. I reached Camp at 3h. 30m. p. M. but a large proportion of the baggage only arrived at dusk. The barometer was here 17.060, which will give 15,600 feet, a height, by theory, 118 abandoned to indissoluble snow, whereas my tent was in a dell % mile broad sloping to the Sheltee, and covered over with furze, and the plant we named broom, called by the Tartars khamda.* I saw several flocks of pigeons, and many of the horns of the large deer before mentioned. I could not get the upper limit of furze on this (the Tartaric) side, but I reckon it fully 17,000 feet ; it is the only kind of fire-wood, and partaking of the aridity of the soil and climate, it blazes like turpentine. How fortunate for the travellers who cross these bleak and frozen mountains to be so well accommodated ! From the crest of Keoo- brung on either side it is less than four miles to the limit of bushes for fuel, whereas the Passes in the snowy chain seen from the plains of India, as the Shatool, and others, are nearly double that distance from any sort of arborescent production. Were it not for this provision of nature, these lofty Passes would only be encountered by the intrepidity of a few ; the utmost limit of trees * Khamda. Astragalus Webbianus ? 119 upon the outer range of Himalaya is 13,000 feet, while here the lowest depression of the soil for many miles on each side of the Pass is far more elevated; but such is the constitution of this extraordinary country, that the Tartar tends his cattle and enjoys the comforts of his fire-side (not that of the climate,) at heights which under the equator itself are consigned to the rest of eternal snow. JULY 25. Thermometer at sun-rise 34, marched to Zeenchin ; a halting place for shep- herds, distant 6f miles, road along the bank of the Sheltee Choo, which receives accessions in its course by two streams of equal size ; where they unite, the dell is half a mile broad, and thickly clothed in furze and broom. There occur three kinds of prickly bushes resembling the whin, viz. tama, keechoo, and set.* The rocks have the same appearance, and are inclined South 75o * Tama Keechoo, Set. " Genista versicolor, and Astra- galus Moorcroftianus, spinosissimus, Webbianus and Gerar- dianus forming the different kinds of Tartaric Furze so fre- quently mentioned by travellers." Royle's Illust. Bot. Himal. Mount, p. 40. 120 West at an angle of 10. A little further on, the valley opens at the junction of the Soomdo with the Sheltee; hetween the streams, is a stony plain half a mile broad, where are trees from fifteen to twenty feet high, called oomboo, which I suppose is the tamarisk of Mr. Moorcroft, the same kind being plentiful near Daba.* The barometer was here 18.290 ; temperature of the mercury 74, and that of the air 62, or answer- ing to an elevation of 13,500 feet. Our road was now directed by the Soomdo for half a mile, and thence to Hookeo Pass, by a rocky gorge, remark- ably steep, and bound by mural cliffs of limestone. Upon the surrounding heights near the Pass are many shughars or piles of stones sacred to the gods, and which at a distance exactly resembled men ; and the instant my people observed them, they said they were the Tartars waiting for me ; I thought the same, as they had a very suspicious appearance from below, and I could not divest myself of the belief (although the guides assured * Oomboo. Myricaria elegans ? 121 me that they were shughars) till I looked through the glass.* Seeing clearly that the supposed Tartars were stones, I had now some hopes of reaching Bekhur, but was soon to be disap- pointed ; for near the Pass I met three Koona- warees with a flock of sheep, laden with salt and wool, who said that the Chinese were quite close, and would not allow me to advance beyond their post. The crest is 15,786 feet, the barometer showing 17.080 : it is the margin of the table- land, and how wonderful to behold, no rocky points now predominate. The soil is of a reddish gravel, and swells into gentle slopes, thickly covered with furze, very much resembling the Scotch Highlands, with furze in place of heather. * By the by, the glass has suffered no injury from its being buried under the snow for nine months. I wish every thing else was recovered in as good order, but this cannot be expected. The large thermometer must have been broken by the same poisonous blast which carried away the portfolio and the life of the boy. This rainy season should disclose the body of the Brahmin who carried the bundle of sticks ; he must lie on very elevated ground. I may take the Pass on my return, but it will be just at the same period of the year which proved so fatal and disastrous to you. Vide vol. l,p. 313. 122 There were yaks, horses, and cattle, pasturing upon the contiguous heights, and three of the tenders watched me for some time at the distance of a quarter of a mile, till, I suppose, being convinced that I was an European, they mounted their horses and galloped off to give intimation of my approach. I was determined to get as far as pos- sible, and told the guides to quicken their pace, and we moved on for one mile and a quarter upon the fine road, amongst blooming furze, and crossing a rivulet with a swampy bed, and banks of a peat substance, rose gently upon gravel studded with ammonites. We were now at the highest point of the road, the barometer 16.675, and descending 400 yards further arrived at Zeenchin. I was walking on, when I observed on my right, about 200 yards distant, a dozen of Tartars, who called me and said, they had no order to allow me to proceed, and that I must encamp where I was, at the same time offering to send a courier to Chubrung, to solicit permission for me to go on ; I instantly delivered the three letters to a person who seemed to have some authority, and 123 on his seeing the address, he ordered three horses to be saddled, and they were despatched without the least delay ; he also sent off several horsemen in different directions to assemble the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages. Here I found a couple of black tents, and a Tartar picquet of about thirty people, who had been encamped three weeks, waiting my arrival, having heard of my approach when I was at Boorendo Pass : they had all horses, which were running about loose, grazing. The people were very civil and good-natured, but would not listen to any proposals for my visiting Bekhur, which I reckoned about two miles dis- tant, in a N. E. direction. They are stout muscular men, with the Chinese features, all well and comfortably dressed in sooklat or thick woollen cloth ; their outer garment reaches below the knees, and has long sleeves, trousers, and boots with a leather sole, the part answering to the stocking is of Tartan, and is tied with a garter : they are all bareheaded, the hair plaited into a long tail. Each had a knife, six or eight inches in length, with an ornamented brass or silver case, 124 a gungsa, or iron pipe, for smoking, and a mepcha, or steel, for striking fire. The pipe is of the shape of tobacco-pipes at home, but longer ; it is of iron, frequently inlaid with silver, and has a silver bowl. The tents appeared comfortable: they were of black yak's hair made into a blanket, double poled, and round at the ends, from twenty to thirty feet long, ten broad, and six or seven high. In the evening I received an answer from the Mookhea, or chief person of Murmokh, informing me that the letters had been forwarded to Garoo and Chubrung, and that he would call upon me next day. The Tartars were very curious and inquisitive, and surrounded the tent till ten at night, when they withdrew to their camp 300 yards distant. JULY 26. Thermometer at -sun-rise was 27, and a very heavy dew on the ground and bushes. I was awoke early by birds singing a note like that of the lark ; I saw several crows, and some large birds soaring high in the air, which I took to be eagles, but they were called thungar, which 125 I believe is the kite. I observed a few locusts, and there were a considerable number of large flies. The Mookhea, attended by ten or twelve people on horseback, and a number of the inhabi- tants on foot, from the neighbouring villages, in all about 100, arrived at ten o'clock. The Mook- hea, who is quite blind, seemed a very good sort of man, and talked much : he was polite in the extreme, and said he had no wish to be at variance with me, but that he was obedient to the dictates of higher authority, which prohibited any foreigner passing the frontier, and he was obliged to con- sider his own interest ; but that an answer might be expected in ten or twelve days, and during that period I could either remain where I was, or re- turn, as it suited my convenience. I was com- pelled to do the latter, as I had only four days' supplies, and the Bekhur people either could or would not furnish me with more than half a day's consumption of grain. I was unfortunate in regard to weather, alter- nate sunshine and clouds during the day, and the thermometer in the open air never rose above 126 60, the wind blew very strong from the south- west, it began at nine, attained its greatest force by three, and subsided at sunset. The barometer ranged from 16.668 to 16.744, which will give an elevation of about 16,200 feet. I was never be- fore encamped so high, or saw so great an extent of country around me free of snow at so great an elevation. The soil about the tent was black and fertile, all covered with tama and metoh : the latter plant is more common here than the furze ; it is bushy, without thorns, and bears a yellow flower. A small rill ran past the Canlp upon luxuriant turf. Across and along the banks of the Sutluj, the mountain-ridges are peaked and rise precipitously, and eastward there is high land in masses, but no level, the rivers flowing in deep- worn channels. Beyond this tract, which is of great extent, there appears the lofty snowy chain, which was visible from Keoobrung Pass; from this spot it seemed to have a direction of North 40 West, and South 40 East, but the clouds always hung upon it, and I could not fix a single point. 127 I got the altitude of two peaks, one 27' and the other 29'. After the Mookhea took leave of me, I had the rest of the day at my command. I got equal altitudes for the time, and in the evening admirable observations for the latitude, which will come out 31 36' nearly. At night it was quite clear, and in this pure atmosphere, the stars shone with a brilliancy scarcely to be conceived. The galaxy had a very grand appearance, and some of the stars in it could almost be counted. I sat outside the tent for an hour, gazing upon the scene; and next morning, although the temperature was below freezing, I could not resist the pleasure I contemplated, in seeing the moon and Jupiter before day-break, and which was amply realized in the dazzling splendour of the planet, long before sun-shine reached us ; although we were in an open and insulated plain, far distant from the inter- cepting shade of the highest mountains, the clouds on the great snowy chain were illuminated by the sun, and assumed the most beautiful diversity of tints, surpassing in lustre the brightest gold. 128 July 27. Thermometer at sun-rise, 30J, heavy dew ; commenced my return by a march to Zam- seeree, six miles and three quarters. Camp Zamseeree, July 27, 1821 CHAPTER VIII. TOUR IN THE HIMALAYA. Return to Reeshee Talam: ascend Gangihung Pass 1 8,295 feet : danger from a shower of snow, dense clouds, and missing tlie may : descend by a rough road to Reeshee Eerpoo 14,800 feet: greatheight of cultivation ; still descend to Dabling in the valley of the Sutluj, where the heat was very oppressive, rising to 109 in a tent, whilst the preceding day at noon it stood at 33. Such is the extraordinary facility of modifying climate afforded by the mountains of Himalaya. JULY 28. Thermometer at sun-rise 35. I as- cended Keoobrung, and encamped at Reeshee Talam, distance six miles and a quarter, a resting- place for travellers and their flocks on the bank of the Tagla, two miles up the dell from Zongchen, where I before stopped. I put up Dollond's VOL. II. K 130 portable barometer at Keoobrung Pass, with a view to verify the former observations, and it marked 15.469 or one-thousandth part of an inch lower than before ; this, to a fastidious critic, will appear a too nice agreement, but the observation was made at eleven o'clock : the former at two p. M. and if we allow for the difference of altitude of the mercurial column within that period, and also for the temperature of the air, which was 37, the respective measurements will vary in a greater degree than could be supposed from the indica- tions of the mercury. It snowed as I crossed, but cleared away before I reached the camp, which is 15,000 feet above the sea ; the barometer show- ing 17.380. I put up the Transit and had excel- lent observations for the time, which I was anxious to ascertain correctly, as there occurred two im- mersions of Jupiter's satellites. I sat up for both, the first was at half-past eleven, but to my great disappointment I beheld Jupiter rise over the hills in sparkling beauty only two minutes after the eclipse had passed ; this was the first satellite, and I had reckoned upon a sight of the planet 131 earlier ; the other of the second satellite occurred at half-past one o'clock. Jupiter was bright till one, but became obscured by clouds before the time, and I lost this also, which was provoking enough. JULY 29. Thermometer at sunrise was 39. Made a journey of ten and three quarters miles to Reeshee-Eerpoo, within the valley of the Sutluj, crossing the lofty ridge which separates it from the dell of the Tagla. This was an arduous and disagreeable march ; it occupied eight and a half hours, exposed to rain and snow the whole time. We ascended from the bed of the Tagla upon the slope of the range, which was gently inclined for two miles, when the furze ceased to grow, and I here set up the barometer, which was 16.463, answering to a height of 16,700 feet : but across the Tagla on the east side, I think it was fully 500 feet higher. Before we arrived at this elevation it began to snow, and we were involved in a dense cloud, no path visible, and the guides, un- certain of the direction, would not go on ; I was therefore obliged to make a halt of half an hour : K2 132 the clouds then cleared away, only for a minute, but disclosing in the interval a shughar, or pile of stones, near the Gangthung Pass, which bore N. 60 W. ; it was instantly obscured ; and with this direction, and the pocket compass in my hand, I led the way upon the flank of the range, ascending over loose masses of limestone and slate, which time and perpetual frost had exposed, never to be animated again by vegetable life. Now and then we had turf and fungous excrescences, and a few plants blighted in their growth. I had a long line of baggage, and to preserve it in the proper direction, required an effort that resembled the howl of wild beasts. Our situation was irk- some, half frozen as we were by the contact of clouds charged with rimy vapour, and we were happy to see them disperse and discover the road ; it continued snowing, but none lay on the ground. At noon I reached the pile of stones which marked the Pass, where the barometer was 15.549, temperature of the air 35 J. We still ascended from this spot over perpetual snow, now sprinkled with a fresh covering, till we arrived at 133 the extreme elevation of the road where the baro- meter was 15.422, and the temperature of the air 33, which will make the height of the Pass equal to the Keoobrung. From this (the spine of the range) streams flow to the Tagla and Sutluj ; we now hurried down to a milder climate, for a short way upon continuous snow, and after- wards on loose rock and snow for a mile, where the head of the dell is formed on each side of us. In this plain of wrecks and horrid scenery, the de- tached summits of the chain rose in various misshapen forms, dark and naked on their sides, but terminating in spires and domes of perpetual whiteness. Around their bases, which here rest at an elevation of 17,000 feet, are enormous accu- mulations of snow, containing basins of still water, the dread of travellers who approach them: the scene surpasses description. The dell, nearly half a mile wide, is covered by layers of broken stones, exhibiting extraordinary variety, beau- tiful to the eye, but severe to the feet ; the united streams and gatherings from the snow take the name of Hocho, which in some places spreads out 134 i to 100 yards, and in one spot to 200 or 300, but so shallow as just to cover the pebbles of its bed: in other parts it is arched over by the snow, and then it is buried under ruins of cliffs, from which it again bursts out and expands over the plain. The fall is here very gentle, but below this it is precipitated in whitened agitation and unceasing roar, but the body of water is too insignificant to produce the full effect of the inclined plane over which it rolls, since this must frequently be nearly 1000 feet of perpendicular descent in a mile. From the snow of its source to the level the Sutluj is 10,000 feet, and the distance is less than twelve miles ; the mountains on each side are high and precipitous, and their avalanches have at different times arrested the stream, which in two places is formed into deep lakes of considerable extent; the embankments of which being high, above the level of its natural bed, it dashes over them with a loud clamour. The last mile of the road was as rough as the surface of the stream, which was one broken sheet of foam. At 4. 30 P. M. I reached Reeshee-Eerpoo, the first spot that affords wood 135 for fuel ; this was a truly galling day's journey, the snow changed to sleet and then to rain, and much of the baggage did not arrive till midnight. This route is little frequented, on account of the distance between wood for fuel on opposite sides of the Pass; and in bad weather travellers prefer making the circuit by Nisung or Shipke. My Camp was here about the height of 14,800 feet, the barometer showing 17.500. Vegetation in this glen is very poor; a few juniper bushes were observed. JULY 30. The Thermometer at sun-rise was 36 J, and a great deal of snow had fallen upon the surrounding peaks during the night. Marched to Dabling, distant 9J miles along the dell, with the Hocho on our left ; met again with honey- suckle and gooseberries, and a soil covered with sage, thyme, and many odoriferous plants, all signs of a better climate than that we had lately visited, and 3J miles brought us to a summer residence of shepherds, and a few fields of barley, phapur, and turnips, which do not thrive well at such an alti- tude. This is the highest cultivation I have yet 136 noticed ; the Barometer was 18.487, temperature of the air 56, which will give an elevation of at least 13,300 feet. The dell, farther down, is arid and uninteresting ; a few ill-grown trees now and then occur, and tufts of aromatic plants, but no- thing verdant like the foliage of the glen of the Pahur ; the mountains on each side are desolate without grandeur ; untrodden ground has here no curiosity to excite, every step is wearisome till the road crosses the ridge, which confines the dell at an elevation of 11,300 feet. From this, the Sutluj, now at its fullest swell, is seen 3,000 feet perpendicularly below, muddy, and moving in silence. The opposite bank of the Sutluj presents a perpendicular section of 6 or 7,000 feet of pure rock. In a corner, and at a considerable eleva- tion above the river is the village of Pooe, remark- able for the contrast which its green fields, vine- yards, and apricot groves form with the barren cliffs, and by many would be hailed with delight and pleasant expectations, after a sojourn of ten days in tented wilds in the regions of perpetual congelation, with neither hamlet nor the trace of 137 industry in sight, yet, must I own that the elevated regions of Tartary, bleak and abandoned as they are, have many more charms for me. From the Pass we descended by a steep and difficult road, which at the end of 1 J miles opened into the ara- ble belt of land by the margin of the Sutluj, and a mile farther brought us to Dabling, a village of Koonawur, occupied by Tartars, with the houses surmounted by flags as at Nisung. At sun-set the missing people arrived, having passed the night a short way above my Camp of 14,800 feet ; it rained during the whole march, and snowed thickly upon the heights, and I thought myself fortunate in having made the passage of the Gang- thung, since the fresh snow must have rendered it both difficult and dangerous. The three Tartar boys who accompanied me from Nisung, conducted themselves satisfac- torily in every way, and made a very favourable impression in my mind of the character of the people. I gave them two rupees each, for which they were very thankful. JULY 31. I got equal altitudes for the time, 138 and put up the Transit. The chronometer ap- peared to have been going admirably ; it gives my camp on the table-land near Bekhur 28 miles east of Murung, and 18J east of Dabling; the difference of longitude between Murung and Dabling is 1 0^ miles, which added to the former, makes 28| ; had it been exact the results would have been the same, but the mean 28J- miles is probably a very small deviation from the truth, and the difference of | mile or two seconds of time is nothing in fourteen days, considering the extremes of temperature to which the watch was exposed, from 110 in all probability in the bed of Tagla (for it was 99 in the tent) to below the freezing point. Dabling is about 9,400 feet above the sea; but such is the effect produced by the reverbera- tion of the sun's rays in those secluded dells that simple elevation ceases to be indicated by the de- crease of temperature. I found the heat here on the 31st, quite intolerable in a tent. The ther- mometer rose to 109, and I was glad to seek shelter in a house, while scarcely twenty-four 139 hours preceding I had it 33 in regions of eternal snow, and was almost frozen up at noon- day. As I was in no hurry, I halted here yester- day and to-day, to observe some stars ; to-morrow I shall proceed to Numgea, and the next day to Shipke, where I hope to receive an answer from Garoo, although I can scarcely expect it will be favourable. You will be glad to hear that Dol- lond still holds out : I had always used it, and compared it with the other, now and then. It is a trouble putting up the latter, since the plummet has disappeared. All the other instruments are still safe, and the spiders' webs of the Transit are as good as when first put in ; the perambulator got out of order on the last march, but it is now efficient. By the mean of several observations Dollond stands .006 higher than the other tube. For the last two days the thermometer in the open air has ranged from 60 at sun-rise, to 85 in the middle of the day. Camp Dalling, Aug. 2, 1821. CHAPTER IX. TOUR IN THE HIMALAYA. Journey to Numgea; union of the Speetee River with the Sutluj ; majestic scenery , horrid gulf of Oopsung ; ascent to Peeming Pass 13,518 feet above the sea; surprising contrast between Busahir and Chinese Tartary ; stupendous appearance of Purgeool, 22,500 feet ; descent to Shipke the first town in Tartary. MY last letter to you was from Dabling, dated the 2nd of August, when I intended to have moved my Camp the following day to Numgea ; but it rained, and as I had not recovered from the effects of the snow in the passage of the Ganthung, I was not very anxious to make an uncomfortable departure. Rain is more frequent in this climate than we might have expected from the oral 141 accounts of the inhabitants ; but it is always light, the extreme dryness and rarity of the air is incapa- ble of producing such dense precipitations as occur on the Indian side of the Himalaya at far greater heights. The clouds flit over the peaks in the form of a misty vapour, and roll down their flanks, dispersing into nothing ; some- times they invest the mountains like a broad belt above, while the white summits appear as insu- lated in the ae'real ocean. For days together they occupy the same position, and with a change of their specific gravity or that of the atmosphere, they shift their situation, moving off in groupes as if by agreement and under some impulse, which has an odd appearance to the traveller, and reminds him that he is under a foreign sky. Even when the air is overcast and rain falls, the stratum of clouds is frequently so loose that the sun's rays, by being concentrated in their passage through it, strike with the power of a lens. During my halt here I heard many complaints of inconvenience and detriment from the want of a direct communication between the banks of the Sutluj. The Namptoo Sango in this vicinity was broken down in 1819, by the decay of the rock that supported it; and the only intercourse be- tween contiguous tracts of country of an hour's journey, is by a circuit of six or seven days. This is a matter worthy the attention of Government, and one in which a little British influence would have the happiest effects. The transit of Shawl- wool by this route is of itself a consideration worthy of support, and without which the present experimental arrangement for the supply of the market will be unfairly estimated. Without good roads, and a facility of access, no commercial or trading intercourse can be advantageously main- tained. At Cabling there are several Lamas of the sect called Neengma, something like the Soonasees of the Plains, clothed in red blankets; they were very regular in chanting their vespers, which are solemnized by an accompaniment of clear sound- ing cymbals, and a drum. They assembled in an adjoining room to the one I occupied, and the music was very agreeable. 143 On the 4th of August I removed my camp to Numgea, at a distance of eight miles, all along the margin of the Sutluj, which is more tranquil than we might expect from the savage aspect of the masses that form the dell in which it flows. The village of Doobling is passed through at the end of the first mile : it is situated upon a declivity, 1000 feet above the Sutluj, in a grove of apricot and walnut trees, and watered by a stream. The apricots form a part of the subsistence of the inha- bitants, and at this season half of them are pulled and exposed to the sun upon the roofs of the houses : when dried they are not unlike our prunes. There are many of the usual tumuli, faced with inscriptions in this neighbourhood, but some of them most fancifully situated ; for in order to pass them on the right hand the road makes a circuit of nearly a quarter of a mile. There are also numerous chostins, on which are painted figures of animals very neatly executed. Close to the path is a whirligig, or wooden cylinder, on a perpendicular axis, which is set in motion by pas- sengers ; each of the Tartars in company gave it 144 a twirl, and I did the same, repeating the sacred sentence " Oom Mane paee me Oom," with which they were much pleased. There was little variety in this day's march; the road is partly in the bed of the Sutluj, where repose the aged ruins of avalanches, which bear- ing the marks of the stream, and corroded by long exposure to the air present a venerable record of the revolution of time ; for they are covered with a mantle of verdure. The dell is very narrow, and the mountains are amazingly rugged, precipi- tous, and of an incredible height. In this deep- worn dell the Sutluj has only a gentle declivity, not above forty feet in a mile. Many brilliant minerals arrest the eye of the traveller as he picks his steps amongst the detached rocks. But what particularly forces itself upon the imagination is the singular appearance of the cliffs. The predominating substance is of a blue colour, crossed in all directions by veins of white granite, most commonly traversing it in a serpentine course. The perpendicular form, and vast height of the cliffs, which are perfectly naked, exhibit 145 this astonishing structure, with an effect of which it is impossible to give a description. Some of the veins are not broader than half an inch, whilst others are five or six feet ; there is no soil here, and very little gravel. On the right margin of the river the mass of rock is so very steep and fresh in colour as to give it the appearance of having been recently fractured ; as if the moun- tains had parted asunder to give passage to the Sutluj. At the end of six miles, Khab, a village of two houses, suddenly bursts into view, when only 200 yards distant. It is circumscribed by loose fragments of rock, which offer no nourish- ment to vegetation : and the traveller is then struck with surprise at finding himself instantly amongst fields, vineyards, and avenues of apricot-trees. Granite is now the prevailing rock, and the sight of this noble formation was associated with lively feelings of early days ; the mica-slate, which bears but a small proportion to the granite, is of a dazzling lustre, and shines like burnished bronze. We passed several temporary huts, high perched upon the crags across the river ; they are the resi- VOL. II. L 146 dence of the hunters of Hango, who at this season roam amongst the rocks in search of deer. The species that frequents these frowning ruins, is that which I noticed in a former letter : the male is called Nean or Skeeng, and the female Tadmo ; the head is crowned with very thick short horns, which are used to adorn the exterior of the Deotas or places of worship. Opposite to this, the Sutluj is joined by the Lee, or Speetee, one of its largest tributary streams, having its source in the Ludak country. The character of the gulf at the confluence is cer- tainly one of the wonders of the world. The flanks of the passage are solid granite, stratified as before observed, and seem perfectly mural. For many hundred feet, one of the arms of the Purgeool limits the left side of the channel by a wall separated from the parent mass, and of the most dreadful appearance to the spectator, who views it from below. Such is the prodigious bulk of this impending wreck, that were it to give way, and this must occur at no distant period, the Sutluj will be arrested at this furious point of 147 its course, and a magnificent cataract record the event. There can be no doubt of the original continuity of the granite ridge of which the Lee has now made a complete section ; but the time required for this must extend to an antediluvian period. The contrast between the two streams is striking; the Lee issues forth from its almost subterraneous concealment, in a calm, blue, deep body, to meet the Sutluj ; but the salutation is scarcely received before it is grasped in the em- brace of its impetuous consort. A mile beyond this is Numgea, the last village of Busahir, containing eight houses, planted in the midst of desolation. Adjoining on the oppo- site bank of a small stream, are fields of barley, cheena, ooa, phapur, and turnips, some apricots, and a few grapes. The houses are built of granite, but their structure ill corresponds with the dura- bility of the materials. The want of forests to supply the timbers necessary to give a support and union to the walls, as in all the other parts of the country, is the source of this misfortune ; for the granite blocks resist their rude implements L 2 148 of architecture. The crops here are very back- ward, and it will not be harvest till a month hence. Elevation is not the agent here : 9300 feet is much inferior to other spots where the grain has ripened. It is the site and exposure that regulates the activity of the crops. The moun- tains on every hand are of a stupendous height, those immediately at the back of the village sub- tend an angle of 38 and exclude the sun till eight o'clock. The heat generated during the day, in so profound a glen, is great, but the very cause of this retards the developement of vegeta- tion ; since the long absence of the solar warmth is more than a counterbalance to its short and powerful ardour. The strata of the rocks that were visible, dip down the stream at an angle of 20. Across the Sutluj is seen the village and temple of Tuzheegung, where a few Lamas reside at the height of 12,400 feet; and beyond it rises / the colossal Purgeool, twenty-two thousand five hundred feet (22,500) high, with an elevation of 19. On the 5th of August I made a march to Shipke 149 distant nine miles; the nature of the road as far as the Pass to Tartary may be summed up in a few words. On the left hand, at a great depth below, is the Sutluj, tearing its way amongst masses of fallen rock, and appearing a white line of cataracts : the declivity is frightful to behold, of a loose jumble of stone and indurated gravel eaten away by frost and thawing snow. One sees winding passages with spiked ridges intervening, at which the eyes grow dim and the head dizzy. The pathway is the bare surface of the shattered rocks which are constantly changing their place. Before, is the abyss of the Oopsung ; the rocks are grouped to- gether, and menace the traveller with horror, and he expects to be annihilated at every step. The deep indentations formed by rushing torrents, must be followed into their darkest windings ; and it is in such situations, when the footsteps are tardy and insecure, that the frail outline of the cliffs presses upon the imagination. Flights of steps are frequently met with in this march, and the most dazzling minerals occurring at every pace, lighten the toil and anticipated dangers of this 150 dreaded road. At the Peeming Pass, from which the road descends to Shipke, the barometer was 18.467, the temperature of the Mercury 74, and that of the air 63. This will give nearly the same height, as it was made from corresponding observations in 1818, or 13,510 feet. This is the line of separation between Busahir and Chinese Tartary, and there could scarcely be a better-defined natural boundary. In front, the face of the country is entirely changed : as far as the eye can reach eastward, mountain-masses suc- ceed each other : no rugged peaks rise into view, but a bare expanse of elevated land, without snow, in appearance like a Scotch heath. From this point the Sutluj had a depression of 42, and the mighty Purge ool an elevation of 23 23' ; what an immense mass of rock it is ! From the bed of the Sutluj to its summit is 13,500 feet, and the angle of the slope is not under 40. The Shee- rung Mountain, over the top of which the road leads to Garoo, had an altitude of 2 50'; the actual height of this mass is probably not under 18,000 feet, yet only a very small stripe of snow 151 could be detected by the glass. From hence to Shipke was two and a quarter miles, by an excellent road upon the hill slope at an angle of 15, on gravel and frangible red granite, like a good turn- pike-road. Camp Shipke^ 5th August, 1821. CHAPTER X. TOUR IN THE HIMALAYA. Description of Shipke: Letter of the Garpan, and positive refusal to allow me to advance : highest limit of cultiva- tion,- ascent of Kongma Pass 16,007 feet; return to Numgea; cross the Sutluj ; and ascend steeply to Nako village ', elevated 1 2,005 feet above the level of the sea. Shipke is a populous town of several separate divisions, occupying the left bank of a rivulet rising in the perpetual snow, not 8 miles distant : the extent of cultivation surrounding the village is considerable, the crops are luxuriant; they are wheat, barley, ooa, phapur, and turnips, separated by rows of apricot-trees. Although fully 1,300 feet higher than Numgea, and ten thousand six hundred feet (10,600) above the sea, the crops 153 were further advanced, part of the grain was cut, and what remained was yellow. The situation and exposure of Shipke seems favourable for an early harvest ; at this season of the year, sunshine falls on it before 6h. 30m. A. M. but it disappears at 5 P. M. which is sooner than at Numgea. The Sutluj flows past it at the distance of a mile ; and across it to the North, from the water's edge rises up in hoary grandeur the mass of Purgeool, seen from this under an elevation of 23 38'. To the East of it, and in the same granite range, are several sharp pinnacles, more than 20,000 feet in height, yet bare to their utmost extremity ; and on the South West, at the back of the town, is a mass of 20,150 feet, crowned with eternal snow, seen at an angle of 27 8'. From the lightness of the snow, in October, unchanged by the power of the sun, we beheld it drifting from the summit like smoke before the wind, and carried over our heads at the perpendicular distance of 2 miles, but none of it descended to the earth again. At this season, when the snow must feel the influence of the sun at the loftiest peaks, nothing of the kind occurs, 154 but I can never forget the effect it produced on my astonished eyes ; such scenes cannot be im- pressed upon others by the medium of language. The great autumnal feast held in consecration of harvest had just concluded on my arrival. I understand it is very gay, but I was only in time to see it breaking up; crowds of people were dancing, singing, and playing upon musical instru- ments, such as cymbals, drums, and double flageolets.* A similar ceremony is observed in China, but it occurs in the spring, although it is likely enough that there is also one for harvest- home. I regret my lack of fortune that prevented * In Mr. Moorcroft's Narrative, we find mention of a Tartar tune that reminded him of the overture in Oscar and Malvina, which does very ample credit to their taste. Turner has somewhat reversed the comparison, but with equal praise, for after being entertained with several pleasing airs, with an accompaniment of the double flageolet and guitar, by the mother of the infant Teshoo Lama, (the regenerated spirit of the grand Lama,) he adds, " her voice was by no means inharmonious, and I am not ashamed to own, that the song she sung, was more pleasing to my ear than an Italian air ! !" I also have heard Lama Music, and although I by no means subscribe to the opinion of the latter gentleman, yet I do own that there was a romantic melody in the air, quite delightful to the European ear. J. G. Gr. 155 me enjoying this homely scene ; since, from the character and moral feelings of the people, I am satisfied that my curiosity would have been amply rewarded. The men are stout and well clothed, and in dress and appearance resemble those at Bekhur ; they wear necklaces, on which are strung several large pieces of a substance like amber, called Poshil, beads of coral, and some that looked like rubies and emeralds ; the females are also stout, and are covered from head to foot with ornaments ; as large bracelets, and anklets of pewter or silver, and numerous chains hanging from their shoulders, strung with cowrie shells, and beads of pewter, brass, coral, and coloured glass. About sunset the chief person of the place paid me a visit, and informed me, that orders had been received from Lahassa, some months ago, to make no friends of Europeans, and to furnish them neither with food nor firewood. When I was at dinner, it was intimated that a letter from the Garpan of the interior had just arrived ; I ordered it to be brought, but the courier would only deliver 156 it in person ; after dinner he made his appearance with the letter folded in a blanket tied to his back, and although he was three days from Bek- hur, he had not unloosed it. I understand that where there is a regular horse post, as between Lahassa and Garoo, the orders are remarkably rigorous ; the bundle is sealed fast to the rider, who is again sealed to his horse, and no inconvenience, however great, admits of his dis- mounting until he reaches the relief stage, where the seal is examined. The letter of the Garpan was accompanied by a Khuttuk, some Nerbissi, and a piece of China silk : he said that the Court of Oochang (Lahassa, Lassa) were very much alarmed on hearing that Mr. Moorcroft had pene- trated to Ludak, and in consequence had directed him to give orders at all the frontier posts to pre- vent European gentlemen from passing the boun- dary, and if they entered the country unobserved, to stop them at the first village and afford no sup- plies. He concluded by saying that he was so completely under the authority of the Lama of Ouchang, that to hear was to obey, and in future he 157 could neither receive nor answer letters from Eu- ropeans ; and must return them unopened. His letter was plain and brief, neatly written in the character called Oome, of which there is a speci- men in Turner's Thibet, but the Tartars frequently make use of hieroglyphics and paintings to repre- sent the subject, like the old Mexicans. On the 6th of August, being still at Shipke, the thermometer at sunrise was 55. Having no sup- plies for my camp, 1 returned to Numgea by the high road, distance ten and a quarter miles ; a journey which occupied the greatest part of the day, on account of the vast height of the Pass, and steepness of the ascent to it. The perpendicular height above Shipke is one mile, and the attempt to accomplish it was strongly remonstrated against: this road is preferred for loaded sheep and goats, to avoid the intricacies of the lower pathway, already described ; by this I sent the camp, and commenced the ascent at 7h, 45m. A. M. Shipke itself lies on the declivity which is continuous to the Sutluj. At the end of one and a half mile, we were already at an elevation of 11,900 feet, 158 where we found the summer residence of shep- herds and their flocks, and some fields of wheat. This is the highest limit of cultivation in the neighbourhood of Shipke ; the barometer gave 19.517, temperature of the mercury 78, and that of the air 65. For two miles the gravel was of red granite for the path, which was steep, but not rude for the feet; the last three quarters of a mile to Kongma Pass were very fatiguing, at an angle of 28 and 30 winding amongst tama bushes. In the crest, the barometer was 16.927, the temperature of the mercury 70, and that of the air 55, which will give a height of fully 15..800 feet. From this, the site of my camp at Shipke had a depression of 22 13', which, toge- ther with the distance deduced from the bearings of Purgeool and other peaks, gives the height of the Pass nearly 16,000 feet ; this I think the barometer will indicate, when calculated from corresponding observations at Soobathoo. * * This Pass has since been computed and comes out 16,007 feet. 159 Sheenmg Mountain had an altitude of 1 19' * and the high Tahle-land to the eastward showed 54'. The usual shugars, or piles of stones, are ranged in the crest, and here are also several en- closures from two to three feet high ; these occur in every stage where the road traverges elevated ground, unless there are natural caves in the rocks: they afford protection to the sheep and their keepers from the keen impetuosity of the westerly winds, which sweep along these bleak frost-bound tracts in the autumn and cold season; and towards that exposure, these pens are mostly raised. The fury and severity of these land winds is scarcely to be imagined, and the effects are * If the distance is twenty geographical miles, which it appears to be, an elevation of 1 19', allowing 350 feet for the curvature of the earth, would indicate a height of three thousand feet (3,000), or if we take the distance at only fifteen miles, and the allowance for the convexity of the earth of 200 feet, the Pass itself being fifteen thousand eight hundred feet (15,800), the absolute height of this table-mass and high road will be more than eighteen thousand three hundred feet (18,300). It is quite impossible then to reckon the Pass in the Kylas chain beyond it, traversed by Mr. Moorcroft, on the way to Gartop, below nineteen thousand feet, and in every probability it exceeds this. J. G. G. 160 direful, for the surface of the body collapses and be- comes inanimate by a few minutes' exposure. We had experience of this before, in crossing at an elevation of 14,800 feet, although we were in October; what then must be the state of the weather in January, and at the lofty regions of 18,000 and 19,000 feet JTungaltoe r. 11.78 Hungaroo II* 285 NunoMLa I'.. 67 .OOchang.s Lhassa 11.156 O.chterlony Gnl . 1 .108 .110 *Babut -valley. Hi, 289 p. 11.99. 1.47 Peenoo 11.249 uermlng Pass 11.156 Putteala T/68 Baraehur 1.102 Ifcttirpoop I t ,180 11.303 3ol II.9. V Holung Pass 11.311 Itoodook 11.231 iloopean Pass 11.44-^. Rooroo 1.217 Hopoor I.9o Bothingee Pass 11.104 Sahee 1.122. cehura I.$fe 1.5. SemLa (no^v Simla) 1.139 ohatool Pass 1.324 11.286 Shealkup 11.188 Sheear Ghat 11.^18 Shipld 11.152 Sind river falls 1,5/6 . Sirhind I..72.84 Soneeput 1,45 Sooraan 1.196 11.300 Spiti r> II.146'.16a/4.188 197 Spiti-SutleJ Junction 11.146" Sunslu 11.275 Jubathu 1.131.136 3utleJ 11.161 oyree 1.139 Tagla r.II. 99.103-.107.il 114. Tanasur 1.56 fan 3ein,Ald)irs Court Hu clan 1.9. Ta panda 11.297 Teedong p. II 80 Tooglichatiad 1.30 Hangup P. I 1.28 2 ^an^too 11.283 Wartoo 1.162 V/orang Pass 11.267 Yolang gorge II .194 Yoola P. 11.277.278 Yoosoo Pass 11.33.118 hot springs II. 1 E , Juoathoo pore 1,108,116.119 er 1,1 <* PaSa Pass a r. II .41.46 igo ^Tae Chins Pa ,s II,55n,73 enee II 270 tfcool II &* mboo I.I 35 9 ravines I,U Lr oo i urtop T II oona) II 11.200 ne Pass 11.20* flames 1-2^.358 Pass II - Lalce 1-58 -Hur 1. 168 .174 Langoorge Ghoo *,. Lee lung (Leep* Leetee II>5B 11.262 Mahhasoo I. Fort Uahun 1.271 11.31 s ? Hi sung II' 95 . Hulgoor Pass H .21 C.I"' . .II .1 JWdh : -;-. , . . OYJMI 37.c33.II 2 . . ". iJJWAe 8KI. II d--;. - :u. I i . . ; ;i BEB^ rjmjif;' I3S.II . . or ~Kfl CO 33 > UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 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