SCIENTIFIC MISSION TO THIBET. 29 
by the north of Cashmere, till they reach the point at which it 
turns to the south in the north-west of that country. There they 
are to winter.” 
* At the meeting of the London Geographical Society, on the 
Sth instant, a letter was read from Dr. Bird, secretary of the Bombay 
Geographical Society, stating that a mission was about to start- —. 
for the borders of Chinese Tartary,—Capt. Cunningham of the | 
Engineers, Lieut. Strachey, and Dr. Thomson, having been 
appointed for the purpose. The Calcutta and Bombay Asiatic 
Societies had furnished Government with lists of questions as 
desiderata on the Orography, Hydrography, Ethnology, and 
Archeology of Central Asia. The route to be taken by the 
Mission from India will be along the upper part of the valley of 
the Sutlej, near its origin; into which the travellers will pass after 
crossing the high southern ranges of the Himalaya mountains, 
by the Nitee Ghaut, at an elevation of 14,544 feet above the level 
of the ocean, and about the 31? of north lat. and 80? long. east of 
Greenwich. They will then proceed across the Sutlej valley to 
the junction of its eastern branch, the river of Lan-zing, with 
the Spiti river, which is here flowing from the northward ; and 
will thence proceed by the Panjkang lake, to the Karokorum 
mountains, over which a pass leads to Yarkund;—or they will 
follow the pass across the mountains from Rodokh to Khoten, 
where they are desired to winter if possible; but if not able to do _ 
so, they are to remain at Rodokh on this side of the Kuenlun, or 
go on to Yarkund on the other. As soon as the season will admit 
of travelling, Captain Cunningham is to explore the course of the- 
Indus to Ghilgit, and thence through the ferra incognita of the 
Dardu and Hazarah countries to the Punjaub ; while Lieut. Stra- - 
chey will proceed through the district eastward of the Sin-kha-bab - 
river, or eastern branch of the Indus to Gardokh and the Mana- 
sarewa lake—to which place he penetrated last year from the 
Kamaoon over the Himalayas. He may then follow the route into 
Eastern Thibet by the La Ganskiel pass, and is directed to 
explore from thence the course of the Sanpu, ascertaining whether 
it be the river of Ava or the Dihung, which falls into the Bramah- 
putra. Dr. Thomson is to investigate all the mineral treasures 
