TO THIBET. 101 
its course, I did not see so many as forty-five species of plants, a 
sterility which made me glad when we quitted the Indus for this 
ravine, which is curious and interesting in many respects. I was 
much surprised, on entering it, to find it filled with a miniature 
forest of Myricaria, the trees often fifteen feet high, and with 
stems commonly a foot in diameter, but frequently much more. 
The ravine is a close one, the hills rismg high on both sides, and 
I noticed nothing remarkable in the vegetation, but the luxuriance 
of the Myricarie. Where it joins the Indus, the elevation of the 
bottom of the ravine may be about 14,000 feet, and that of our 
present encampment, perhaps a mile and a half above any of the 
larger trees, is 14,600 feet. On arriving at our halting-place I was 
startled to find the temperature of the stream so high as 69°; and 
a little search evinced that all along its bed in this neighbourhood, 
numerous hot springs broke out, the temperature being 1473° in 
the hottest I have yet examined. Where our camp is placed, the 
ravine has spread out into a narrow plain, a quarter of a mile 
broad. The hot springs give out a good deal of gas, which smells 
strongly of sulphur, and the water is slightly tinctured with the 
same, but tastes, otherwise, perfectly pure and good. The surface 
of the plain is encrusted with salt, containing much Boras, and 
is exported to India, in a crude state, to be refined. The sulphur 
locality being a mile further, I have not yet visited it. The bed 
of the streamlet is full of matted Zannichellia and Potamogeton, — 
growing in the most luxuriant manner; while large fish, apparently - E 
enjoying the hot water, dart about in great numbers, and in 
every direction. | 
Giah, Sep. orth = 
You will find the place, whence I now date, in any good 1 
map. Since writing the above portion, we have made such 
long marches, that I could not complete my letter. We are - 
halting here for a day, partly to rest, and partly to prepare des- - 
patches for home. Our journey, for the last five days, has been | 
very destitute of botanical interest; for the cold nights have had. : 
the effect of almost entirely drying up the vegetation. The day 
before yesterday we encamped at rather below 16, 000 feet, on th 
a other side of apes € and after a misera r cold day, snow 
