670 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
in quantity has fallen after the slip had taken place. On these 
avalanches there was now and then some little difficulty in passing. 
I had to leave my horse behind, as he sank so deeply through 
them that his progress became impossible. An occasional dip up 
to the waist was the only inconvenience I experienced myself, till 
reaching the last day's ascent, or that in which the Dras valley ` 
terminates and Kashmir is entered. That, however, proved a for- 
midable day’s work in consequence of a heavy fall of snow having 
commenced within an hour of my starting in the morning. ‘The 
snow continued to fall thickly and heavily till the afternoon, when 
it cleared up a little. I had almost resolved to turn back, but 
had made so much progress that I thought it would be a pity. : 
During the day about three feet of new snow fell, which rendered 
walking exceedingly laborious, and completely knocked me up. 
The distance was, I estimate, sixteen or seventeen miles, and 
for the, last four or five I was so thoroughly exhausted that 
I had great doubts whether or not I should be able to 
finish the journey. Hunger had much to do with my condition, for 
the cold snow rendered it impossible to stop for breakfast, which 
is usually my custom in the middle of a march. The journey, how- 
ever, was at last accomplished in fourteen hours, and though our 
accommodation was not of the most splendid description, I cer- 
tainly enjoyed my dinner and rest much that night. The place 
where we stopped was uninhabited, but there was a large - 
apartment built for travellers, unfortunately not in very good 
repair, so that I thought it best to sleep in my tent, leaving the 
house such as it was for my servants, &c. &c, my party numbering 
a good deal more than one hundred men, quite enough to fill at 
thoroughly. It continued to snow heavily all night, and Į was 
awoke before daybreak by certain peculiarly ominous sounds which, 
on a little reflection, I was convinced were produced by the crack- 
ing of the ridge pole of my tent, from the weight of the snow on 
it. I had in consequence to jump up at once, and run for safety 
and shelter into the house. 
* Of the pass between Dras and Kashmir, of course, I saw little 
or nothing. The aseent was very gentle, almost imperceptible a 
indeed, and the accumulation of snow was quite incapable of esti- — 
