Jan. 26, 1857.] FROM LADAK TO KHOTAN. 277 



beginning of August, but it was still far from passable, as it is from 

 the end of October to the end of March. 



We were obliged, therefore, to leave the road down the Shaynk 

 valley at Sultan-Chushun, and go up the valley to Sassar, and from 

 thence follow our old route. We had to cross the Shayuk river, 

 not without difficulty, five times in one day before we reached 

 Sassar. During our absence from Leh, our native doctor Shir- 

 kishin had made meteorological observations, and — what was espe- 

 cially valuable to us — detailed barometric and magnetic observa- 

 tions ; had completed a plan of Leh, 11,000 feet, the chief points of 

 which had been laid down before our departure ; and had sent col- 

 lectors to different parts of Ladak to complete botanical and geo- 

 graphical distributions. We found all our orders had been carefully 

 executed. 



Our horses and luggage left behind at Suget, not arriving for 

 thirteen days after us, Sept. 25th, we had time, besides finishing 

 our plans and drawings, to make numerous casts in plaster of 

 Paris * of individuals of different tribes, as we had already done in 

 different parts of India and the Himalayas. 



The Prestdent expressed the thanks of the Society to Colonel Sykes. 

 The brothers Schlagintweit were well known to geographers and natu- 

 ralists for having distinguished themselves in the survey of the Alps, and in 

 various communications published in Germany. Baron Humboldt had always 

 had the highest estimation of their capacity and talents. They were now 

 employed in surveying, under the patronage of the East India Company, those 

 distant regions into which few travellers had been. The paper contained evi- 

 dence of talent, and he had no doubt there were some valuable observations 

 with respect to the mineral springs of the country, an important point in the 

 geographical feature of that region. It was a point to which Baron Humboldt 

 called attention that the Kuen-luen was of volcanic origin, of which these hot- 

 springs were the only active remains. 



Mr. W. J. Hamilton, f.r.g.s. — Although he had no knowledge of the country 

 itself, he could not resist rising to express the satisfaction with which he had 

 listened to the communication. He had the pleasure of knowing these distin- 

 guished German brothers previous to their departure from this country, and it 

 was with the greatest satisfaction he had listened to the statement of the pro- 

 gress they were making in the investigation of the physical features of this 

 interesting district. From the opportunity which he /md many members of 

 the Geological Society had of appreciating the talents, energy, and zeal of 

 these travellers, he was sure they might look forward to recoiving much valu- 

 able and interesting information from them. The extracts which had been 

 read contained but a small portion of the information which they had sent 

 home. When the whole paper was published, he had no doubt it would be 

 found to enter into many interesting details on other points. 



* We were obliged to H. Longden, Esq., superintendent of the * Secundra 

 Press ' at Agra, for a very precious supply of plaster of Paris when our own stock 

 was nearly exhausted. 



