136 ATKINSON'S JOURNEY THROUGH PASSES [Feb. 28, 1859. 



After proceeding about lialf a mile, whicli occupied us an hour, 

 climbing over stones strewn in our path, we emerged from the terrible 

 cleft into an enormous oval-shaped valley, scrambling up the side of 

 a channel cut by the torrent to the depth of sixty feet. On reaching 

 the top of the bank, I found we were on pastures, covered with rich 

 grass and flowers. As our guide * recognised the spot, his eyes 

 sparkled with delight, — we were on one of the encamping grounds of 

 Kinsara, and no doubt it recalled to the old man's mind many scenes 

 of festal enjoyment after successful barrantas. He pointed to a 

 place under some precipices on the north-west side as the locality of 

 the Sultan's yourts ; farther to the west he indicated the position of 

 the Aoul of his band, and directed our attention right across the 

 valley to a point near the bank of a torrent, as the spot where a party 

 had always been stationed to guard the pass. 



We were now in a deep valley about four miles wide and fifteen 

 long, surrounded by mountains varying from five to seven thousand 

 feet in height, from which there appeared to be no outlet. The sun 

 was shining brightly, and we found it intensely hot ; still the grass 

 was green, and the flowers blooming beautifully, proving that they 

 received plenty of moisture. So great was the change on leaving 

 the deep and gloomy gorge, and entering into this sunny spot, that 

 it entirely removed a sense of oppression created by the rugged 

 scenes I had passed. Standing for a short time on one of the heaps 

 of stones, which the torrent had piled up, I examined the view 

 around, and clearly perceived that this had once been a mountain 

 lake of vast depth. 



Going towards the base of the cliffs on the eastward, I passed 

 several scattered heaps of large rounded blocks of granite, with 

 patches of sand around them, in which I found many broken shells. 

 Had I possessed the necessary implements for excavation, I should 

 no doubt have found perfect ones. On reaching the cliffs I saw large 

 masses of light green slate, washed down from the strata 'above, 

 which had been thrown up at this point nearly perpendicular. The 

 line was also distinctly visible where the action of the water had 

 smoothed the rocks. Having with much difficulty climbed the pre- 

 cipice about 560 feet, I found great cavities formed by the water, 

 and the slate broken away and rounded. Above this line there 

 were no cavities, and all the rocks were angular and sharp. Thus 

 a line was distinctly marked along the face of the cliffs indicating 

 the water level. 



Having descended, I ordered our march to be resumed, when we 

 proceeded over a thick grassy turf, with occasional large patches of 

 Sand and pebbles, among which I found several beautiful agates. 



