44 Captain Gerard's Account of a Survey 



They crossed the Darbung under the village of Geobung, and 

 ascended the face of a thinly wooded hill to the elevation of 

 13,500, where they encamped at the distance of a mile from 

 any kind of fire-wood ; but the spot afforded water. The up- 

 per limit of the pines in this neighbourhood is 12,300 ; the 

 juniper scarcely extends 100 feet higher. At sunrise the 

 thermometer was 39°. Every thing around was covered with 

 hoar frost. , 



They ascended the Hunting pass, 14,500 feet above the sea ; 

 the mountains are of clay-slate ; and the creeping juniper, as if 

 it had found a congenial soil, spreads its roots higher than the 



Descending from the zone of frost, they travelled several 

 miles upon an undulating tract much indented, but preserv- 

 ing a height above the limit of trees ; and leaving the popu- 

 lous villages of Kanarn and Labrang at a profound depth be- 

 low on their left, they descended into the dell in which Lipe or 

 Lidang is situate. The village is considerable, the houses en- 

 tirely built of KM pine, small, compact, and exactly resem- 

 bling cisterns. 



The bottom of the dell stands 8700 feet above the sea ; the 

 vine is cultivated ; and there are orchards of fruit trees around. 

 A few of the grapes were now (10th September) ripe, and the 

 apples, which are the largest observed in Kunawar, are of a 

 delicious flavour. 



The mountains are clay-slate, granite, gneiss, and mica- 

 slate. 



The travellers proceeded by the Werang pass, (13,000 feet 

 above the sea) crossing the Keshang river (a large and very 

 rapid torrent forming a series of waterfalls) by a good wooden 

 bridge, to Pangpa or Pangi, 2500 feet above the Setlej, and 

 9200 feet above the sea. There is here very little soil or 

 level ground : the houses are crowded together ; and the vine- 

 yards, fields, and pasture lands, belonging to the village, are 

 miles distant. 



The march was through a fine wood, large beds of juniper, 

 and fine forests of pine, most part of the way. The upper 

 limit of the pine was observed at 12,000 feet, the highest bir- 

 ches at 12,500 feet, and the rhododendron at 12,700 feet. 



