40 Captain Gerard's Account of a Survey 



and incessant is the progress of destruction here, that piles of 

 stone are erected to guide the traveller, since the pathway is 

 often obliterated in a few days by fresh showers of splinters. 



" Our elevation was now upwards of 15000 feet, although 

 we had but ascended in company with the river, against its 

 stream. Here only began our toils, and we scaled the slope 

 of the mountain slowly ; respiration was laborious, and we felt 

 exhausted at every step. , The crest of the pass was not visible, 

 and we saw no limit to our exertions. 



u The road inclined at an angle of 30°, and passed under 

 vast ledges of limestone. The projections frowned above us 

 in new and horrid forms, and our situation was different from 

 any thing we had yet experienced. 



" Long before we got up, we were troubled with severe 

 headachs, and our respiration became so hurried and oppres- 

 sive, that we were compelled to sit down every few yards, and 

 even then we could scarcely inhale a sufficient supply of air. 

 The least motion was accompanied with extreme debility and 

 a depression of spirits, and thus we laboured for two miles. 



" The last half mile was over perpetual snow, sinking with 

 the foot from three to twelve inches, the fresh covering of the 

 former night. The direct road leads in the centre of the gap, 

 but we made a circuit to avoid the danger of being swallowed 

 up in one of the deep rents, which were now covered up with 

 the new snow. 



" The day was cloudy, and a strong wind half froze us. 

 The rocks were falling on every side, and we narrowly esca- 

 ped destruction. We twice saw large blocks of stone pass 

 with incredible velocity through the line of our people, and 

 between two of them not four feet apart. 



" We reached the summit of the pass named Manerang at 

 half past & p. m. Its elevation is 18,612 feet by barome- 

 tric measurement. There is here a very circumscribed spot, 

 where is a shaghar, or pile of stones, free from snow. 



" Leaving the pass, we travelled over snow, and descended 

 gently for a mile. The wind blew with great violence, and 

 benumbed us ; but the sun shone bright, and caused a reflex- 

 ion that affected our eyes, but did not inflame them much, 

 for at this season the snow is soft and somewhat soiled, but in 



