38 Captain Gerard's Account of a Survey 



nerang pass, and thence to Manes. I continue to transcribe 

 Captain Gerard's account of this excursion, in his own words, 

 unabridged, 



u The road from Sungnam to Ropd (four miles) lies in the 

 dell along the bank of the Darbung. Fields and hamlets are 

 scattered on either hand; and apricots and apples occur at 

 every step. The glen is about a bowshot in breadth, and the 

 mountains on each side are crumbling clay-slate and limestone, 

 bearing a few dwarf pines. Near the village of Shibc is a 

 copper mjne, which was formerly worked. The height of 

 R6pd is 9800 feet : so the seasons and productions are similar 

 to those at Sungnam. 



" We had with us twelve days 1 supplies, which, from the 

 goodness of the roads, were transported upon horses, mules, 

 and asses. Here, however, we were obliged to exchange our 

 carriage for sheep ; and the adjustment of the loads occupied 

 so much time, that we found it necessary to halt for the night. 



ff The next day we proceeded to a resting-place for travel- 

 lers, named Pamachin, (ten miles and three quarters.) At 

 first the road was level for a short way, and it led through 

 fields of beans and bowers of apricots : then there was an as- 

 cent of two miles and a half, latterly steep ; but the path was 

 good to Tomokeu pass, 13,400 feet high. The surrounding 

 hills are slaty, and crumble away at the surface, which is al- 

 most naked, a few dwarf pines and juniper bushes occurring 

 now and then. 



" Below this the first branches of the Darbung are concen- 

 trated. The streams are amongst perpetual snow, and rush 

 down from different directions in clamour and foam to unite 

 their waters. 



" The next four miles are of an extraordinary nature, scarce- 

 ly to be described: rugged cliffs, banks of hard gravel much 

 inclined to the river, mural precipices, and sharp pointed rocks 

 succeed one another. 



" After a series of difficulties and dangers, we descended to 

 a considerable stream, which we crossed by a wooden bridge, 

 and proceeded upon level soil to Sumdo, a few huts occupied 

 by the shepherds and their flocks. Hence to camp, a distance 



