of the Valley of the Setlej River. 37 



turage of the cattle. Horses were seen loose, feeding at the 

 height of 15,000 feet above the sea. 



From the pass the view extended to the elevated range be- 

 tween the Setlej and Indus, from N. 15° E. to N. 10° W. It 

 is most probably a continuation of the lofty range seen from 

 Keubrang. It was so completely covered with snow, that not 

 a rock could be distinguished by a telescope of large magnify- 

 ing power. 



Limestone disappears/and clay-slate is frequent, near Sung- 

 nam. This populous place, in the valley of the Darbung, 

 had been already visited by Messrs Gerard (in 1818.) It is 

 9350 feet above the sea. At this place, where they halted 

 for several days, (17th to 28th August) Captain Gerard re- 

 marks : " The situation is fine, in a glen bounded on the 

 north and south by lofty ranges of mountains, the passes 

 through which are nearly 15,000 feet above the sea. On the 

 N.W. up the course of the Darbung, is a high pass to Spiti ; 

 and to the S.E., the Setlej, at the distance of several miles. 

 For the space of five miles, this valley presents a sheet of cul- 

 tivation. There are two crops here, and the grains are bar- 

 ley, ogal f and phapur ? there is plenty of pease, beans, and 

 turnips ; and wheat and Siberian barley thrive at great eleva- 

 tions upon the slopes of the dell. Around the village are 

 vineyards, and orchards of apples, apricots, and walnuts. 



" In this neighbourhood the pine, to which we had long 

 been strangers, begins to raise its head ; it is stunted in growth, 

 and thinly scattered upon the surrounding mountains. 



" We stopped here till the 28th August, and at times we 

 were somewhat incommoded by the heat. During our halt 

 the temperature of the open air ranged from 60° to 82°. For 

 two or three hours after sunrise low clouds were seen hanging 

 about the hills, but they dispersed as the day advanced. In 

 the evening, and during the night, dark clouds charged with 

 thunder appeared towards the N. W., but there was scarcely 

 any rain. About 1 p. m. an easterly wind sprung up, and it 

 increased in violence till 5, when it subsided till 9 p. m. 



" Snow falls in November, and covers the ground more or 

 less until March ; but it is seldom two feet in depth." 



From Sdngnam the travellers proceeded to visit the Md- 



