36 Captain Gerard's Account of a Survey 



river is rapid, and at this season appears to contain a greater 

 body of water than the Setlej. The snow had within two 

 days descended on the granite range of mountains across the 

 Spiti, to 16,000 feet. At Ndko, judging from the heights 

 before determined, it was certainly not under 18,500 feet. 



Crossing the Lipak under the village, by a firm and well 

 raised sango, they resumed their journey, (16th August) and 

 ascended, by a steep path over granite and mica slate, to the 

 height of 11,600 feet above the sea, and proceeded at this 

 level for a mile, winding round sharp projections of rocks into 

 recesses, in and out again, where the pathway bordered upon 

 precipices of 2000 and 3000 feet. They turned their backs 

 upon the Li or Spiti, and its deep abyss, and entered the 

 Ch6ling dell, which sends its waters to that river. 



The mountains have an extremely sterile and parched as- 

 pect. No grass covers them ; and a few tufts of aromatic 

 plants are all the vegetation they here present. The appear- 

 ance of a village and green fields was singularly refreshing. 

 Those of Chulang and Hara were passed, to encamp at 

 Hango. 



This village is 11,400 feet above the sea, situate at the head 

 of a dell in the bosom of cultivation. There are a few pop- 

 lars, but no apricots. The luxuriance of the crops can scarce- 

 ly be exceeded. The ear of the Siberian barley showed so 

 large and full, that the average of eight picked casually was 

 seventy-eight fold. Most of the fields were yellow, and a few 

 had been cut 



The glen runs east and west, and has a nearly level surface. 

 A stream flows on each side of it, and one through the middle ; 

 and the supply of water never fails. 



The mountains around are limestone : the same had been 

 observed at Choling. Those on the north are steep and na- 

 ked ; on the south more gently inclined, and they are covered 

 with grass and furze. 



The march of the next day was to Sungnam by the Han- 

 grang pass (14,800 feet above the sea.) The limestone is 

 broken by the action of the weather into a gravelly surface, 

 thickly clad with furze, juniper, and short grass, the arid pas- 



