32 Captain Gerard's Account of' a Survey 



water, determine the height of Ndk6 a little more than 12,000 

 feet above the level of the sea : yet there are produced most 

 luxuriant crops of barley, wheat, phapur (polygonum ?) and 

 turnips, rising by steps to nearly 700 feet higher, where is a 

 Lama's residence, inhabited throughout the year. The fields 

 are partitioned by dikes of granite. At Taz-hi-gang they are 

 enclosed by barberry and gooseberry bushes. 



The seasons are similar to those of our northern latitudes, 

 the grain being sown in March and April, and reaped in 

 August and September. Snow generally falls towards the 

 end of October. It seldom exceeds two feet in depth, but 

 does not leave the ground for nearly six months. Want of 

 moisture in the air prevents its earlier descent, since the be- 

 ginning of October is winter, under a clear sky. In the middle 

 of October 1818, the thermometer at sunrise was seldom above 

 20°; now (in August) the temperature was 75° at noon, and 

 never below 52°. 



The effects of particular exposures and localities towards the 

 developement of vegetation cannot be more strongly contrast- 

 ed than between this and Namgia ; for, although here 3000 

 feet higher, the crops were much further advanced. Vast ex- 

 tent of arid surface on every side reverberates a surprising 

 warmth, and favours an early harvest. 



The leaves of poplar are given to cattle. Besides these, 

 junipers and a few willows are the only trees at this elevation. 

 Firewood is of furze (tama) alone, and it is scarce. 



Messrs Gerard were desirous of verifying by trigonometric 

 measurement the elevation of their old high station on Par- 

 geul, just above Ndko. In 1818, Captain G. made it 19,411 

 feet by three barometers, which agreed exactly (14.675 inches.) 

 In 1820 two other barometers were taken to this spot, and 

 they showed 14.67 inches. The result of the trigonometric 

 measurement now gave 7^447 feet above the former camp, 

 which being 11,995 feet, makes the extreme height of the 

 peak 19,442 feet above the level of the sea, differing 31 feet 

 from the barometric measurement. 



They proceeded along the banks of the Li to Chango. Part 

 of the road traversed a plain studded wiih enormous masses of 

 rock, seeming, as Captain G. remarks, to have been under 



