of the Valley of the Setlej River. 31 



20,150 feet high, crowned with perpetual snow. The Shirang 

 mountain, over which the road to Gdru leads, exceeds 18,300 

 feet in actual height above the sea : yet only one small stripe 

 of snow could be detected on it with the telescope. 



Shipki had been twice before (in 1818 and 1820) visited 

 by the same travellers. They now received a letter from the 

 Garpan of Gdru (in reply to one sent by them from Zinchin,) 

 prohibiting their advance eastward. At the same time the 

 local authorities were instructed to furnish no provisions at 

 any price. 



Messrs Gerard returned to Narngia by the lofty pass of 

 Kongrna (16,007 feet above the sea:) it is the usual resting- 

 place for beasts of burden. Furze and grass extend consider- 

 ably higher on each side ; and springs rise, which form a lake 

 at the distance of 150 yards. 



Intending to explore the valley of the Li or Spitz river, and 

 penetrate by that route as far as might be found practicable, 

 they crossed the Setlej by a jh6ld, or bridge of suspension, 

 made of twigs twisted together. The bed of the river is here 

 8600 feet above the level of the sea ; the breadth of the 

 stream is 75 feet. 



From the Setlej the path leads up the face of a granite 

 range to Taz-hi-gang^ perched amidst ruins of a frightful bulk, 

 at the height of 11,850 feet above the sea. The temple and 

 residence of the Lamas are still 500 feet higher. Ascending 

 upon loose rocks to the highest point of the road (13,200 

 feet,) they turned the extremity of the range ; and leaving the 

 Setlej behind, bent their course to the north, having the Li 

 or Spiti on the left, about 5000 feet below, and almost a 

 complete precipice. The road continued at a general height 

 of 13,000 feet, upon granite, crumbling into sand, and pro- 

 ducing a few bushes of juniper and furze. 



A fine prospect suddenly opened : a village (Nakd) in the 

 heart of abundant cultivation already yellow, with a broad 

 sheet of water, surrounded by tall poplar, juniper, and willow 

 trees of prodigious size, and environed by massive rocks of 

 granite. 



Separate measurements, at three different times (1818, 1820, 

 and 1821,) by excellent barometers, and the boiling point of 



