of the Valley of the Setlej River. 29 



A stream, that unites with the Tagld, lay upon the left the 

 oreater part of the way ascending the pass ; they descended 

 it along the Hocho, which comes from the left, where there is 

 a great expanse of snow. They followed its course to Rishi 

 Irpu. The valley is generally half a mile broad. The river 

 is picturesque : in one part a clear and shallow stream, in ano- 

 ther it thunders over rocks in a succession of sparkling cascades. 

 There are several arches of snow over it. In several places 

 its course was partly arrested by rocks from above. It is 

 concealed for a considerable space by a huge pile of stones, 

 and it forces its way underneath, bursting forth in a large 

 body of water. In other places it forms large deep lakes, and 

 leaps over the embankments, with tremendous noise, in sheets 

 of white spray. 



Limestone, which had been the prevailing rock since they 

 first met with it in the vicinity of Zongchen, near the Tdgld, 

 became more rare as they approached Irpu, and disappeared 

 near that place. It is there succeeded by mica slate. 



Next day they proceeded down the valley of the Hocho to 

 Ddbling, a place visited likewise in the preceding year, in 

 sight of the Setlej, and of the village of Put, on its banks. 

 By the way they passed the highest cultivation yet seen, con- 

 sisting of barley, phapur, and turnips, at an elevation of 

 13,600 feet above the sea. A little lower, the ground was 

 covered with thyme, sage, and many other aromatic plants, be- 

 sides juniper, sweet-briar and gooseberries. At Put there are 

 vineyards and groves of apricots : at Ddbling, much cultiva- 

 tion, and plantations of apricots and walnuts. 



After a halt of four days for astronomical observations, du- 

 ring which time the temperature was warm, varying from 61° 

 at sunrise to 85° at noon, the wind blowing very strongly 

 from the S. W., and the sky frequently obscured with light 

 clouds attended with a little rain ; they moved (4th August) 

 along the banks of the Setlej, or in the bed of the river, to 

 Namgia. On the right margin of the river, the mass of rock 

 (granite) is so steep, and the fracture so fresh, as to give it the 

 appearance of having been recently broken. 



Several temporary huts, perched high among the crags across 



