Geographical Collections, 3C5 



contrast. The ascent of the mountain itself is extremely steep and dif- 

 ficult, and the greatest height attained was only 6400 feet, the travellers 

 being then stopped by the snow. In summer, however, this ascends higher ; 

 and an aboriginal tribe, the Shellahs, who neither speak nor understand 

 Moorish nor Arabic, thickly people the clefts and ravines, intermingled, to 

 the extent of almost a fourth, with Jews, individuals of whom take refuge 

 here when singled out for particular oppression by the caprice or tyranny of 

 the Moors below. The mountain, where thus ascended, was chiefly com- 

 posed of limestone, schist, and sandstone, only transition and secondary 

 rocks, — no traces of primitive, except boulders of granite, or rather gneiss, 

 in the valley below, and veins of foliated quartz among the schist. The 

 tendency of the formation also is to table-land, and ridges and rounded 

 summits, not to sharp or alpine peaks. The highest point in sight was 

 ascertained to be 11,400 feet in elevation Lit. Gaz. 



Excursion to the Mountains near Ladak. By J. C. Gerard. ( Read before 

 the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, Jan. 27, 1830.) — This excursion was full 

 of disappointments and disasters, and made by the most frightful roads, but 

 interesting even in the grandeur of the obstacles. Many of the company 

 were lost through the rigour of the climate ; the chief himself, M. Gerard, 

 fell ill, and had nearly sunk under it. The first misfortune which occurred 

 was on crossing the Paralassa, at the height of 16,500 feet. A man perished 

 at noon, with his pack on his back, and whilst the rays of the sun were 

 darting on the snow by which he was surrounded. Another loss was 

 experienced at the passage of the chain of mountains which shuts in the 

 valley of Speetee on the east, — a severe trial for the most hardy of the 

 travellers. They had rested at an elevation of 15,700 feet, in the bed of a 

 rivulet, and commenced to ascend, under a temperature of 10° C. without a 

 single ray of the sun to warm them. The porteur could not support the 

 accumulated torments of fatigue, and cold, and disease, and he died in the 

 snow. M. Gerard's mussalchis sank also ; he spoke, and even laughed, 

 some minutes before expiring, and sighed out his last breath as one who is 

 Surprised by sleep. 



The check which M. Gerard experienced on arriving at Lebpro, arose 

 principally from the jealousy of the government, which stopped him on the 

 frontier of a desert country, where the wuzeer, before his arrival, had crossed 

 the last mass of rock which separates the two districts. Our traveller 

 found himself at the height of 16,000 feet, surrounded by Tatars, with 

 their black tents, and horses, and dogs ; whilst on the elevated ravines of 

 the neighbouring mountains were flocks of yaks and shawl-goats, reaping 

 abundant nourishment from land which theorists had imagined to be covered 

 with perpetual snow. M. Gerard and the wuzeer soon became good friends, 

 drank tea, ate beef, and smoked together. His official message had not by 

 any means altered his particular sentiments ; but, although he shewed neither 

 jealousy nor arrogance, he appeared very anxious to see the traveller depart. 

 He accepted every thing which was offered to him, and was very anxious to 

 obtain a musical snuff-box, a toy with which M. Gerard had unfortunately 

 not provided himself, never supposing that an article of this kind would be 

 known, much less desired, in these wild countries. During the night, the 

 cold was extreme ; the thermometer, the day before M. Gerard met with 

 the wuzeer, having been at 13|° C. at sunrise. 



In crossing the Lartche-Long chain of mountains, which succeeds that of 

 Paralassa, M. Gerard found some shells at the height of above 16,500 feet. 

 The plain which crowns the Rodpshoo offers little for scientific observations, 

 except its physical configuration and majestic height. There are no other 

 inhabitants than tribes of shepherds, who live in the valleys under black 

 tents, at a mean height of 16,000 feet. The whole country is formed of 

 mountains of varied elevations, and oflTers no other continued surface to the 



