150 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
doing so, as a letter despatched from thence would have reached 
Kashmir only about a week earlier than myself. I have therefore 
delayed writing to you till my arrival here, so as to be able to give you 
an account of my journey to 
You know already that my intention, in proceeding to the north- 
ward from Lé, was to visit the highest part of the mountain range 
lying between Ladakh and Yarkund. My road was therefore that 
followed by the merchants who trade between these two countries, who 
are the only travellers on this route, Yarkund being, you are aware, 
subject to the Chinese government, whose system of exclusion is there 
in full force. Early in spring and late in autumn the merchants, after 
erossing the mountain range to the north of Lé, follow the course of 
the Shayok river (the Chajouk of Baron Humboldt's letter), but a great 
part of the course of this stream is deep and rocky, so that from June 
to October, it cannot be forded; and hence, during these months, this 
route is impracticable, and another shorter but very mountainous road 
is used instead. I scarcely know how to explain this road without a 
map: it ascends what I have for convenience called the Nubra valley, 
namely that of a large tributary, which having been visited both by 
Mooreroft and Vigne, is laid down in the maps, and thence strikes 
across the mountains in a north-east direction till the Shayok is gained 
in the upper part of its course, above the unfordable part. If you 
have Vigne's map, you will find a fancy sketch of this route laid down 
in it; though it is made much further from Nubra to the Shayok than 
it really is. I left the plain of Nubra on the 10th of August, and ar- 
rived on the Shayok on the 13th. The road ascends nearly as high as 
18,000 feet; the pass overhanging the Shayok is occupied by a mass 
of enormous glaciers. I estimated the bed of the Shayok to be ele- 
vated about 15,000 feet at the place where I reached it; and as the 
whole road through the mountains is above that height, I need not say 
that all eultivation was left behind in Nubra, and that the whole country 
was barren and desert. Formerly the road from this point continued 
to follow the course of the Shayok ; but within the last ten years two 
immense glaciers have descended and crossed the stream, completely 
blocking up the valley. The first, which was nearly half a mile in 
width, I managed to cross; but the second was pronounced by men 
whom I sent to explore, perfectly impracticable, and as it quite shut 
up the view of the valley above, in all probability there were others in 
