S54i Mr. H. T. ColedroOke's Remarks on the Setlej River. 



night from Thangi, and had just completed two tolerable sangas by the 

 time the party arrived, so that they passed in safety. 



The last mile and a-half to Thangi was better ; the road ascended from 

 the river, often by staircases and scaffolding ; and at the village, the shade 

 of the Deodar and Neoza (same with Mr. Elphinstone's Chilgooza), two 

 species of pine, was again enjoyed. ,,,/ ; 



Grdmang, one of two divisions of Thangi, is pleasantly situate upon a 

 southern slope ; the houses rising above each other, with the inclination of 

 the soil. There are few fields, but they appeared thriving. The grains 

 were wheat, barley, phapur (Polygonum ?), Siberian barley, and millet 

 (Panicum miliaceum), with some patches of turnips and pease. The whole 

 is neatly laid out, and intersected with aqueducts, whose banks are adorned 

 with walnut, apricot, apple, and poplar trees. Above the village is a thick 

 forest of pine : and the summits of the surrounding mountains are all 

 peaked, and very rugged. On one side of the river they are fine-grained 

 black mica, so hard, that it was difficult to break off a good specimen with 

 a hammer ; across the Tiding, the rocks appear to be white granite. 



The route from Thangi to Marang lies through a forest of pine (Ri), 

 upon the slope of a hill, composed entirely of blue slate, often crumbhng in 

 pieces. 



i From the confluence of the Tidung with the Setlej, the town of Ribe, or 

 Ridang, has a charming appearance : yellow fields, extensive vineyards, 

 groves of apricots, and large well-built stone houses, contrast with the 

 gigantic Raldang mountains. These are scarcely four miles from the 

 town. 



Marang* is a large town, surrounded by high mountains. Although 

 8,500 feet above the sea, it enjoys a mild climate. During eight days' 

 halt, the temperature varied from 58° to 82° ; and flies were very 

 troublesome. The sun, even at this season (July), does not appear 

 more than nine hours : was scarcely visible above the mountains before 

 8 a. m., and disappeared behind them at 5 p. m. There were alternately 

 light clouds and sunshine, and now and then a little rain, which in this 

 valley never falls heavy : the height of the outer chain of the Himalaya 

 being sufficient to exclude the rains, which deluge Hindusthdn for three 

 months. 



* Already visited by Capt. Gerard in ISlBand in 1820. 



