362 Mr. H. T. Colebrooke's Remarks on the Setlej River. 



enormous mass !2O,150 feet high, crowned with perpetual snow. The 

 Shirang mountain, over which the road to Gdri'i 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. 



Shipkl bud been twice before (in 1818 and 1820) visited by the same 

 travellers. They now received a letter from the Garpan of G-V?i (in reply 

 to one sent by them from Zlnchin), prohibiting their advance eastward. 

 At the same time tiie local authorities were instructed to furnish no pro- 

 visions at any price. 



Messrs. Gerard returned to Namgia by the lofty pass of Kongma (16,007 

 feet above the sea) : it is the usual resting place for beasts of burden. 

 Furze and grass extend considerably 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 Spil'i river, and penetrate 

 by that route as far as might be found practicable, they crossed the Setlej 

 by ajhold, or bridge of suspension, made of twigs twisted together. The 

 bed of the river is here S,60() feet above the level of the sea ; tlie breadth 

 of the stream is seventy-five feet. 



From the Setlej the path leads up the face of a granite range to Tazhi- 

 gang, percJied 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 Setkj behind, bent their course to the north, having the Li or Spitt 

 on the left, about 5,000 feet below, and almost a complete precipice. The 

 road continued at a general height of 13,000 feet, upon granite, crumbling 

 into sand, and producing a few bushes of juniper and furze. 



A fine prospect suddenly opened : a village (Nako) in the heart of 

 abundant cultivation already yellow, with a broad sheet of water, sur- 

 rounded 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 water, determine the 

 height of Ndko a little more than 12,000 feet above the level of the sea : 

 yet there are produced most luxuriant crops of barley, wheat, phapur (po- 

 lygonum ?), and turnips, rising by steps to nearly 700 feet higher ; where 



