372 Mr. H. T. Colebrooke' s Remarks on Ihe Setlej River. 



Spiti river, to the village of Soldk. The dell is frequently a mile across, 

 and the river winds through it in many channels, among islands of sand 

 and pebbles, which are covered with barberry and other bushes. The fort 

 of Ddnkar, opposite this, is a considerable place, containing about forty 

 houses, which, as at Sliidlkhar, are inside. The walls are partly stone, 

 partly mud, and the position is among rugged projections of gravel. Its 

 altitude is not less than 1^,000 feet above the sea. Above the fort two 

 rivers unite ; the largest, which has a bridge of ropes over it, rises in the 

 Pdrdldsd range on the N.W., and is called eithev Spiti or Kunjom ; the 

 other, also a large stream, is named Ptnii ; its principal branches have their 

 sources near Tdri pass, on the S.W. 



Near Sulak, where a meridian altitude of the sun was taken, is the highest 

 latitude Messrs. Gerard reached in this journey, viz. 32° 5' 34". 



The best road crosses the Pinu at this place, and proceeds on the other side; 

 but the stream was not fordable. It was attempted, but the current was 

 found to be much too rapid. They had no choice but to encounter the diffi- 

 culty of a most frightful descent. In one place is a notched tree from rock to 

 rock, for the passage of a chasm : beyond this, a line of rocky ledges excavated 

 for the toes to enter : above the crags overhang, and beneath is a precipice 

 more than 100 feet deep. Unloaded people get over with the utmost dif- 

 ficulty ; the baggage therefore was lowered by ropes. Immediately beyond 

 this they came to an inclined rock, 100 feet high, which they had to climb 

 over : it was nearly smooth, and could scarcely be ascended barefooted. 

 The patli continued dangerous for a mile and a half farther, upon hard 

 gravel sloping steeply to the river. The dell is from a quarter to half a mile 

 wide, and is occupied by sand and limestone pebbles : the mountains on 

 either side are of limestone, sharp at tiie summits, but crumbling below. 



Tengdi is 12,000 feet above the level of the sea : tiie houses are two 

 stories : the lower half built of stone ; the upper of unburnt bricks ; the 

 roofs Hat : and on them the firewood, collected with great labour, is piled. 

 Not a single tree is near, and the few prickly bushes seldom exceed three 

 inches in height. The climate here is cooler than at Mdnes. The tem- 

 perature at sunrise was 45°, and in the middle of the day 78°. 



The district of Spltl, which comprises Pinu as well as Mdnes, is situate 

 between Ciiinese Tartary, Laddk, Kidii, and Basehar, and pays tribute to 

 each. The inhabitants are all Tartars, and follow the Lama religion. 

 There are lead mines. The villages are from 12,000 to 12,500 feet above 



