Scientific Intelligence. — Geography. 393 



writes) we were covered with snow, from which we were afraid to 

 extricate ourselves till the sun began to melt it. The camp was 

 discovered in a gorge, at an elevation of 16,000 feet ; and here 

 I found my situation most alarming, being confined to my bed, 

 and all around white with snow, and our rear and front inter- 

 sected by enormous mountains, the lowest level being Lake 

 Chumorerell, which is still upwards of 15,000 feet. This is a 

 beautiful sheet of water, our route lying along its margin for a 

 day's march of nin^ hours. Another lake was covered with 

 wild-fowl, screaming like sea-gulls announcing a storm. Their 

 borders were speckled by the black tents of Tartar shepherds, 

 who migrate from pasture to pasture with their flocks ;^what 

 they do in winter I cannot conceive. During the day we had 

 to contend with scorching sunshine, and at night with a tempe- 

 rature varying from 16" to 18°, once 13°, in the tent, at an ele- 

 vation of 17,000 feet. Herds of wild horses were frequently 

 close to us, but they would not allow us to approach sufficient- 

 ly near to fire at them with any effect. They are a singular 

 species, between the mule and the ass; and in colour, being 

 spotted, they resemble the deer, — as also in their habits, for 

 they gallop off to the cliffs with as much agility. I am inclined 

 to think them a kind of zebra. The limit of the snow was 

 very lofty in some places, not under 20,000 feet ; yet, on my 

 north-east, there appeared, at intervals, white tops of the most 

 transcendent grandeur and altitude, indicative of scenes v/here 

 the mind wanders with emotion, the more heightened from the 

 undefined nature of the objects. My neartst approach to the 

 Indus was only three days' journey ; and I shall always regret 

 the circumstance of my situation, which deprived me of the 

 gratification of beholding that desolate, and almost unapproach- 

 able, river ; but I durst not attempt to deviate from the high 

 roads : the yaks which carried my camp being hired, and our 

 provisions for twelve days already failing us, which obliged me 

 to sacrifice several pretty shawl " goats for food to my people." 

 At one spot, under the Chinese government, Mr Gerard was 

 closely watched, and kept in restraint, which was the more irk- 

 some as the soil was covered with fossils. At another spot, but 

 under Ladak, he was more fortunate, and pursued his objects 

 undisturbed. He managed, during the trip, to make a splendid 



JULY SEPTEMBER 1830. C C 



