158 THE JOURNEY TO LADAKH 



Kiam, the next stage, was a very cramped place, between 

 a rocky ridge and the steep bank of the river ; a regular 

 sun-trap. This stage took the coolies seven hours : the old 

 and the new roads were so mixed up that sometimes one 

 was followed and sometimes the other — the latter was 

 much the longer of the two, and seemed to be rarely used. 

 Besides, the whole extent of country during the stage is 

 cut up by streams; they all flow into the Tsarap river, 

 which carries them to the Zanskar. The waters have 

 eaten down through the soil to a great depth, and high 

 perpendicular banks had to be negotiated more than once. 

 I started late, at the request of the men, as they had to 

 wade through the water frequently, and it would be cold 

 work early in the morning. This was all very well for 

 them, but, by starting later, I suffered from the sun cruelly. 

 Two boundary pillars on either side of the road, shortly 

 after leaving camp, mark the point where Kashmir territory 

 beo-ins. I was now in the Ladakh province of that 

 kingdom. As there was no grass near Kiam, the baggage 

 animals had to be sent across the Tsarap to graze, and the 

 start in the morning was delayed in consequence. There 

 were several disagreeable ascents during the next march ; 

 the first one from Kiam was the longest and most tiresome. 

 In fact, the distance from Kiam to the top of the Lachalang 

 is one long ascent to that pass. 



The next camp was Sumdo, at the foot of the Lachalang 

 crest, distance about nine miles, nearly all up-hill : the 

 coolies did it in seven hours. Siimdo camp was a most 

 dreary place; the surrounding mountains are stony and 

 black, and shut in the view on all sides. There was no 

 grass whatever, only a few dama plants (furze) and the 

 curious knobby, smooth, and rounded moss-like lumps 

 that are found at high elevations. Flocks of Ifiipshii 

 sheep passed my tent at all hours ; they travel day and 



