SAXGLA VILLAGE 253 



walnut-trees. AValking through the fields along the foot- 

 path, tlie village of Kamru comes in sight, high up on the 

 hillside, also the Eajah's " Kot," or fort — a conspicuous 

 object, black and griroy from age, smoke, and dirt. The 

 houses of Sangla are just visible through the walnut-trees, a 

 long way off on a spur — the camping-place. Tradition has it 

 that this portion of the country was in former ages a lake ; 

 and the country round shows every indication of the truth 

 of the lefjend. The head-man of Sangla refers to the river in 

 ordinary conversation as Samunclar (sea), and there is a 

 temple dedicated to ISTag-deota (the serpent deity) in the 

 village. The sudden chano;e in the course of the river at 

 the bridge indicates very clearly the point where the lake 

 burst through and made its way to the Sutlej. A couple of 

 hundred pounds of dynamite, used now on the hillside near 

 the bridge, would certainly close the passage again and 

 re-form the lake above. 



I experienced here a decided difference in the climate 

 — I felt really cold in bed during the night ! "Walking 

 through the village in the morning, I visited the Nag-deota 

 and Lama temples, and noticed an array of stags' antlers 

 and barhal horns in the public buildings between the two. 

 The head-man of the village, by name Dhian Das, and the 

 pujari (priest) of the Nag temple, are intelligent men, 

 and gave information about the passes without any 

 hesitation. They told me that the Garhwdl passes were 

 open, but no traders had come across yet. The " China " 

 (Chinese, meaning Tibetan) passes would not be fit for 

 travel for another month. These men said it was twenty 

 days' journey from this to the place in Tibet where they 

 go with their rice to trade. They mean " sheep journeys," 

 which are short stages — the most the laden sheep can do 

 in a day, grazing as they march. These short stages 

 are called by the people of the country " ddhi-roti," or half- 



