A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



"talus" of stone and shale and alluvial "fans," 

 where the only spots of fertility are the terraced 

 fields of the scattered villages, which are always 

 situated at the mouth of some side valley, where 

 the water of the mountain torrent that comes down 

 the ravine can be used for the purposes of artificial 

 irrigation. But here it is not this sudden change 

 alone from wooded hillsides to barren mountains 

 that strikes the traveller ; just beyond the huts of 

 Mataiyan is a group of some of the most magnifi- 

 cent precipices that I have ever seen, which rise up 

 almost sheer for some thousands of feet from the 

 valley to a collection of rocky peaks. This moun- 

 tain is known to the natives as being the home of 

 the resident " Deva,"or guardian spirit of Baltistan, 

 of whom more anon. These crags were rendered 

 more than ever imposing at the time when we were 

 there by the tremendous avalanches which came 

 pouring over them, and which, starting with a noise 

 like thunder, long before they reached the valley had 

 become impalpable dust, like a glorified Staubbach. 

 The level bottom of the valley through which the 

 Dras River wanders was now a golden carpet of 

 crocuses, and the peaks on the west side, where I 

 had seen the bears, were of the ordinary type of 

 rocky precipice and slope. The following day B., 

 being unable to cross the river where I had been 

 stopped the day before, was off early in pursuit of 

 the bears, and had to go down to the Pandras 

 Bridge and ascend the left bank. I watched him 



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