A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



besides the wild roses which were in full bloom, 

 I noticed one tree with a very sweet-smelling 

 blossom like a mimosa, off which the natives broke 

 branches, which they stuck in their caps. This 

 was the Sarsinh (Elceagnus Moorcroftii, Wallich). 

 At Parkutta the Tehsildar brought me a " Dali " 

 of roses and ripe mulberries, the first that I had 

 tasted ; these mulberries, which grow on large and 

 shady trees, are a long narrow fruit, somewhat 

 insipid in themselves, but very refreshing when 

 mashed up with milk and sugar. The next march 

 (June 6th) was to finish our journey down the 

 Indus and take us up the Shyok. This latter is 

 a considerable river which, originating in the main 

 range of the Karakoram Mountains, which are to 

 the north of Ladakh, flows southwards, and then, 

 making a curious bend to the west through the 

 district of N ubra, where it is crossed by the road 

 from Leh to Yarkand, flows through a valley so 

 narrow and precipitous as to be practically pathless 

 even for the Balti mountaineers, which is saying a 

 good deal. Below these gorges it is met by the 

 road from Ladakh, which, coming from the south 

 over the Chorbat Pass, meets it near the viHage 

 of Paxfain, and continues down its left bank. 

 From this point downwards the Shyok Valley 

 resembles that of the Indus for some distance, till, 

 turning to the south-west near Kapalu, the valley 

 widens, and, with the exception of a few narrow 

 ravines, becomes broader and more fertile, and 



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