Across the Roof of the World. 



disappearing over the crest. There were, too, numbers of Ram 

 Chikor about to an extent I had not previously met with. 



The height of the Kara Dawan is 14,000 feet, and only used 

 by the natives when mc^ving with their flocks from valley to 

 valley. Below the pass are numerous undulations over spurs 

 jutting out from the main range, until descending into a 

 ravine whence a nullah leads to the Sandal Pass. The latter is 

 the final pass to negotiate before reaching the valley of the 

 Asgar Sai. Being weary of tramping through mountains and 

 canyons I determined to get across that day and camp on the 

 far side. It, however, involved a hard day's work over two 

 small intervening ranges to the bed of a nullah, thence up the 

 rocky ravine leading to the pass. 



Again there were numbers of Ram Chikor about and T went 

 after them, but it was only vexation of spirit for I never managed 

 to get a shot. The Sandal Ravine was hard going though only 

 the lower portion was really difficult, being over rocks and 

 boulders, and taxing the yak's powers to the utmost. Higher 

 up the track wended over a vast moraine, a conglomeration 

 of rocks and slabs of shale to the summit, the latter at 

 the time quite free of snow. The snowfall is probably not 

 great, as the top of the pass faces north and south so that 

 there is always a certain amount of sunshine bearing on it. 

 The height of the Sandal Pass is nearly 16,000 feet, the 

 crest line being sharp and serrated, though the actual summit is 

 free from rocks. I gained the top at 4.30 in the afternoon, 

 whence a long and stony descent ensued to the valley of the 

 Asgar Sai. Here and there patches of snow, now fast melting 

 from the sun, covered the hillsides, while numerous rivulets 

 trickled downward, rendering the ground sodden and heavy, 

 mud exuding from the shale-strewn slopes. 



On the way I saw a herd of some thirty ibex feeding on the 

 grassy ridges above the left bank of the river, but a careful 

 examination through the glasses revealing no good heads I left 

 them in peace. 



