CHAPTER XIII 

 NO man's land : ravines, deep valleys, and high 



PASSES 



It was now getting near the time when the rains slacken 

 in the plains of India, and the sun begins to go southward. 

 It is no longer vertical, and we have a sensible diminution 

 of temperature and colder nights. There is a route over 

 the range crossing to the Bhotia country at Milam by 

 the Milam ghat. The country to the north of this pass 

 is so cut up by ravines and deep defiles, formed on one 

 side by the head waters of the Sutlej, and on the other by 

 the affluents of the Ganges flowing southward right 

 through the range, that there are three passes to cross — 

 the Balch Dhura, Kyungar Dhura, and Unta Dhura — 

 with deep defiles between, before reaching Milam. Such 

 a confusion of valleys and mountains exists that it is hard 

 to understand the geography. These valleys are a sort 

 of no man's land, and if snow falls travellers are liable to 

 be trapped in them from drifts stopping up the ghats. 

 The geology of this country is most remarkable, and the 

 formation of the rocks, from their being so mixed up and 

 contorted and turned upside down, has been described 

 by Sir R. Strachey, R.E., who surveyed the country, as 

 chaos. 



Having hunted a considerable area of open plains for 

 Ovis Ammon during two weeks, during which we had 



