OF EASTERN TURKESTAN, 47 
Nubra Valley to the east. The mountain was very steep and 
the ascent, by means of a narrow zigzag path, over bare granite 
sort of rock, very laborious. After ascending about 3,400 feet 
we reached a small level plateau, probably an old tank bed, and 
there we breakfasted. From this halting place we ascended 
for about 900 feet to the top of the Pass, where I remained 
for some time making observations: the temperature of the 
air at 12 o’clock was 51°2 F., and the height, by the mercurial 
barometer, 15,237 feet. Looked at from the top of the ridge, 
the country through which our northward route lay appeared 
very rugged indeed: in front a high range of mountains, an 
extremely rocky valley below, and away to the left numerous 
glaciers ; certainly the prospect from the Karawal Dewan Pass 
did not appear inviting for travel. The descent from the Pass 
was extremely steep, over loose gravel and sand, to the valley 
below, where we crossed to the right bank of the Sassér stream— 
the one we saw yesterday running into the Nubra Valley through 
a gorge. Our road along the Sassér Valley was extremely 
rough and stony, and many carcases of dead horses were seen 
near the path. - The plant I mentioned before as being poisonous 
to horses, was met with in considerable amount near the Pass; 
it is said to have been planted by the Bhots in the hopes of des- 
troying the horses of some past invaders from the north. No 
one suffered from height sickness to-day, and the Yarkandis 
who are with us say that this circumstance is very remarkable. 
Judging only by the steep climb up to the top of the ridge they 
conclude that it must be higher than the Kardong, and 
they explain the non-occurrence of ‘dam’ by saying that 
a merciful Providence, taking into account the difficulty of 
crossing the Karawal. Dewan, has decreed that no height sick- 
ness should be felt there ; for if it were otherwise the mountain 
would be impassable ! 
The elevation of our camp here (Toti Yailak) is 14,352 feet. 
Chouchs, Montifringilla hematopygia and Guldenstadt’s Redstart 
common on this side of the Pass. ' 
9¢h.—A short march of about six miles to-day, to our camp 
here at Sarthang—16,625 feet above sea level. About halfa 
mile above Toti Yailak a large glacier entered the valley 
through a gorge to the left; it bore an enormous amount of 
stones and debris, and its terminating cliff was of a slaty black 
color—looking like some dark kind of rock. In many places 
on the read to-day there was hardly even a path, and the ground 
we traversed was very rough and rocky; in one part a num- 
ber of large stones were very evenly arranged in a pavement 
sort of fashion—probably the bed of some ancient glacier 
torrent. To-day we seem to have got into the region of glaciers, 
for here we are simply surrounded by them. Some of the 
