A BOTANICAL TOUR IN KASHMIR. 77 



right bank of the main stream and is situated on a high plateau composed of 

 moraine debris. The elevation is over 10,000 feet. 



The people of this place are a wild-looking lot, but cheerful and full of 

 humour. Their head-gear is of the Hunza pattern, viz., a long bag with the 

 edges rolled in until it forms a cap. The men whose lot it was to carry the 

 loads on the next march appeared in the morning with their caps decorated 

 with the crimson flowers of Rosa Webbiana, shouting and chattering in a lan- 

 guage which none of my servants could understand. As these men had to 

 accompany me over the Alampi \A and for some distance down towards Astor, 

 arrangements had to be made for their rations, and I was unable to make a 

 very early start. We made a short march therefore to a place, called Eimo 

 Chagma (or Bingmo Chami), close to the river and between 12,000 and 13,000 

 feet, and on the following day started with the intention of going over the 



By the time, however, we had reached the foot of the first serious climb 

 towards the pass, it was too late in the day to attempt the long and difficult 

 journey across the snow. The weather was perfect, and without a cloud in 

 the sky. The elevation was about 13,000 feet. In the evening I went up for 

 a few miles towards the head of the main valley and collected some plants. 



Early the next morning (July 21st) we made for the pass, beginning with a 

 steep more or less grassy ascent up to 14,500 feet. Beyond this is a wide 

 corrie surrounded by an amphitheatre of precipices, and with a lake at the 

 bottom and patches of snow all about. From here turning to the west we had 

 another stiff climb before Us with a good deal of snow to cross at a disagree- 

 able angle, for the snow was frozen hard and steps had to be cut. Having 

 reached the top of this slope, we found ourselves in another hollow basin. 

 Here was a much larger lake all frozen over. There was nothing now to be 

 seen but rocks and ice and snow. 



After skirting the shores of this lake, we reached the foot of the final climb, 

 a steep staircase of rock, and at last arrived at the summit of the pass, the 

 elevation of which is 15,200 feet. The descent on the western side is into a 

 valley which was covered with snow for 2 or 3 miles. The upper part of the 

 snow slope was very steep and hard, and steps had to be cut for a considerable 

 distance. "We got off the snow at about 1,000 feet below the summit of the 

 pass, and rested for a short time by some big boulders. From here the finest 

 view of Nanga Parbat is obtained, and it was seen to perfection on this day. 



Looking about amongst the boulders for botanical specimens, I came across 

 some human bones, and beside them a few pieces of cloth, also a portion of a 

 gun-stock. They were altogether in a sort of small cave formed by an over- 

 hanging boulder, which may have afforded the unlucky traveller temporary 

 shelter, but which eventually became his tomb. 



We had to go down the valley to about 12,000 feet before we could find a suit- 

 able camping-ground. The botany was most interesting, and many new plants 



