214 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. IX. 



expands and the stream again divides. The eye following the course of the 

 western branch, is carried to the snowy mountain of Forked Donkia from 

 whose feet a glacier spreads out over a large area. 



There is an accumulation of rocks and sand at the eastern termination of 

 the glacier, and its waters feed a lake white with suspended silt. This 

 mountain is an object of worship and veneration, and votive offerings of 

 prayer-printed cloths fluttered on the banks of the lake. Between Forked 

 Donkia and the pass is a shivered line of crags devoid of snow ; the pass itself 

 is an extremely narrow gap with sheer rocks rising sharply on either side. Its 

 final ascent is occupied by a glacier which widens out eastwards into an 

 enormous field of ice under another snowy mountain. The actual ascent of 

 the pass is commenced at a small pool at the end of the glacier. There is no 

 permanent path amongst the shifting mass of rocks, so we had to make our 

 way as best we could up the lateral moraine of loosely poised boulders. Half 

 way up we took advantage of a small snowfield. The last hundred yards was 

 over the grassy surface of the ice in which we cut steps as we advanced. 



The available standing room on the pass would scarcely suffice for ten men, 

 and the descent on the Tibetan side is startling in its steepness. Its surface 

 was covered with a shoot of stones. This pass is not practicable for the 

 passage of yaks, and is seldom used by foot travellers. On the north a high, 

 naked hill projected eastwards, appearing as a huge pile of stony debris ; on 

 the south a large glacier descended. Below lay the broad, open, grassy valley 

 of the Bidu Chu ; beyond were a few isolated, rounded peaks surrounding 

 elevated plateaux of large extent, and further back still were mountains of 

 the same dull red colour running east and west, while over them hung heavy 

 masses of clouds which obscured more distant views. The lower part of a 

 snowy mountain, said to be Chumulhari, was seen in the far east. 



The district we overlooked is called Kamboo. Medicinal hot springs of 

 areat repute occur in it. Phari is to the south-east of Ghora La, but is hidden 

 behind intervening ranges. 



The vegetation above 15,000 feet io the Sebu Yalley is very scanty. Sedum 

 of two or three species, Saxifraya, Allardia, Meconopsis Jwrlidula, Cyananthus, 

 Gentiana Saussurea of three species, Ephedra, Rhododendron nivale, and a few 

 other plants, principally grasses and sedges, form the bulk of the vegetation. 

 Rheum nobile grows on the surrounding otherwise sterile heights, reaching to 

 an elevation of 17,000 feet. 



We found a woolly Saussurea {S. tridactyla) at the foot of the ascent to the 

 pass but from thence upwards not even a lichen was visible. This Saussurea 

 and Antennuria muscoides are supposed by the Tibetans to be the most esteemed 

 of their gods as incense. The plants used in temples are Rhododendron 

 Anthopogon and R. setosum and a Juniper. I could not obtain definite 

 information as to the derivation of the name " Ghora." I was first told that 

 the sacred pictures carved near it suggested its name, and I concluded that the 



