TO CASIBIEER AND LITTLE TIBET. 571 



tagh, was reported to be a region of ice. It was now the 29th 

 of August. I found that the vegetation, both in the valley and 

 on the mountains above it, maintained a very uniform cha- 

 racter as we advanced. I could gather no information that 

 afforded me the least hope of finding the real Rhubarb of 

 commerce, which was an object of constant inquiiy and 

 research with me during my journey ; the species which I 

 daily saw being identical with those growing on the moun- 

 tains between Cashmeer and Tibet. To reach Hindostan 

 I had a long journey before me over several ranges of snowy 

 mountains, and the season when snow begins to fall was 

 close at hand. These reasons led me to determine on return- 

 ing from Askolee without attempting to proceed fvirther 

 north. On the 30th we crossed the Braldoh river to Koor- 

 peh, whence our road led over the lofty mountains of Skora, 

 which we crossed at 16, 200 feet above the level of the sea. We 

 turned down upon the valley of Shiggur, and got back to 

 Iskardoh on the 6th of Sept., when I communicated my in- 

 tention to the Rajah of starting immediately for Cashmeer. 



16. Before leaving the country, I went to see the junction 

 of the Shayook and Ladakh rivers, regarding the position of 

 which, and the relative size of the streams, late authorities 

 are much at variance. The confluence occurs at a place 

 called Chundoo, a day's journey above Iskardoh, and about 

 two miles above the village of Gol. The course of the river 

 is here almost due E. due W. ; we ran up the southern bank. 

 The valley of the great river (called here Rgemtsoh), was 

 observed to be prolonged in an ENE. direction into the 

 Shayook or Noobra branch, which above the junction bends 

 round to the east. The Ladakh river comes by an abrupt 

 turn from due south, through a narrow gorge, running 

 across the direction of the great river. Advancing as we 

 did, on the side from which it flows, its position was com- 

 pletely hid till we arrived on the brink of the stream. The 

 Shayook river (unknown by that name in Little Tibet, 

 where it is called !N^oobrasoh), was about 250 yards wide at 

 the junction, but rapid and shallow, while the Ladakh river 

 forms a deep and sluggish stream of hardly 120 yards. The 

 Tibetians consider the Ladakh branch as discharging the 

 greatest volume of water ; but the physical configuration of 

 the valley would indicate the Shayook to be eastern pro- 

 longation of the Indus. 



17. On the 11th of September, we set out on our return to 

 Cashmeer, and ran down the southern bank of the river to the 

 village of Kuchora. We were accompanied thus far by the 

 Rajah as a parting mark of attention on his part. It had been 

 my wish to avoid the route by Astore, in consequence of the 



