NATURALIST IN INDIA. 291 



13th of August, having started from Kargil, we passed up the 

 banks of the Kartse, through a fine broad valley, which lies 

 to the south of the village. The country was somewhat 

 densely populated, and well watered by means of canals, the 

 banks of which were covered with rows of fine spreading 

 wiUows. The surrounding mountains are very steep, and for 

 the most part scarped, especially towards their summits, 

 whilst their hollows and fissures lower down were green with 

 grass or filled with snow. Large detached masses of rock, 

 with the same vitreous exterior as observed near Dras, strewed 

 the bottom of the valley and bed of the river, and reflected 

 the heat strongly in our faces. We passed the noble peak of 

 Kartse, rising from the bed of the river to an altitude of 

 14,000 feet above the level of the sea in one shattered and 

 scarped spire, both its summit and hollows covered with per- 

 petual snow. At the base of the mountain is the pretty 

 village of Lang Eartse, and a mUe or so further on the fort 

 and litlle hamlets of Sanko. Several torrents had to be 

 crossed, one of which delayed us some hours in consequence 

 of its bridge having been carried away by the melting of the 

 snow on the high mountains. The more we advanced south- 

 ward, it became apparent that we were fast leaving the 

 barren region of Ladakh, and were entering again on the rich 

 and fertile valleys of the south. Both flora and fauna 

 proved this. Yesterday, at Shergol, we had seen the magpie, 

 chestnut-beUied redstart, alpine chough, and Tartar rock- 

 pigeon ; to-day their places were taken by the roller, white- 

 capped redstart, Cornish chough, and blue rock-pigeon ; more- 

 over, the Tartar visage had now give place to the Cauca- 

 sian. 



It was sunset before we arrived at the fort of Sanko, where 

 its fat little commandant was ready to receive us, and had 



