1841.] Sources of the Punjab Rivers. 107 



The articles taken to Ladakh are : — wheat and rice from Chumba ; Tron 

 and Opium from Mundee ; coarse white cottons, and Benares brocades of 

 the worst quality from Kooloo ; with goats skins dyed red, chiefly ma- 

 nufactured at Bissowlee and Noorpoor in the Punjab — in exchange for 

 which the following articles are brought to Tandee to be sold to the 

 merchants of the neighbouring states. Shawl Wool ; Bang, or Hemp 

 prepared for smoking ; silver in wedges, each wedge called Yamoo, 

 weighing 180 rupees or 4| lbs. avoirdupois ; Borax, native of Ladakh ; 

 Salt, manufactured at some Salt lakes beyond Ladakh ; and Tea, brought 

 from Yarkund. 



For the two previous years, however, but little trade has passed through 

 Lahul, on account of the seizure of Ladakh by the Jummoo family, who 

 have established a high road through their own territory of Jummoo, 

 which throws all the duties upon the traffic into their power. The route 

 runs from Jummoo, through Chinenee and Bhudurivar, both in Forster's 

 route to Kishtwar, and thence to Chutogurh and Ladakh. The whole 

 of these places,"and consequently the entire route, are in the possession 

 either of Gulab Singh or of his brother, Dheean Singh. 



The consequence of this change in the direction of the commerce had 

 been so prejudicial to Lahul, that about 500 people had emigrated to 

 other countries ; and many more would have followed them had they 

 not been stopped at the Custom houses established on all the passes 

 leading from Lahul. Another consequence of this interruption of the 

 traffic had been that very little or no Salt had come to Lahul, for the 

 two preceding years ; and of this the people complained bitterly, as well 

 as of the loss of their hire as porters between the lower hills of the 

 Punjab and Ladakh. Many of them were literally starving, having 

 nothing to eat, except grass, willow leaves, and strawberries. Even the 

 attendant Brahmin of the holy temple of Triloknath was glad to get the 

 remains of my Mahomedan Munshi's dinner. 



There are four passes leading from Lahul into Chumba, all of which 

 were described as equally bad. Of these the Dogee Pass leads from the 

 village of Ruppoo, about 8 miles below Tandee, over the snow, and down 

 the course of the Boodhil river to Burmawar. The other passes lead 

 from Triloknath. The upper one is called the Bugga Pass and leads 

 direct to Burmawar ; the lower is the Humguree Pass, and is very little 

 used, and the middle is the Kalee Joth, or Pass of Kalee Debee, which 

 I chose. 



On the 18th of July, I quitted Triloknath, and on the following 

 evening reached the foot of the Kalee Debee Pass, so named from a 



