Oct. 1849. AHUN VALLEY FKOM BHOMTSO. 167 



bearings and angular heights from the Khasia mountains, 

 in Bengal, upwards of 200 miles south-east of its position. 



Turning to the northward, a singular contrast in the 

 view was presented : the broad sandy valley of the Aran 

 lay a few miles off, and perhaps 1,500 feet below me; low 

 brown and red ridges, 18,000 to 19,000 feet high, of stony 

 sloping mountains with rocky tops, divided its feeders, 

 which appeared to be dry, and to occupy flat sandy valleys. 

 For thirty miles north no mountain was above the level of 

 the theodolite, and not a particle of snow was to be seen : 

 beyond that, rugged purple-flanked and snowy-topped 

 mountains girdled the horizon, appearing no nearer than 

 they did from the Donkia pass, and their angular heights 

 and bearings being almost the same as from that point of 

 view. The nearer of these are said to form the Kiang-lah 

 chain, the furthest I was told by different authorities are 

 in the salt districts north of Jigatzi. 



To the north-east was the lofty region traversed by 

 Turner on his route by the Ramchoo lakes to Teshoo 

 Loombo ; its elevation may be 17,000 feet * above the sea. 

 Beyond it a gorge led through rugged mountains, by which 

 I was told the Painom river flows north-west to the Yam ; 

 and at an immense distance to the north-east were the 

 Khamba mountains, a long blue range, which it is said 



paid close attention to these bearings and distances, and recalculated the 

 distances and heights : no confidence is, however, to be placed in the results of 

 such minute angles, taken from immense distances. Owing in part no doubt 

 to extraordinary refraction, the angles of the Ghassa mountain taken from the 

 Khasia give it an elevation of 26,500 feet ! which is very much over the truth; 

 and make that of Chumulari still higher : the distance from my position in 

 the Khasia being 210 miles from Chumulari ! which is probably the utmost limit 

 at which the human eye has ever discerned a terrestrial object. 



* It is somewhat remarkable that Turner nowhere alludes to difficulty of 

 breathing, and in one place only to head-ache (p. 209) when at these great eleva- 

 tions. This is in a great measure accounted for by his having been constantly 

 mounted. I never suffered either in my breathing, head, or stomach when riding, 

 even when at 18,300 feet. 



