-, 8U MOMAY. Chap. XXIV. 



minerals. After repeating my observations, I proceeded to 

 Momay Samdong, where I arrived after dusk. I left a small 

 bottle of brandy and some biscuits with the lads, and it was 

 well I did so, for the pony knocked up before reaching 

 Momay, and rather than leave my bags of stones, they passed 

 the night by the warm flank of the beast, under a rock at 

 18,000 feet elevation, without other food, fire, or shelter. 



I found my companion encamped at Momay, on the spot 

 I had occupied in September ; he had had the utmost 

 difficulty in getting his coolies on, as they threw down 

 their light loads in despair, and lying with their faces to 

 the ground, had to be roused from a lethargy that would 

 soon have been followed by death. 



We rested for a clay at Momay, and on the 20th, 

 attempted to ascend to the Donkia glacier, but were driven 

 back by a heavy snow-storm. The scenery on arriving 

 here, presented a wide difference to that we had left ; snow 

 lying at 16,500 feet, whereas immediately to the north 

 of the same mountain there was none at 19,000 feet. 

 Before leaving Momay, I sealed two small glass flasks 

 containing the air of this elevation, by closing with a spirit 

 lamp a very fine capillary tube, which formed the opening 

 to each; avoiding the possibility of heating the contents by 

 the hand or otherwise. The result of its analysis by 

 Mr. Muller (who sent me the prepared flasks), was that it 

 contained 36'538 per cent, in volume of oxygen; whereas 

 his repeated analysis of the air of Calcutta gives 21 per cent. 

 Such a result is too anomalous to be considered satisfactory. 



I again visited the Kinchinjhow glacier and hot springs ; 

 the water had exactly the same temperature as in the 

 previous month, though the mean temperature of the air 

 was 8° or 9° lower. The minimum thermometer fell to 

 22°, being 10° lower than it ever fell in September. 



