1842.] to Shipke, in Chinese Tartary, 369 



them on the right hand, and will rather make a circuit of half a mile 

 than pass them on the wrong side. 



6th October.- — Marched to Murung five miles. The road was pretty 

 good along the left bank of the Sutluj, crossing a river named Teedoong, 

 whose source is in the Chinese dominions four day's journey to the 

 eastward. 



Murung is a Lama town of considerable size, consisting of seven 

 or eight distinct divisions, and beautifully situated chiefly upon a 

 southern exposure, in a glen which forms the greater part of an ellipse, 

 through it runs a transparent stream, upon the banks of which are ex- 

 tensive vineyards and orchards, abundantly supplied with water by 

 numerous rills. The dell is encircled by lofty mountains at an angle 

 of twenty-five degrees on every side, except on the westward, where it is 

 open towards the Sutlej, on the bank of which there is a small fort. 

 The situation is extremely fine, and the approach to it highly pictur- 

 esque, leading along the bank of a canal, and through an avenue of 

 apricot trees. Near this place there are a great many piles of stones 

 with inscriptions, and afterwards we met with them almost at every 

 village, until we reached Pangee, on our return where they end. We also 

 saw a number of temples called Chosten, which are likewise to be found 

 in the vicinity of every Lama habitation ; they consist of an enclosure 

 formed of three walls with a roof and open in front, in the inside of 

 them are one or more small white- washed buildings shaped like urns. 



It was our intention to have proceeded further, but the people told us 

 the next village was at such a distance, and the ascent so fatiguing, with 

 no water on the way, that we could not possibly reach it that night. 



1th October. — Marched to Nisung eight miles. The road commenced 

 with a very tiresome ascent of 5,300 feet perpendicular height ; here we 

 were delighted to find numerous beds of juniper and some gooseberries, 

 which were the first we had seen for a long period of years ; we were in 

 great hopes we should have met with heath, but saw none. At the top of 

 Toongrung Pass, 13,739 feet high, it began to snow, and the thermo- 

 meter was below the freezing point, so we were glad to make the best 

 of our way down ; the foot-path was good, but a steep descent through 

 juniper and thyme of many kinds to Nisung, a small Lama village 

 situate near the Taglak'har, a large stream which rises in Chinese 

 Tartary three or four marches to the eastward. The extreme height of 



