374 Narrative of a Journey from Soobathoo [No. 125. 



and altitudes of the remarkable peaks ; one of them covered with snow 

 above 20,000 feet in height, is only 4 miles from the village from which 

 it subtends an angle of 28 degrees ; another called Tuzheegunj, 22, 488 

 feet high to the north of the Sutlej, was seen under an angle of 23° 

 31 ; , these elevations were observed with the sextant and artificial 

 horizon. 



We exchanged a gold button for a goat, which we took with us 

 to Soobathoo ; the wool is extremely fine, and almost equal to what 

 is used for the manufacture of shawls ; we were informed the best was 

 procured further to the eastward near Garoo, which is the famous mart 

 for wool. The goat scarcely differs from the common one, and it does 

 not appear to be a distinct breed that produced the shawl wool, but its 

 fineness seems to depend almost entirely upon the elevation and coldness 

 of the climate. We ourselves had an opportunity of seeing this at 

 Soobathoo, 4,200 feet above the sea, the wool is little better than in the 

 plains of Hindoostan, but it gradually grows finer as you ascend, and 

 in Koonawur, where the villages are more than 8,000 feet high, it is fit 

 for making coarse shawls. 



Garoo or Gartop, by the accounts of fifteen different people, is reckon- 

 ed 1 1 marches from Shipke, and the road consisting of gentle swellings, 

 is described as being so good, that the trade is carried on by yaks. 



After breakfast, we returned to Numgeea by the same road as before, 

 and on the 15th of October struck off to the N. W. towards Ludak, 

 crossing the Sutlej a mile from the village by a crazy bridge, constructed 

 of ropes made of the bark of a tree, with basket-work of twigs forming 

 a curve almost the sixth part of a circle. The breadth of the river was 

 74 feet, including a large rock in the middle occupying 42 feet, the 

 extreme height of the bed is 8,600 feet. This day we travelled *1\ 

 miles, passing over a mountain of 13,186 feet, the ascent of which was 

 very steep upon rugged rocks, and above 4,500 feet. We encamped 

 near a stream at the height of 12,800 feet, and had but a small supply 

 of fire-wood, the country producing nothing but the prickly bush be- 

 fore-mentioned, and another not unlike broom. 



16th October. — Seeing high mountains to the eastward, which ap- 

 peared to be practicable, and thinking the distance short, we resolved to 

 attempt them whilst our baggage proceeded direct to Mako, only about 

 3 miles from our camp. We accordingly set off after an early break- 



