1839.] Journal of atrip through Kunawur. 94 J 



tion in the bosom of the hills, is highly fertile, producing in favor- 

 able seasons two crops, consisting of wheat, celestial, beardless, and 

 common barley, with beans and peas. Apricots too are abundant, 

 but this is the last village towards Spiti where they occur. The 

 elevation is however only 9,362 feet, or about that of Soongnum in 

 Kunawur. 



From Leeo, I proceeded towards Chung or Chungo, leaving the 

 village of Nako on the heights to the right. At Leeo we crossed the 

 Lee by a crazy and not very agreeable sangho, the planks being so far 

 apart that the water was seen rushing along at a fearful rate beneath, 

 dazzling the eyes with the glare of the foam, as one looked down to 

 secure the footing; a very necessary precaution, as the bridge from the 

 bank slopes with a disagreeable curve towards the centre. From this 

 we ascended to about 2,000 feet above the stream, which was a steep 

 pull up, though luckily we had a cool and cloudy day. The road, 

 which is very rocky and leads along the left bank of the Lee, lies 

 generally over immense beds of fragments brought down by the ele- 

 ments from the heights above, and after one or two moderate ascents 

 and descents, dips suddenly down, at the distance of nine miles from 

 Leeo to the village of Chungo. 



On the 12th of June I halted at this place for the purpose of laying 

 in several days supply of grain for my people, in case we might not be 

 able to procure any in Spiti, which, according to accounts we had 

 received at Soongnum and other places in Kunawur, had been plun- 

 dered of every thing by Runjeet's troops, after they had expelled the 

 Rajah of Ladak. The Tartar guide, however, who accompanied me, 

 declared the rumour to be false, as he had lately been in Spiti and 

 found no lack of grain, and he therefore advised me not to burden 

 myself with more coolies, which would be necessary if I carried sup- 

 plies. • In order to be safe I thought it advisable to carry a few days 

 provisions in case of emergency, and lucky it was that I did so, for 

 without them my people would on more than one occasion have had 

 no food at all. 



Chungo is situated in a basin somewhat similar to that of Leeo, 

 but much more extensive ; it is walled in as it were on every side by 

 lofty hills, whose sides in many places bear witness to the former pre- 

 sence of a lake. Large beds of clay and sand enclosing rolled and 

 water- worn pebbles of every size occur on all sides, while the flat and 

 level bottom of the vale again furnishes a broad tract for cultivation. 

 The elevation of Chungo is about 9,897 feet. It was once a populous 

 and thriving place, containing nearly one hundred people, but for some 



6e 



