84 Trip to the Bulcha and Oonta Dhoora Passes. [No. 134. 



a stout long stick tied to the waist, in order to catch the sides of 

 fissures, and thus afford a chance of getting out again. This might 

 answer when the stick happened to be transversely to the fissure ; but 

 when lengthwise with it, would be no avail. I suggested an improve- 

 ment to Nagoo, (who told me this,) viz. tying two sticks cross- wise to 

 the waist, and thus ensuring that one of them would catch the side of 

 the fissure whichever way it ran ; but these sticks would be a most 

 awkward incumbrance to walking in such hills. Just as we reached 

 Doong, two or three men were seen in the distance going towards the 

 Pass. They would sleep on the road if unable to cross before dark ; 

 but the very circumstance of their attempting the Pass at so late an 

 hour, would seem to prove, that its difficulties have been much over- 

 stated. I shall (D. V.) be however more qualified to judge by this 

 time to-morrow. At 5h. 55m. p. m. ther. 52J° in open air, boiled 

 at 188J°, elevation (by Barron*) 14.523. Surely this is too much. ? 

 The rate of travelling to-day may have been 2\ to 2\ miles an hour. 



29th May. — Up at 4h. 30m. a. m., after a very bad night's 

 rest. Ther. 35° in sleeping tent ; boiled at 189°, which would 

 reduce the elevation, noted from Doong yesterday, to 14,214 feet. 

 Started at 5h. 10m., morning deliciously clear, but very cold with a 

 light West wind. Ascent till 6h. 15m. up mass of ice and stones, 

 close under hill to N.E., quite bare of snow. The hills to S.W. from 

 a quarter to half a mile distant being tolerably covered with snow. The 

 top of this ascent is where Batten turned back, yesterday twelve 

 month, on account of snow falling and being thick all round. What 

 a contrast to this year! From 6h. 15m. to 6h. 45m., a slight descent, 

 and then along level snow-beds with the Goonka river, now a very 

 small stream, flowing on my left. There had been very hard frost 

 during the night, and every little pool of water was covered with from 

 a quarter to half an inch of ice. Snow very firm and crisp. I had walked 

 for the three-quarters of an hour, and now halted for the people to come 

 up. Started again at 6h. 55m. up a steep ascent of loose stones, &c. 

 (called Bumras;) reached the top at 7h. 15m. and then turned to the 

 right Eastward. Some fine masses of ice on hill to left or West. The soil 



* Mr. Barron of Shah jehanpoor, a great traveller in the hills, gave Lieut. Weller 

 some table for calculating heights by the boiling temperature, and this is always al- 

 luded to.— J. H. B. 



