1843.] Trip to the Bulcha and Oonta Dkoora Passes. 87 



from Jawahur, without going round by the South, you must cross 

 Oonta Dhura, of which I was not before aware. At lOh. 10m. a. m., 

 I commenced descending the North slope of Oonta Dhura, one unbro- 

 ken sheet of steep snow till lOh. 37m. Thence moderate descent, 

 chiefly over snow-beds cut into most troublesome ridges by the wind, 

 till llh. 35m., when I crossed to left bank of Louka river. Continued 

 along this bank over snow-beds and bare hill sides, till 12h. 45m., then 

 turned sharp to left (West,) and after the worst descent I have yet had, 

 through snow and slush, reached Topee Doongah. Halting place (no 

 village) at 12h. 58m. awfully tired ; face blistered by sun and wind, and 

 eyes very painful. Topee Doonga is a small level spot on the left 

 (South) bank of Louka river, which latter turns to the West where I 

 did, being joined there by the Doldunkur Nuddee coming from East, 

 between the second and third hills, noted as visible to N. E. from the 

 crest of the Pass. There is a little herbage at Topee Doonga, and further 

 West, grass and low brushwood (on the opposite side) are tolerably plen* 

 tiful. South, the hill sides are covered with snow, and recede gently for a 

 short distance North ; across the river is one bare precipitous sheet of 

 rock, with landslips along the base. East is the West face of the second 

 hill mentioned above, equally bare and precipitous, with the Doldunkur 

 Nuddee coming down between its North, and the South side of Chingoor 

 hill. West, about three-quarters of a mile down, the united Louka and 

 Doldunkur streams are joined by the Torgurh Nuddee coming down 

 from S. E. by S. These united, flow on Westwards, through a wide 

 gravelly channel to Gertee, where another stream joins, and the whole 

 flow on to Mularee, Josee Muth, &c, forming I imagine the Geenthee 

 river, marked in sheet sixty-six of Indian Atlas. The junction of the 

 Torgurh and Louka is curious. 



They flow nearly parallel for some hundred yards before the junc- 

 tion, the former along the top, and the latter along the base of a 

 precipice, which may be 150 yards high at its highest point, and dimi- 

 nishes to nothing at the junction. At 6h. 30m. p. m. ther. 48°, boiled 

 at 186i or 187°. Next morning at 5h. 30m. a. m. ther. 28°, boiled at 

 186^° or 187-J° ; elevation of Topee Doong (a bitter cold place) from 

 15,759 to 15,450 feet by Barron's rule. 



2>0th May — Up at 5 a. m. ther. 27°* in my sleeping tent, but as there 



* Compare with Calcutta same hour and same date.— J. H. B. Probably not below 

 85°-Ed. 



