96 Trip to the Bulcha and Oonla Dhoora Passes. [No. 134. 



since leaving Melum, I enjoyed this meat greatly ; but did not sleep 

 well after it. Face almost raw and very painful, with the hurt in my 

 left heel becoming worse daily, I cannot give up the only opportunity 

 I may ever have for shooting, &c. in this part of the country on ac- 

 count of this sore heel, so have cut away the back part of my shoes 

 and boots, and limp along as I best may. 



Bun-chour or Wild Yak. — This animal is found hereabout in the 

 rains, and one of the Lama's people brought in to-day the horns and 

 skull of a male, which he had killed when going down last year. The 

 horns are short and of good thickness. Forehead unusually wide, 

 and the horns and front part of skull, wanting the lower jaw, are a 

 good load for a man.* 



1st June. — Up at 4h. 20m. after a miserable night's rest, Ther. 

 31° in sleeping tent, and much the same in open air. Boiled at 188 J- 

 to 189°; started at 5h. 50m. with Nagoo and Dhunsing, on jooboos, 

 for the crest of Bulcha ke Dhoora, or last ridge between Oonta Dhoora 

 and the plains of Thibet. At 6h. 30m. travelling about N. E. by N. 

 reached the top of ascent visible from Lufkhel ; then turned a little 

 more East, down the gentle descent and along level till 7h. 6m., when 

 we reached the bed of our branch of the river, passing below Lufkhel. 

 This is joined by numerous small streams coming down from the hills 

 East and West, every here and there. Halted from 7h. 6m. to 7h. 15m., 

 then along gentle ascent covered with thorn bushes " daman" and grass, 

 till 8h. 4m., when we reached the foot of Bulcha. The spot where 

 we arrived at the river is called Sungtah, a halting place for sheep, 

 &c. A short distance from it, the river (or stream) divides into two 

 small streams, one coming from about N. W., the other from N. E., 

 and our route was up the latter. The hills on either side were of in- 

 considerable height, bare, precipitous, and crumbling. But towards 

 the foot of Bulcha, they opened out a little ; had a few thorn bushes 

 on the slopes ; and where the surface was abraded the soil appeared of 

 a dark brick-dust color. Does this denote volcanic action ? I am told 

 the soil is much more extensively and deeply colored at Chungnoo, and 

 near Tirtooporee. Halted to eat biscuits and rest the jooboos from 

 8h. 4m. to 8h. 33m. Then commenced the ascent, (which proved far 



* The ground I passed over this afternoon, lies on either side of our road to 

 Doongpoo. 



