224 Journal of a trip through Kulu and Ldhul, fyc. [March, 



afterwards met us near the lake, and described the road up the Sum- 

 khel as stony, but easily passable even for ponies. The pass appeared 

 to them more like a gradual rise of the whole country than a ridge 

 separating two valleys ; after crossing which the road continued along 

 the bank of a small stream which joins the lake at its southern end 

 from the westward. 



Saturday, 12th September. To More'-cho (the Mor6 pond) a pool 

 of fresh water, distance 1 miles and 1 furlong. Road at first a very 

 steep ascent from the bed of the river for about half a mile, and thence 

 level along the plain of Kyung, running nearly due north for six miles, 

 and then N. E. for 4 miles to the More-cho, a pool of fresh water 

 not more than 300 feet in circumference. On the 25th of September, 

 when I re- passed this spot, the pool was quite dry. The plain of 

 Kyung is from one to two miles in breadth, with a long bed of white 

 sand to the S. W. of the More-cho : — the rest of the plain is but 

 scantily covered with furze and grass. 



This plain has evidently once been the bed of a long lake, the extent 

 of which is shown in the map by a brown shade included between 

 dotted lines. The point where the waters eventually burst through 

 must have been just below Thoga Chokpo, at the junction of the three 

 streams. The hills on the eastward are entirely of mica slate. 



Sunday, i3th September. To Rukchin, an encampment ofNomad 

 Tartars, living in black hair tents ; 7 miles, and 1 furlong. The road 

 continued to the N. E. along the level plain of Kyung, which gradu- 

 ally diminished to half a mile in breadth. At 6 miles reached Rukchii, 

 an old station of the Nomads, where Moorcroft halted two days. One 

 mile further turning up a ravine to the westward, we reached the Ruk- 

 chin encampment, consisting of ten or twelve black hair tents, each 

 containing 4 or 5 people. 



These Nomads appear to be a happy race, who being satisfied with 

 little, have but few wants. They are called Kampas (the Champas) 

 of Trebeck. The men usually wear woollen great coats reaching below 

 the knee. As they are never washed, but often darned and patched, 

 these great coats are mostly rather tattered looking garments of many 

 colors. They wear leggings also, generally of thick coloured woollen, 

 which is put round the leg like a bandage and secured by a long garter, 

 usually of black woollen rope, which is wound spirally round the leg 



