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



to the rivulet again, and followed its right bank for about 5 miles to a 

 level spot called Beldong, where we halted. 



Saturday, 19th September. Marched 6f miles to a halting-place on 

 the bank of the Chumureri. Road for first 2\ miles very sandy as 

 far as the lake. At 2 miles further passed the Korzo Giinpa, or monas- 

 tery, inhabited by one Lama, who resides there throughout the year. 

 He rears some barley and turnips on the banks of the Korzo rivulet 

 close to the lake, at an elevation of 15,000 feet above the sea. The bar- 

 ley had just been cut when we arrived there. It was still quite green ; 

 but there was every appearance of snow, and the Lama was afraid of 

 losing his crop altogether. The barley looked strong and healthy but 

 the turnips were very small and hard. The Lama informed me that 

 even in the depth of winter the snow does not lie more than knee-deep 

 near the monastery, a point which I am disposed to believe from what I 

 myself beheld on the two following days ; namely, that although it snow- 

 ed heavily for a whole day and night at the southern end of the lake, 

 where the snow was a foot deep ; yet at the northern end near the mo- 

 nastery there was not even a trace of snow. This phenomenon would 

 appear to be due to the following cause. The vast clouds which are 

 formed on the plains of India are drifted northwards by the monsoon 

 until arrested by the loftiest ranges of the Himalaya. The last of 

 these mighty chains towards Ladak is that in which the Parang Pass 

 is situated ; and here the clouds discharge their contents. Beyond this 

 lies the dry and desert country of Ladak, where water is so scarce as 

 not to afford sufficient moisture for the formation of any extensive clouds, 

 which will account for the little snow that falls to the northward of 

 these great ranges. 



At mid-day I placed a mark in the water to ascertain if possible whe- 

 ther there was any rise and fall in the level of the lake ; but up to 6 

 o'clock in the evening and again in the morning at C o'clock I did not 

 observe any perceptible change. The water of the lake was sweet to 

 my taste, but the people of the country although they call it sweet, 

 prefer for their own drinking that of the small snow streams which 

 flow into the lake. Both of these facts would show that there must be 

 an outlet to the lake. — If so, it must be at its south-eastern end, as 

 laid down by Trebeck, for I examined all the rest of the lake carefully ; 

 and had I not on the following day been obliged to return in conse- 



