1848.] Narrative of a Journey to Cho Lagan, fyc. 157 



out to Manasarowar, 1st and 2d August. The effluence of Rakas Tal 

 probably contributes less to the Sutlej than others of its numerous 

 sources in the Gangri mountains, or the Indian Himalaya, for the 

 Bhotias say, that the stream at Lajandak, even after it has received the 

 Sarchu, is very inconsiderable. It is a question that can be decided 

 only by actual measurement perhaps, whether the main source of the 

 Satlej be not in the Darma-Yankti, for the discharge of the Chugarh 

 sometimes, though not constantly, exceeds that of the joint Tirthapuri 

 and Misar river, as the Bhotias testify, who are in the habit of fording 

 both streams close above their confluence at Palkia. The former is 

 liable to great floods in the summer, the discharge of the latter being 

 more equable throughout the year. 



The mountains which had run along the left flank of our march to- 

 day had here subsided into moderate hills and circled round to the 

 westward, leaving the open valley of Lajandak, perhaps three miles wide, 

 running in that direction as far as could be seen ; on the other side the 

 Gangri mountains stretched north-westward, their snowy summits visi- 

 ble for many miles, (up to Misar perhaps, 30 miles distant), and the 

 road to Misar and Gartokh lies along their base, which merges into the 

 Lajandak valley by inferior hills. The Gangri range continued also 

 far to the eastward, rising out of a wide green plain, which extended 

 between the base of the mountains, and the northern shore of both 

 lakes being visible from this as far as the low hills on the north- 

 western corner of Manasarowar. The Lhassa road lies along this plain. 

 The most remarkable object here was Kailas, now revealed in full 

 proportion to its very base, rising opposite (northward) straight out 

 of the plain only two or three miles distant. The southwest front of 

 Kailas is in a line with the adjacent range, but separated on either side 

 by a deep ravine ; the base of the mass thus isolated is two or three 

 miles in length perhaps ; the general height of it, I estimate to be 

 4250 feet above the plain, but from the west end the peak rises some 

 1 500 feet higher, in a cone or dome rather, of paraboloidal shape ; the 

 general figure is not unlike that of Nanda Devi, as seen from Almora. 

 The peak and the upper part of the eastern ridge were well covered with 

 snow, which contrasted beautifully with the deep purple color of the mass 

 of mountain below : the stratification of the rock is strongly marked in 

 successive ledges that catch the snow falling from above, forming irregular 



