162 Narrative of a Journey to Cho Lagan, fyc. [Aug. 



by some sage auguries of the Lamas, an interference that is often 

 exercised by the priests in this country, where superstition is at a 

 premium and gold at a discount. I saw a few Kyang hereabouts. 



On the top of the high ground, we came in sight of the further part 

 of Manasarowar, and thence descending a little, reached the middle of 

 its western shore, five or six miles from the point where we had crossed 

 its outlet. At 9 a. m., we encamped under cover of a steep bank, 

 close above the edge of the lake, and halted here for the rest of the 

 day, man and beast being somewhat fatigued with the long march of 

 the preceding day and night. 



The Hunia name of Manasarowar is Cho Mdpan. In general cha- 

 racteristics this lake is very like Lagan, but so much more compact 

 in form that our position in the middle of the western shore command- 

 ed (what we could not get, from any point as yet visited, on the shore 

 of Rakas Tal), a complete view of the entire lake, excepting only the 

 extreme western edge of the water which was concealed by the declivity 

 of the high bank on which we were stationed. The figure of Mapan 

 is, as stated by Moorcroft, an oblong with the corners so much rounded 

 off as to approach an oval ; the longer diameter lying east and west. 

 To avoid the possibility of exaggeration I assent to Moorcroft' s estimate 

 of its size, viz. 15 miles in length (E. and W.) by 11 in width (N. and 

 S.) though it appeared to me somewhat larger ; I think this would give 

 a circumference of some 45 miles, at the water's edge ; divided by the 

 eye into four quadrants, each of them seemed, as well as I could judge, 

 a moderate day's journey of 11 or 12 miles, which agree with the 

 accounts of pilgrims who make the parkarma usually in 4, 5, or 6 

 days, according to their stay at the several Gumba and other circum- 

 stances. Bhauna tells me that Chakwa, ex-Garpun, made the parkarma, 

 (as he himself informed Bhauna) in six days, on foot, as all pilgrims 

 do, by way of Dharm. As the Garpun could have been little used to 

 walking, it is not improbable that he was content with a daily march of 

 7 or 8 miles, 6 of which would make the circuit, as estimated, about 

 45 miles. Mapan is bounded thus ; westward by the hilly ground that 

 separates it from Lagan, of no great height (averaging 250 feet per- 

 haps), but rather steep towards the lake, and apparently leaving little 

 level shore on the margin excepting at small bays here and there. The 

 northern bank begins in a ridge of high ground rising precipitously 



