348 COURSE AND LEVELS 



800 feet To surmount this ascent required the most arduous exertion, 

 and we floundered about till nearly exhausted, in a soft acclivity of snow, 

 lying at an angle oF about 30°. Jn time however, we reached the crest of the 

 Gunas Pass, extremely fatigued, and not a little pleased in thinking we 

 had no more ascent before u#. 



A long and dreary way, 'however, yet remained : as far as the eye could 

 reach, a dismal expanse of snow met our view ; the sun too was nearly 

 set, and the temperature sensibly decreasing; except my companion and 

 myself, with one or two servants, none had yet reached the crest of the pass : 

 most of the hill carriers had indeed arrived at the foot of it, but there they 

 stood with despairing countenances alike unwilling and unable to ascend 

 the lofty scarp which still remained to be surmounted. A report, too, was 

 brought us, that one of them was .taken ill, and was unable to proceed. It 

 became therefore necessary to abandon the baggage, as giving the only 

 chance of our followers getting over their difficulties before night fall. It 

 was not without some trouble we could get them to understand this mea- 

 sure, so that it was nearly dark before they were fairly across. The moon 

 rose, however, nearly full, and her light, reflected from the expanse of snow, 

 left little fear of our mistaking our way. The snow too was sufficiently 

 hard to render the footing more firm than it had been in the former part of 

 the journey, and being a descent the whole way, there was no cause what- 

 ever for apprehension or dismay ; the people were however not the less 

 alarmed, some sat down and cried, others were prevented from lying 

 down in the snow only by threats, and all, with very few exceptions, looked 

 frightened in no small degree. Those who gave least trouble were the 

 Gorkha sepoys, and Musselman servants, from the plains. The lower 

 mountaineers from Jounsar, even though rid of their loads, were not to be 

 encouraged. About eight at night we began to lose the snow, and present- 

 ly after came to some overhanging rocks, capable of sheltering our follow- 

 ers in case of a change of weather. 



A few stunted bushes of dog briar.,, the only fuel, served to restore some 



