OF THE RIVER SETLEJ. 353 



east it is conterminous with the Chinese possessions, and on the west with 

 the Tartar purgunnah of Hangareng, also subject to Bissahir, with Ladak, 

 and with Kullu, a mountain state situate on the right bank of the Setlej, 

 and now subject to Ilnnjeet Sinh. It may be said to be entirely within the 

 Himalaya range, though extending from north to south forty-three miles; 

 for, on the south, it has the ridge that had been crossed, the peaks of which 

 have an elevation of from 19 to 21,000 feet, while to the north of it is seen 

 the Purkyul ridge, the highest peak of which is near 22,000 feet high. The 

 villages are not numerous, but they are some of them more substantial than 

 are generally seen in the mountains. Kanam and Sungnam are two of the 

 largest, and contain about a hundred families each. The houses are built of 

 hewn stone, with occasional layers of the Deodar pine, which at the corners 

 are fastened with wooden keys. The roofs in the lower part of Kanawer 

 are sloping, and formed of shingles; in the upper part, where violent winds 

 prevail, they are fiat and covered with earth;. the former are generally two 

 stories high, sometimes three and even four, with a balcony on one or two 

 sides, in the latter they are seldom more than one. Still farther north of it 

 is Lari, in Ladak ; the houses are built of unburnt bricks ; the climate being 

 such that little rain or even snow ever falls. 



Some of the villages are situated in the immediate valley of the river; 

 many in the glens watered by the large feeders which derive their sup- 

 plies from the snows of the Himalaya; their elevation is generally from 8 to 

 9000 feet, though some are much below and others much above this esti- 

 mate. The soil appears to be totally different from that of the southern 

 mountain provinces. The grape cannot be naturalized by any efforts or any 

 care out of Kanawer (within the mountains I mean ;) the Neoza pine, the 

 seeds of which are excellent and form a valuable article of export, is not 

 to be found beyond the limits of this tract. The turnip too attains a per- 

 fection in Kanawer which it wants elsewhere ; and the apples are alone 

 those, within the circuit of the mountains, worthy of a comparison with the 



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