OF THE RIVER SETLEJ. 357 



casual barrier that had obstructed its course. A ledge of rocks is still 

 seen to extend across the valley, with the exception of the narrow outlet, 

 through which this hitherto smooth and placid river precipitates itself in a 

 body of foam down a precipice of about fifty feet, and thence is seen to 

 wind its way under the usual appearance of a rapid though obstructed tor- 

 rent. With the immediate bed, the river valley also alters, from a consider- 

 able width with sloping sides, to a narrow steep gorge of great depth. Along 

 the whole line of path which gradually ascends to the limit of snow, about 

 14 or 15,000 feet you look down upon the Baspa, a fearful depth below. 

 The whole of this part of the distance is extremely fatiguing, the path 

 occasionally bad, and not seldom dangerous. Harang ki Ghali is the 

 name of the highest point; it is the corner crest of the range rising above the 

 confluence of the Baspa and Setlej. From thence the descent is easy 

 through a pleasant forest of pines, amongst which 1 observed a species new 

 to me producing a cone, the seeds of which form an article of export, being 

 eaten as almonds ; they are called Neozas. The species is, 1 believe, new 

 to our European Botanists and the trivial name given by Dr. Govan is 

 derived from the name of its seeds. 



From Harang Ghati, the view was tolerably extensive up and down the 

 Setlej. It would have been grand but for the clouds, which seemed to 

 have established themselves permanently on the snowy range, throwing 

 down showers of snow which occasionally descended even to our level. 

 The appearance of the mountains in the valley of Setlej is striking, almost 

 bare, except where a strip of forest, here and there, forms an exception, 

 ijiising into snow clad pinnacles, they present a picture of barren desola- 

 tion, and wintry horrors unmitigated, but for the casual intervention of a 

 village which occasionally strikes the eye, and adds to the wonder that the 

 scenery excites. All around in every direction rise snow bound ranges and 

 peaks in endless confusion, while their slopes, consisting of little more than 

 bare rock, scarcely offer a more inviting rest to the eye than their shattered 

 and rugged crests, the abode of eternal snows. This picture, which how- 



