OF THE RIVER SETLEJ. 359 



tance from Mebar was nine miles and three quarters, and time of travelling 

 six hours and ten minutes. 



On account of the deficiency of supplies at the regular stage the next 

 march was a short one, of four miles and three quarters to PurbUni. The 

 grapes were particularly fine at this village also, and in great abundance. 

 The seyana, or headman, was very intelligent, and communicated to us the 

 following particulars. His people were in the habit of visiting Garu for 

 Byangi wool. They took for barter, iron wrought and unwrought, (the 

 former including horse shoes, swords and matchlocks,) tobacco and raisins. 

 The matchlocks and swords were imported from the plains ; the other arti- 

 cles were the produce of Kanawer. They receive wool, salt, and a few 

 goats and sheep. The Tartars he describes as a nation of shepherds, living 

 in tents. The name of the Gam Purgunnah is Tokbo; of the country Gan- 

 gri Majika, of the people Zar or Jar. Garu is only frequented, he says, by 

 the shepherds during the season of the rains, when the pasturage is good, 

 at which time are stationed there two officers of Usang and two hundred 

 soldiers; at other seasons they remove to such places as afford the best 

 pasturage. The names of the Purgunnahs, most famous for the wool, are, 

 Sagtad, Bamtad, Majin, Sudur, Chantaling, Mapang. Garu, he stated 

 to be fifteen days journey hence. At Nilang, on the Jahnavi is a mine of 

 lead which is productive; From thence, Chaprang on the Setlej is six days 

 journey. A party of Kanaweris visited Nilang on a plundering excursion, 

 but they went by the route of the Baspa, crossing a very high ridge in 

 which for three days they travelled over snow. Thence descending they 

 reached Mukb a on the Bhagirathi; two men of the party died owing to the 

 seventy of the cold. 



Purbuni is rather a large village, the houses are built of hewn stone, with 

 layers of Deodar ; the roofs flat and covered with earth. The night was 

 cloudy, and on looking out in the morning, we were surprised to see every- 

 thing quite white; a fall of snow had taken place during the night, but it 



