OF THE RIVER SETLEJ, 377 



The Tartar shepherds do not live in villages but in tents ; they lead a 

 wandering life, removing from place to place, as the pasturage is consumed. 

 At two year's old the wool is in greatest quantity and perfection, and the 

 rams furnish the best. Lok and Mamo are the names of the ram and ewe, 

 and the wool is called pul or pal, but in this quarter it is termed Changbal, 

 and the mountaineers call it Byangi mi. What the origin of this term by- 

 angi is I could not find. The shawl wool is called Lena : by the moun- 

 taineers Pashm. Rabo is the name of the male, Rama of the female. At 

 Ga.ru, both shawl and byangi wool is collected, and the traders of every 

 quarter visit that place to obtain some ; a fair is held during sixteen days, 

 in the month of May. It is called Doa or Dawa Dumba. The Latakis take 

 the chief quantity of shawl wool, and give in return shawls and specie (Ru- 

 pees and Timashis ;) they also carry away broad cloth. From the moun- 

 taineers they take grain and raisins, and receive in return byangi wool, salt, 

 jborax, and a very small quantity of shawl wool. 



The districts most famous for shawl wool are, Lodok, Mahjan, Tang 

 Shung, Meshung, and Changtaling. The following sketch, of the relative 

 positions of the principal points of communication with the traders, is fur- 

 pished by this man. 



Chamba is a considerable mart for shawl wool, and it appears that they 

 pbtain it from the Latakis through Lahu. Nurpur is six day's journey from 

 Belaspur, Jwala Mukhi four day's from Nurpur ; at this place is a burning 

 well; the water itself is cold, but there is a flame on the surface. There is 

 a temple and lodging for sixty Gosains who live there. From Jwala Mukhi 

 to Kote Kangra is one days journey, and to Riialsir, five; from Riialsir to 

 Mandi is one ; from Mandi to Sukei one, and from Suket to Rampur, six 

 or seven days. From Gertop to Leh is a journey of twenty days ; the dis- 

 tance from Shipki has been already given, and from Shipki to Rampur 

 occupied us in returning about fifteen days ; from these some general idea 



may be formed of the distances. 



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