OF THE RIVER SETLEJ. 379 



Har, a drug", the fruit of a tree, which is found in both the mountains and 

 plains, with some other articles which our informant did not recollect ; they 

 do not take any Pashm. This country is without doubt, that of which Yar- 

 kand is the capital, and the broivn leather is very probably from Russia. 



Sambhunath is two month's journey from Maryum, his native village. 

 The first half of the road is along a plain ; the last half mountainous ; se- 

 veral high ranges are crossed, and on descending from Tage La, (La mean- 

 ing pass,) the first village of Nepal called Kerung is met with. Maryum 

 from Mansarowar is five days. It is small, and contains but eight or nine 

 houses. 



Adverting to the rounded form and inferior elevation of the mountains to 

 the eastward, I thought it extremely likely that by ascending the snowy 

 ridge to the S. W. I might be able to catch a distant view of the Table 

 Land, and even succeed in observing its depression which would fix, with- 

 in certain limits, this so much disputed level : the ascent was very steep 

 towards the top ; little snow lay on it where 1 ascended, but to the south- 

 ward it rose considerably and there the snow covered it. In my ascent I 

 disturbed numberless covies of Chacors, and even some Munals or golden 

 Pheasants. The ascent occupied me four hours, and fatigued as I was, I 

 rushed up the last hundred paces, thinking to see the promised land, but I 

 was disappointed. From 62° to 90° extended a chain of mountains of smooth 

 rounded form, bare of forest or snow, and clothed with a withered or russet 

 vegetation, but nothing like a Table Land or plain, or even valley of any 

 extent; the lowest of these mountains had an elevation of 13'; this mountain 

 bore 116° or 26° S. of E. To the north, appeared a cluster of irregular peaks 

 sharp, bare and rocky, but scarcely rising above the limit of snow; the wa- 

 ters of the Setlej were visible for several miles ; the depression was at the 

 furthermost visible point 8° and the bearing 85° or $° N. of E ; it seemed as 

 far as I was able to judge, from the run of the mountains, to bend round 

 from the southward. 



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