OF THE RIVER SETLEJ. 381 



the elevation I suppose to be 10,177 feet. The snowy peak Purkyul is seen 

 towering high above the village, its elevation 24°. The appearance of the 

 mountain side at a distance, is that of a bare and precipitous waste ; but on 

 reaching it, we found a good deal ef even ground ; some fine pasturage as 

 well as cultivation, and several ponies of a good appearance grazing about. 

 Tashigang is in Tukba, and consequently in Kanawer. There is a small 

 temple built at the expense of the grand Lama. 



We arrived about eleven o'clock, and as we had still Baliram, the Syana 

 of Namja, with us, I made him give some account of the course and origin 

 of the right branch of the Setlej. Beyond Skalkar, he said, whither we 

 were now proceeding, was still another village belonging to Bissahir, called 

 Sumra. Sumra is on the Spiti river, and from Sumra to Lari, the first vil- 

 lage of Ladak, is a short march; beyond Lari, about one or two and a half 

 miles, he represented we should meet with Tabo, a small hamlet; then 

 Pokso or Poh, and then the fort of Dankar. The river has at this place two 

 branches, which unite under the fort ; the left branch is called Lidang, and 

 the right Spino, which is also the name of the next Purgunnah to Spiti. The 

 following villages occur beyond Dankar, between the two branches, but on 

 the Spino: — Tangtee, Kung, Kungri, Kulling, Sailing, and Baro. Beyond 

 this he said he had no certain information. 



On the Lidang, again, which is about half the size of the Setlej, beyond 

 Dankar, these villages are met with : — Lara, Paling, and Rangreh. The 

 Lidang comes from a peak called Kungum La, about fifty miles from Dan- 

 kar. The Spino's source he did not know. 



From Tashigang to Nako in Hangarang was a distance of ninety- four 

 miles; the road rather rugged upon the whole, though there were few r dan- 

 gerous places. It lies along the face of the range of which Purkyul is the 

 high peak; three miles from Tashigang, the valley of the Setlej was left, 

 and we turned up that of the Spiti. This is the highest part of the route, 



