472 A JOURNEY TO LAKE 



water mark; and, although the bones of the trunk and limbs were 

 bare and bleached, the head was in almoft every inftance, and particu- 

 larly its fore parts, covered with the fkin to which the hair adhered. 

 I could get no account of the caufe of the number of the carcafes : but 

 think it probable 9 that in the fevere feafon the (pace between the banks 

 and the water is filled by drifts of fnow, and that the yaks going to- 

 wards the lake fall into them, and are fuffocated. Adverting to the in- 

 itinct and experience of this animal, this folution may be erroneous : 

 but I have none better to otfer. — At firfl it occurred to me that they 

 might have been facrificed : however enquiry did not bear out this 

 conjecture; nor could I difcover any ground for thinking that thefe 

 creatures are fubjecl; to epidemical difeafes, which might have compel- 

 led them to refort to the lake, either to quench their third, or to alle- 

 viate their fufferings by bathing. With regard to the prefervation of 

 the fkin in the fore-part of the head, this would foon dry from the in- 

 fluence of alternate heat and cold, and there being little mufcular fub- 

 ilance between it and the bone to become foft and enter into putrefae- 



jfugiift '8th.—~ Begin to return towards Hindujlan ; thermometer 45 .— 

 Mr. H. cut :his and my name on a ftone and left it in a fecure place. 

 At eleven A. ■ M. march." At 9100 paces pafs tents of Tatars, and Juaris: 

 crofs a waterco.urfe, at 10200 paces, which was dry, when we went to- 

 ward Mdnfarowar, but is now two feet deep. At 12126 paces encamp 

 near feven oteight tents. The valley of Gangri is about twelve miles broad 

 and near twenty-four long. At the eaitern extremity is Mdnfarowar : 

 oppofite is Rdwanhrad. — The lattsr lake has always' been reprefented 

 as furrounding fome large portions of rock a little detached from the 

 great Himdchal : however the view, which I had of it, completely 

 de ft roys this idea. It con fills of two legs, which are long, and not 



