440 



SINGULAR FERRIES. 



Mountains. . 



• ' ■ . ' . Gentle slopes. 



Soil. ' '. • . 



Soil. 



On what river does this rest immediately ? 



In this valley, at least about here, curious round thatched huts are 

 visible about villages, intended for religious females, they are closed 

 except at a small door. 



Cotton much cultivated. 



The Jala, or float skins used for crossing rivers, are inflated by 

 bellows of the usual description, this causes delay as some require 

 to be inflated very often owing to the eagerness of those who want 

 to be ferried over, and who rush indiscriminately on the Jala which, 

 from the rafts being few and far apart, occasion delay ; such ferries 

 were not intended for impatient travellers ; nothing can show the want 

 of intelligence of the people more than this abominably slow method 

 of crossing rivers; here, there is little excuse for it, as wood is 

 abundant. 



The Culminating peak to the west of the north Dhurrah, shows 

 that here, as elsewhere, snow lies longer on the north than south 

 sides : it also affords a curious instance of the various disposition of 

 snow : those angles of its faces presented to the south having none, 

 or little snow ; or does this depend upon the faces having different 

 declivities. 



February 1st. — First part of last night clear : but the wind shifting 

 from west to north-east, has again thoroughly clouded the sky, night 

 beautifully clear, no rain, and no wind during the day. 



2nd. — A windy but clear night, succeeded by a beautiful morning, 

 wind as usual, north-east or thereabouts, i. e. down the river. 



I have seen it mentioned somewhere, that in arid climates the only 

 support of vegetable life exists in the dews, which are hence, at least 

 in the cases alluded to, supposed to be providential adaptations to 

 supply certain deficiences. But considering that dews consist of 

 nothing but a deposition of moisture : it follows that in very arid 

 climates, as there is no moisture, so there can be no dews. For the 

 deposition of a dew, the first essential thing, is moisture, either in 



