70 
NARRATIVE. 
On July 1 6th we marched twelve miles to Pamtzil, 
along a desert valley having dark-coloured rocky 
mountains, on either side, capped with snow. Through 
this valley a small stream flowed, which in the early 
morning had ice along its margin. It joined the 
Chang Chenmo river just below Pamtzil, where we 
entered the large valley of the Chang Chenmo river, 
which flows from east to west at right angles to the 
ravine we had come along. On arriving at Pamtzil 
we heard from the men of the advance camp that 
some grass existed two miles down the river, and as 
our camp was pitched in a jungle of Myricaria and 
Tamarisk bushes, which afforded excellent fuel, we 
decided to halt here next day and overhaul our 
arrangements before plunging into the desert beyond. 
On the return journey our camels eagerly browsed the 
bushes in this spot, but I do not think that yaks will 
eat this foliage. Dr. Cayley, who had marched with 
us thus far, here left us, and pushed on with a very 
light camp to explore a new route, so that he did not 
again rejoin us until we reached the Kara k ash valley. 
During the halt at Pamtzil, on the 17th July, we 
inspected all our baggage animals and supplies. 
These were all under charge of the Wazir of Laddk, 
Akbar Ali, who, with a Kashmir guard, had accom- 
panied us from Le, and, as already stated, had 
promised to stay here until he should get intelligence 
of our having reached the Karakash river, so that in 
the event of a breakdown he might send us assistance. 
On mustering our pack-horses, it was very evident 
that hardly one of them was fit for the journey ; but 
as it was impossible to replace them by fresh ones 
from Ladak without halting for a fortnight, during 
