Productions of Boutan and Thibet. 93 
1 
with millions of water-fowl and excellent fifh. Of tire 
firft faw the cyrus, folan geefe, many kinds of ducks, 
pintados, cranes, and gulls of different forts. The fp rings 
of this lake are in great reputation for the cure of moft: 
difeafes. I examined the water, and found it contain a portion 
of alum with the felenitic earth. On the banks of the lake 
I found a cryftallization, which proves to be an alkaline fait \ 
it is ufed by thef natives for wafhing, and anfwers the purpofe 
as well as pot-afh. The pafture which is impregnated with 
this fait is greedily fought after by fheep and goats, and 
proves excellent food for them. The hills are chiefly compofed 
of fand incrufted by the inclemency of the weather and vio- 
lent winds, feeming at firfl view compofed of freeftone. 
Road to Simadar, Sept. 17. Pafs a lake ftill more confi- 
derable than the former, with which it communicates by a 
narrow ftream, about three miles long. There never was a 
more barren or unpromifing foil ; little turf, grafs, or vegeta- 
tion of any fort, except near the lake. See a few huts, moftly 
in ruins and deferted. The only grain in this part of the 
country is barley, which they are cutting down every where 
green. 
Pafs two fprings, one of them {lightly impregnated with 
alum. They form the principal fource of a river, which 
empties itfelf in the Burrampooter near Tiffoolumboo. 
The wind from the eaftward of fouth is now the coldefi: 
and moft piercing ; paffing over the fnowy mountains and dry 
fandy defart before defcribed, it comes divefted of all vapour 
or moifture, and produces the fame effe# as the hot dry winds 
in more foutherly fituations. Mahogany boxes and furniture, . 
that had withftood the Bengal climate for years, were warped 
with 
