REPORT ON A BOTANICAL TOUR IN KASHMIR, 1893. 
35 
snow is olf the ground. The most striking feature to be noticed 
at this time of the year is the brilliancy of the autumn tints pro- 
duced chiefly by the abundance of two or three species of dwarf 
willow, and by the pink and scarlet blossoms of Polygonum affine. 
Some interesting plants were found near the summit of the past, and 
one in particular, viz.^ a variety of Primula Stuartii with cream- 
coloured flowers, which I had not known of before. Some seed of 
this was secured, also of P. rosea, which is very abundant here. The 
elevation of the pass is 13,500 feet. There is a long descent of 
about 2,000 feet to Chilam. There is no village here, but a rest- 
house has been built close to the stream which comes down the 
Balsir valley, the main stream being a branch of the Astor river. 
On the right bank, just before reaching ChiJam, a fine piece of pine 
forest is passed. 
The Shersdr lake was reached on the following day (15th Septem- 
ber). There is a fairly good path up the Balsir valley over undulat- 
ing grassy slopes and across numerous deeply-cut water-courses* 
It is, however, quite easy for ponies. As no fuel is obtainable in 
the neighbourhood of the lake, 1 had to collect a pony-load of it 
on the way up. The stream is thickly fringed with willow bushes 
on both' sides. The Chuchor Ld, or the pass leading over to the 
Deosai plains, is a narrow grassy depression of the mountain chain 
which forms the western boundary of the great plateau. On 
reaching the summit, the view which suddenly presents itself is a very 
striking one. The big lake occupies the foreground with a low range 
of rocky hills behind, and to the left of the lake there is a good view 
of the undulating grassy plateau stretching away to the base of 
the lofty chain of the snowy peaks in the direction of Skirdu. The 
lake must be about six miles in circumference, judging from the time 
it took one of my Gurais coolies to walk round it on the evening 
of my arrival.* T he lake is very deep, and is said to contain fish, 
I was told, however, that the capture of fish out of this lake was im- 
mediately followed by a violent storm. During the time I was there 
the weather was abnormally warm for the elevation, and the absence 
of any sounds, excepting the occasional shrill cries of marmot^ was 
almost overpowering. 
A few interesting plants were gathered near the shore of the 
lake, but the vegetation generally was in a dried-up condition, I 
noticed many plants still in flower, which on being handled crum- 
* The object of his excessive energy was to win a bet he had made'with one 
of the other coolies. 
