J 862.] Notes of a trip from Simla to the Spiti Valley. 511 
in length. They are covered with flat slates or smooth round 
boulders, from G inches to a foot or more across, inscribed with the 
mystical formula “ aumi mani padme hunf or some others which are 
given by Major Cunningham in his work on Ladak. The same 
author mentions some piles of far greater length, one of half a mile 
near Bazzo, and another near Le of 2,200 feet. The characters are 
Tibetan, or “ mediaeval Devanagri called Lantsha,” the latter I think 
most frequently in Spiti, the st} 7 le of execution varying extremely; 
the inscription being sometimes rudely scratched, at others carefully 
engraved with elaborate ornamentation, either in sunk or raised cha¬ 
racters. Regarding the object of these Manis , Cunningham ob¬ 
serves :— 
“ Does a childless man wish for a son ? or a merchant about to 
travel hope for a safe return ? Does a husbandman look for a good 
harvest ? or a shepherd for the safety of his flock during the severity 
of winter P Each goes to a Lama and purchases a slate, which he 
deposits carefully on the village Mani , and returns to his home in full 
confidence that his prayer will be heard.” 
11 th, Camp , West hank of Parilanghi river , 15,427 ft.—As Kiba is 
the last village in Spiti this side of the Parang pass (in tlie Map, 
Parangla, rightly Parang La, la being a pass ) and the nearest village 
in Rupshu (Rukcliu) a distance of six days’ march, it became neces¬ 
sary to make preparations accordingly ; and I started therefore with 
some six or eight sheep and goats, each carrying twenty pounds of 
“ suttoo” and flour, for the use of the coolies on the way, secured in 
goat skin bags across their backs. This day’s march was a very short 
one; the halting-ground a grassy spot at some height above the 
river and well supplied with spring water of the temperature of 61°. 
A small lizard was numerous among the furze bushes, Mocoa Si~ 
lcimmensis , and a small lagomys inhabited the rocks, though not numer¬ 
ous. Many snow partridges were seen, and 1 managed to run down 
and secure a half-fledged bird as large as a chicken. The flesh tasted 
strongly of the wild leek on which the birds feed. A large flock of 
upwards of 200 sheep and goats was also encamped here, bringing down 
borax, each sheep carrying over 20 pounds. Towards evening the whole 
llock returned from grazing on the hill side, and I watched with interest 
the process of securing them for the night. For this purpose, numerous 
hair ropes, some forty feet long, are securely pegged down in parallel 
