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Notes of a trip from Simla to the Spiti Valley. [No. 5, 
1st September, Camp , south of Baba pass 12,793 ft, # 
The ascent to the Baba pass is far from difficult, though a large 
glacier descends from the summit. This glacier is fissured by numer¬ 
ous crevasses stretching nearly across it, and at short intervals from 
one another. Few of these crevasses are so broad as to be impassable, 
but in order to select the best spots for crossing, the road winds con¬ 
siderably, and it would be decidedly difficult to cross without a guide 
who knew the track. The day before I crossed much new snow had 
fallen, which made the walking rather laborious and from its dazzling 
whiteness proved very annoying, though not to the extent to neces¬ 
sitate the use of a veil, though travellers would do well always to 
provide themselves with this article or a good pair of tinted specta¬ 
cles or eyeshades. 
On the southern descent of the pass a small glacier was crossed, 
but a very inconsiderable one compared with that to the north. The 
descent was extremely steep, far more so than on the opposite side, 
and soon brought me to the region of birches and verdure, the en¬ 
camping ground being a rather straitened plot on the hill side 
covered with a rank crop of grass, wild flowers, and ferns. 
2nd, Campon east bank of the JVangur river, at JJmpti 9,317 ft.*— 
There is no village here, but a mere camping ground in a fine forest 
of pines. This day’s march appeared much longer than the map 
shows it to have been. The whole of the Wangur valley is remark¬ 
ably picturesque, the central portion being well wooded with pines 
oaks, birches, &c., whilst on either side rise up steep mountains ter¬ 
minating in snowy peaks and glaciers, and in many places scarped 
into precipices of the grandest dimensions. One of these magnificent 
precipices opposite the camp exhibited a sheer wall of rock spring¬ 
ing from the Wangur river to a perpendicular height of three thou¬ 
sand feet, unquestionably the most majestic scarp I. have ever beheld. 
3rd, Wangtu Bridge. —At the village of Yangpa, some few miles 
below camping place, changed my Pin coolies, who from this return to 
Muth. About Yangpa, apricot, peach and walnut trees were flourish¬ 
ing in abundance, and in front of a wooden temple two trees very 
like fine elms. Some way below Yangpa the Wangur river is cross¬ 
ed by a timber bridge, after which the road keeps along its west bank 
to Wangtu. This portion of the road is steep and difficult, ascend¬ 
ing and descending most precipitous rocks and is quite impassable 
