472 
VARIETY OF CLIMATE. 
not always so harmless. But this never happened but in quarters 
open to the ingress of real marauders. 
June 10th. We left our embowered menzil this morning at 
half past three A. M. ; and after a short ride up the valley, 
passed the fine ruins of a fortress, strongly situated on a height 
over Eklett Bala, the upper village of the name. We then 
turned to the south-east into a wider vale, of a very different 
character from the Arcadian scenery we had just left. Indeed, 
it is a matter of wonder to a European to see how in this 
country, the intervening of a ridge of hills will change the face 
of nature; on one side we find Eden, on the other a sterile 
world : but soil, as well as aspect, has to do with creating this 
contrast. 
The vale we now entered was barren, and bounded on every 
side with the sternest mountains, on whose rocky brows to the 
south-west, the snow still lay very deep. Another hour and a 
half’s march brought us to the mouth of a very narrow and 
rugged defile running up this intimidating barrier, and which 
we were told we must mount. The road was extremely steep 
and stoney, and in parts so difficult, the least fearful of us looked 
for a fall or two at least down the cliffs : two hours’ hard climbing 
however, brought the whole party in safety to the summit, 
where we found ourselves on the over-topping brow of one of 
the highest mountains of the chain, and surrounded by tracts 
of snow, which rendered its elevated atmosphere peculiarly 
piercing and cold. From this point we began a descent, not 
quite so perilous as our upward march, the path being less 
rocky, and in a more sinuous line. The country below presented 
a succession of valleys; and having gained the entrance of the 
first, we proceeded in a general direction south 45° east. We 
