TIBET. 
221 
it ; and some detached pieces that were picked up, were as porous as 
a honeycomb. 
We still followed the course of the river; it was every where har¬ 
vest time, and numbers of people were busied in the fields. They were 
not reaping, as we had seen in other places, with the sickle, but they 
plucked up the corn by the roots, and afterwards placed it, upright, 
bound in small bundles, to dry. I know not whether the sight of so 
many horsemen in these solitary ways, or our exotic appearance, prin¬ 
cipally attracted their notice; but the people were struck with wonder. 
They desisted from their labour, and looking with amazement, as they 
grasped the grain, which happened to be in their hands, at the moment 
of our approach, stood still with wide extended arms, till they had 
gazed us, out of sight. 
Having turned round the point of a rocky hill, we came at length 
to a road, much encumbered with huge blocks of broken rock. The 
river had a considerable fall, and hurried with rapid violence over its 
uneven bed. On either side, rose high rocks, perpendicular and bare, 
exhibiting an infinite variety of forms, being split by the shivering 
frost, and shaped into many tall pyramids, and vast impending crags, 
whose slight support seemed to threaten the beholder with instan¬ 
taneous ruin, and made their aspect, truly tremendous. On the largest 
of those that were tumbled in the way, were piled quantities of white 
flint, to which it is the custom he*;e, for every passenger to make some 
addition, from a motive of humanity, similar to that of the professors 
of both religions in India, which induces them to cover the bodies of 
men, found dead in the fields, with clods of earth, which the rains 
