to the north there was no distant view, the valley bending
abruptly to the right.
From the top of the pass I descended rapidly along a
deep valley, generally at some height above the stream,
to the village of Hanupata, elevated 13,100 feet. This
valley was throughout barren and stony, and became very
narrow in the lower part. Dama was very plentiful, but
otherwise there was little novelty in the vegetation, except
along the bank of the stream in its upper part,
where I made a rich collection of small alpine species.
A large-flowered Aster, a white Pyrethrum, and a little
Pedicularis, were the new species obtained. In the
lower part of the valley willow and Lonicera as usual
appeared; and when close to Hanupata, I met with a
shrubby species of Labiates (perhaps a Ballota) which is
an extremely common plant in the valley of the Indus
from 7000 to 14,000 feet, but seems never to occur far
from that river.
On the 5th of July I proceeded down the same valley
to Wandla, a distance of about eleven miles. The fields
of Hanupata occupied only a narrow strip along the bank
of the stream, the sides of the valley being steep and
rocky. The crops were much further advanced than any
I had hitherto seen; the barley in particular was very
luxuriant, and one field was already in ear. Along the
margins of the field there was the same rank herbage
as usually occurs in similar situations. Lucerne and
melilot, both seemingly the common European species,
were very plentiful. Poplars and willows were cultivated;
and I observed some large juniper-trees. Beyond the cultivation
the valley became, very narrow. The bed and
banks of the stream were gravelly, and on the latter grew
a dense thicket of Myricaria, Hippophae, willow, and
rose. After two or three miles there was not left space
even for these, the mountains coming so close together
that in many places there was not room to pass between
them and the water. The current was too rapid for
fording, so that it repeatedly became necessary to ascend
to a considerable height in order to effect a passage.
One of these ascents was not , much less than 1000 feet
perpendicular, up a narrow lateral ravine, and then over
a very steep bank of loose shingle, descending again with
great abruptness to the water’s edge. The road also
crossed the stream several times.
In one place I observed a very, remarkable natural
tunnel, where the stream flowed below a solid mass of
conglomerate rock, which formed an arch obliquely across
it. The conglomerate was exceedingly hard, and rested
on both sides on very soft friable slate, by the excavation-
of which, by the action of the stream, the tunnel appeared
to have been formed. The original channel of the stream
was still visible six or eight feet higher than its present
level a little to the right. The ravine continued narrow
and rocky for nearly seven miles, but during the last two
of these the road lay high upon the mountain-side, and
was tolerably level and good. Near the end the valley
became wider, and several small patches of cultivation
appeared, with a few apricot-trees; and a double yellow
rose was planted near some o f, the houses. The last
mile of the day’s journey was entirely through very rich
and luxuriant cultivation, which was further advanced
than any I had yet seen.
2 c