CHAPTER XIV.
Start for Karakoram—Steep ascent out of Nubra valley—Meet a party
of Merchants from Yarkand—View from summit of pass—Rapid torrent—
Large glacier—Steep moraines—Alpine vegetation—-Numerous
glaciers—Lakes—Glacier on crest of Sassar pass—Sassar—
Cross Shayuk river—Murgai—Limestone rocks—Ascend Murgai
Yalley to 16,800 feet— Singular limestone formation—Open plain
above 17,000 feet—Recross Shayuk river—Karakoram pass—Return
to Sassar—Glaciers of Sassar—Return to Le—Start for Kashmir—
Lamayura—Phatu pass—Kanji river—Namika pass—Molbil
Pashkyum— Kargil—Dras— Zoji pass—Kashmir—Lahore—Completion
of journey.
H a v in g at last completed the preparations necessary for
a journey of twenty days through uninhabited regions, I
started on the 9th of August from the village of Taksha.
My first day’s journey lay up the Nubra valley, which
continued wide, though the alluvial platforms were destitute
of cultivation, and quite barren. In several places
(always opposite to ravines) they were covered with enormous
boulders, which had all the appearance of having
been brought to the position they occupied by glaciers.
Two small villages were seen, both on the west bank of
the river. Eour miles from Taksha I crossed, by a good
wooden bridge, a large stream which descended from the
mountains on my right hand through an exceedingly