Tranda ridge, on the very top of which we halted for the
night in a log hut, built for the accommodation of travellers,
in the midst of a fine forest of deodar-trees.
The Tranda ridge has, till near its termination, an elevation
of upwards of 8000 feet, and projects boldly forward
towards the Sutlej, dipping at last extremely abruptly to
the river. The Sutlej is here thrown to the north, in a
sharp bend, and runs through a deep gloomy ravine.
This ridge, therefore, more lofty and abrupt than any farther
west, is considered as the commencement of Kuna-
war ; and the valley to the eastward, as far as the Wangtu
bridge, is generally called Lower Kunawar, to distinguish
it from the upper and drier parts of that district. The
rise of the bed of the river is so gradual, that the transition
of climate takes place at first by almost insensible
gradations; but as soon as the spurs retain a height of
8000 feet till close to the Sutlej, they exercise a powerful
influence upon the climate, and the vegetation and
physical aspect of the country change with great rapidity.
CHAPTER III.
Sildang river—Fine grove of Deodars— Nachar— Fruit-trees—Vine
seen for first time—Boundaries of Kulu and Kunawar—Cross Sutlej
at Wangtu bridge—Vegetation of bare rocky valley—^Waterfall—
Chegaon— Pinus Gerardiana—Miru—Absence of rain—Alteration
of vegetation— Quercus Ilex—Bogi—-Willow and Poplar—Chini—
Cultivated Plain—Kashbir—Pangi—Camp at upper level of trees—
Junipers—Werang Pass—Alpine Vegetation—Birch and Rhododendron—
Granite Boulders—Lipa—Alluvial Deposits— Encamp at
12,500 feet — Eunang Pass — Vegetation very scanty — Stunted
Forest—Sungnam.
T h e night we spent at Tranda was stormy, with thunder
and heavy showers of rain, but the morning of the ] 8th
was bright and beautiful, enabling us to see from our
elevated position on the ridge, a single snow-peak, far to
the eastward, in Kunawar. At the commencement of
the day’s march, the road receded from the Sutlej into a
deep mountain bay, densely wooded with deodar and
pine {Pinus excelsa). A few trees only of spruce and
horse-chesnut occurred. After a mile, passing round a
projecting spur, a fine view was obtained of the river
Sutlej at the bottom of a deep ravine, and of the mountain
range north of the river, now in several places covered
with heavy snow. A little farther on, the road