a hundred yards of its origin a thicket of willows bordered
the stream, and a rich vegetation grew under their
shade. From this it would appear that the barrenness
of the country cannot be ascribed to any fault of temperature
or of altitude, but solely to the deficiency of
moisture.
On the next ridge beyond this little green spot, the
ascent continued steep, over loose shingly soil, among
scattered trees of deodar, and occasionally a fine tree of
Pinus Gerardiana; a spinous Astragalus, and several
species of Artemisia, formed almost all the scanty vegetation.
Higher up there was, in one place, a good view
of the Sutlej to the south-east, with a very lofty snowy
mountain beyond. A little further on, the pines ceased
to grow, and no tree but juniper was seen, the vegetation
becoming more and more wretched in appearance, though
the same Astragalus and Artemisia predominated. Above
12,000 feet, two or three alpine species made their appearance
; these were a Polygonum, a Mulgedium, and a little
shrubby Potentilla. Except these, however, not one of
the numerous alpine forms observed on the Werang pass
two days before were to be seen.
. We encamped at an elevation of 12,500 feet on the
north-east slope of the ridge, overhanging a deep wide
valley, in which there were several patches of cultivation
still green, at an elevation which I estimated at about 1000
feet below the level of our tents. By this wide valley,
(in the lower part of which, on its east side, is the village
of Kanam,) we were still separated from the central range
on which the Runang pass is situated. The hills all
round had a desolate aspect. They were rounded in
outline, and appeared quite smooth and destitute oi
herbage, excepting large dark-green patches of juniper,
by which they were mottled. A single stunted tree of
Pinus excelsa stood within a short distance of our encampment,
and four or five hundred feet lower was a
small grove, apparently of birch. During the afternoon
a furious west wind blew without intermission. The
morning had been quite calm, but before noon the wind
had begun to blow, and gradually increased in violence
till late in.the afternoon; after dark it became calm.
The next morning was clear, with scarcely any wind,
but the mountains above us were partly shrouded in
mist. Eor the first time during our journey we had
Zobos furnished for the conveyance of our tents. These
animals, which are mules between a Yak bull and Indian
cow, are intermediate between the two, having most of
the peculiarities by which the Yak is distinguished,
though in a much less degree. Their colour varies
much,—black, white, and iron-grey being all common.
They have coarse long shaggy hair, much shorter than in
the Yak, a stout rounded body, and the tail has a small
tuft at the end, quite similar in miniature to that of the
Yak. These mules are exceedingly common in Upper
Kunawar and Hangarang, and are much preferred as
beasts of burden to the Yak, being more docile, and less
sensitive to climatic influences.
The first half-mile of the ascent to the pass was very
gentle, till we passed round the hollow of the valley which
lay below our encampment. The hill-sides were covered
with stones, among which grew a few tufts of thyme, a
large-leaved saxifrage, a yellow Scorzonera, a curious