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JUNE, 1876.]
VILLAGES IN THE HIMALAYAS, &c.
163
rising perpendicularly from it for several hun dred foet. On my left rose some high and snowcapped peaks, whilst before me the river seemed to climb amongst the mountains. Next morning at 8 A.M. reached Rispa by a gradual de- scent, and fonnd the grain nearly ripe, and the barley falling under the sickle. Halting for breakfast, pushed on for Morang, our restingplace.
"Crossing the Terong stream by a frail bridge, renewed every year, we kept above the Satlej, which here presents a curious sight. From a wide smooth stream it suddenly contracts and leaps down in a series of fierce bounde, splashing the banks with its muddy foam, so that Macaulay's description of the bridge of Horatius came for cibly to mind. But now we ascend gently for a mile or two, when the fort of Morang comes into view, perched on a nearly insulated heap of rock in the river-bank, and almost commanded, even by musketry, on every side. Two men only lived in it, and it looked utterly deserted. Here I remarked large flights of goldfinches busy with the grain, together with numbers of butterflies looking like Painted Ladies and Meadow-Browns. A little further and we reach a deep gorge cut out by a small stream flowing for ages. Along the sides of this we wind, until crossing by its head we arrive at the encamping-ground under the village of Morang, which consists of four or five scattered groups of houses on the hill-side, facing south, surrounded with terraced fields and vineyards. The place swarmed with wild pigeons, of which I shot a good supply for the camp.
"July 19t1.- At early dawn commenced the stoep ascent behind the village by a most vil. lainous road of loose stones and sand. This till 8 A.M. I wearily climbed. The clouds lay low on the hills all round, and there was a raw, cold feeling in the air, and not a tree was to be seen for a long distance. At last one willow appears, and a feeble spring of water, the secret of its being there. Here the whole party halted, water being very scarce in these parts. After a short halt and smoke we all pushed on, but it was 1 P.m. before the crest (14,000 feet) was reached, -Morang, our last resting-place, having been 8760 feet above the sea-level. Below 11,000 feet I noticed very few flowers, but above that limit I found many, some of which were new to me. The road was in
many places a mere path or staircase of rocks, and the descent on the other side, if possible, worse from its steepness. The village of Nisang, my halting-ground for this day, was 10,110 feet above sea level, so that I had 4000 feet to descend, and it was 5 P.. ere I reached the village. This consisted of one compact mass of houses, intersected with narrow lanes, one half of which acted as watercourses, whilst all were used as latrines. Small fields of barley were to be seen in every quarter, and for a long time I could not find a spot twelve feet square on which to pitch my tent. At last I was offered the use of a yard, some fifteen feet in Rize, on which I settled for the night.
"Next day I halted in order to draw a few of the lovely flowers found the day previous, for as a rule my halts and marches were regulated by the number of new flowers I met with. Of these I had accomplished thirteen by 3 P.M. In this pent-up valley the sun was very hot, but the heat was tempered by a delicious breeze from the north-west. In the centre of the village was an empty space, and, as my custom was, I went thither to see the people, who meet here to gossip. It was a curious sight. Most of the women were dressed in red blankets, and adorned with a profusion of brass ornaments, huge silver earrings and bracelets, together with bead necklaces, in many of which I observed malachite and turquoisos in huge rough lumps, as well as amber. Their hair was plaited in a multitude of fine plaits hanging down the back, when all were brought together and plaited in with wool in one pigtail, which terminated with little red or blue worsted tassels. These plaits reached to the loins. Many had both arms 'bare, some only one; none had both covered. Amongst the countenances I remarked some of the ugliest and most repulsive Tatar cast. Hillwomen (i.e. of Kumaon) looked handsome beside them. These Tatar women had their dirty dishevelled hair hanging about their shoulders, without the least attempt at dressing it. The little tassels worn by some hill-women in their caps were very tasty, yet simple number of grains of wheat strung crosswise on a thread, with a little coloured tassel at the end of each string. I had meanwhile sent in my demand for food, &c. for my camp, and each villager had to contribute his or her quota. The flour
