1 INTRODUCTION.
2 n
3 «t ft gtta^ hdi^t, crowded with women and children. Tbe road be-
4 jond WW cat oot of sckUd-Mk, at the foot of cliffs of that mineral, in
5 aame places mofe dian one hundied feet high above the river. Hie
6 nlt'ia hard, clear, and almost pine. It would be like chrystal, were
7 it not in some parts streaked and tinned with red. In some places,
8 salt springs issne from the foot of the rocks, and leave the ground
9 t oNored with a crust of the most lirilliant whiteness. All the earth,
10 particularly near the town, is aliuusi l)lu<Hi red, and this, with the
11 strangle and beautii'nl spectacle of the salt rocks, and tlie Indus flow-
12 in^; in a deep and clear htieam through lofly mountains, past thia
13 extrai>rdinarv town ; presented suclt a scene of wonders, as is seldom
14 to be witnessed. Oui camp was pitched beyond the pass, in the
15 mouth of a n^ow valley, said in the dry bed of a torrent. Near it
16 were pQw of Mkin ktgefalodn QSkBHUfom at a quarry), lying ready for
17 ex|wttalaoii, cither to Indk or KhorMtam It would have taken a
18 wedc to aattify oa with the sight of CaUa4NH]g|i } but it threatened
19 nun, and had the tonrcnt Med while we were tbm our wMe camp
20 moat have been swept into the Indus.
21 ' On the 16th of Februaiy we wv^*^ vp the ytSkjt which became
22 narrower as we advanced. After proceeding about seven miles, we
23 entered a winding passage^ so namnr that in many placet our camds
24 could scarody pass : the rock rose some hundred feet on eadb side*
25 This passage continued with a gentle ascent for three or four miles,
26 during which time we saw nothing but the rocks on each aide, and
27 the sl^ overhead ; at length the. ascent giew more sudden, the hills
28 on each side became gradually lower, and more sloping, and after
29 going over some ven' rough and steep road, we readied the top of
30 the ])afis. The view thnt now presented itself was singularly wild and
31 desolate. We were on tlu' 1ii:;he^ part of the mountains, anil be-
32 neath us were tlip barr. broiven, and irregidar bumraits of the rest of
33 the ran^c, aiuoiiji which we saw several vnllevs Jike that we had
34 ascended. Tliere were also still higher muuniains to the north,
35 covered with snow. We were sliow n w hat seemed a little brook for
36 the Indus ; and some smoke on its banks, was ndid lu mark the sitCt
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