1 JOURNEY TO LADAKH,
2 I OS)
3 template the beautiful picture, for a strong
4 south-west wind overspread it with vapour
5 and cloud, and concealed all the more ele¬
6 vated portions from our sight, threatening us
7 at the same time with a deluge of rain. We
8 therefore quickened our steps and plunged
9 into the forest. Many majestic trees, vari¬
10 eties of pine, including the cedar, embel¬
11 lished the precincts of the wood.
12 The road was now a continued descent, and
13 was accompanied by many water-courses,
14 which uniting at the foot of an eminence, on
15 which stood the village of Syri, formed a con¬
16 siderable stream, the Rupareri. This river
17 here divides Mundi from Kulu, and running
18 under the walls of Bajaura, falls into the Byas
19 on its right bank. Bajaura is a large square
20 fort belonging to Kulu; it consists of square
21 towers connected by a low curtain; the whole
22 built of hewn stone strengthened with beams
23 of fir. On the right bank of the Rupareri
24 was a Hindu temple covered with sculptures
25 in relief, in general well executed. A sort of
26 chest with raised sides, and festooned with
27 flowers, was an ornament frequently repeated;
28 but the chief decoration was in the clustered