1 A GAZETTEER
2 fc.
3 LADAKH.
4 .LADAKH, or MIDDLE TIBET, a very elevated and rugged
5 country north of the Punjab: It is bounded on the north by
6 the unexplored region south of Chinese Turkistan,.and the Chi-
7 nese territory of Khoten; on the east, by the Chinese territory
8 of Khoten, and Chan-than and Rodokh, districts of Great Tibet ;
9 on the south, by Koonawur, Kulu, Lahoul, Kishtewar, Chumba,
10 and Kashmir; and on the west, by Kashmir and Bultistan.! pie re ee
11 Moorcroft reports as to its extent as follows :—“ The precise ex- ter, Erdkunde von
12 tent of Ladakh can scarcely be stated without an actual survey, (fem! 5163
13 ‘ : : Gerard, Koona-
14 but our different excursions, and the information we collected, wer 152;
15 . ° ° : Moorer. Punj,
16 enabled us to form an estimate, which is probably not far wide noxu. ii.258;
17 of the truth. From north to south, or from the foot of the eee
18 Karakoram mountains to the fort of Trankar, in Piti, the dis- F. Von Hugel,
19 tance is rather more than two hundred miles; and from east to viisacasiedae
20 west, or from La Ganskiel Pass to that of Zoje La, it cannot Racel dat bine
21 be less than two hundred and fifty. The outline, however, is merman, Karte
22 irregular, being contracted on the north-west and south-west, uve nein
23 and the whole area may not much exceed thirty thousand !! 221.
24 , square miles.”? The information obtained by Vigne justifies 2 Moorer. it. 258,
25 us in placing the northern boundary a little farther north, and a
26 stating the position of Ladakh as being between lat. 32°—35°,
27 long. 75° 30’—79° 30’. The most important feature in the
28 physical aspect of Ladakh is the great valley of the Indus,
29 which traverses the country through its whole length from
30 south-east to north-west, and divides the great northern range,
31 called variously Kouenlun, Mooz Taugh, or Karakorum, from
32 the stupendous mountains of Rupshu, Spiti, and Zanskar.
33 VOL. Ik. B