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wide, and roared and thundered against rocks of many tons in weight; the
sound was deafening, for there was a great volume of water. We were two
hours in making less than a mile, and that with danger, sometimes in the
river and sometimes on the rock. There was that damp black smell of
rocks covered with slimy vegetation, as near some huge waterfall where
spray is ever rising. The air was clammy and cold. I cannot conceive
how our horses managed to keep their footing, especially the one with the
pack, and I dreaded the having to return almost as much as going forward.
I suppose this lasted three miles, but it was well midday when the gorge
got a little wider, and a small stream came into it from a tributary
valley. Farther progress up the main river was impossible, for the
cliffs descended like walls; so we went up the side stream, Chowbok
seeming to think that here must be the pass of which reports existed
among his people. We now incurred less of actual danger but more
fatigue, and it was only after infinite trouble, owing to the rocks and
tangled vegetation, that we got ourselves and our horses upon the saddle
from which this small stream descended; by that time clouds had descended
upon us, and it was raining heavily. Moreover, it was six o'clock and we
were tired out, having made perhaps six miles in twelve hours.

On the saddle there was some coarse grass which was in full seed, and
therefore very nourishing for the horses; also abundance of anise and sow-
thistle, of which they are extravagantly fond, so we turned them loose
and prepared to camp. Everything was soaking wet and we were
half-perished with cold; indeed we were very uncomfortable. There was
brushwood about, but we could get no fire till we had shaved off the wet
outside of some dead branches and filled our pockets with the dry inside
chips. Having done this we managed to start a fire, nor did we allow it
to go out when we had once started it; we pitched the tent and by nine
o'clock were comparatively warm and dry. Next morning it was fine; we
broke camp, and after advancing a short distance we found that, by
descending over ground less difficult than yesterday's, we should come
again upon the river-bed, which had opened out above the gorge; but it
was plain at a glance that there was no available sheep country, nothing
but a few flats covered with scrub on either side the river, and
mountains which were perfectly worthless. But we could see the main
range. There was no mistake about this. The glaciers were tumbling down
the mountain sides like cataracts, and seemed actually to descend upon
the river-bed; there could be no serious difficulty in reaching them by
following up the river, which was wide and open; but it seemed rather an
objectless thing to do, for the main range looked hopeless, and my
curiosity about the nature of the country above the gorge was now quite
satisfied; there was no money in it whatever, unless there should be

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