[Sidenote: DESCENT INTO THE VALLEY OF THE CHENAB. _June, 1848._]
The descent on the north side was over snow, commencing a few feet from the rocky crest of the pass. After the first few hundred yards, the snow-bed was very steep, and perhaps covered a small glacier. Further on, the mountains on both sides closed in so as to form a narrow valley, the course of which I followed for many miles, before I could find a bare spot upon which to encamp. The valley was bounded on both sides by exceedingly steep rocky mountains, sometimes quite precipitous, which soon became bare of snow. After descending rapidly for a considerable time, patches of juniper appeared on the hill-sides, succeeded by birch, and soon after by a few pines, which, from their shape, were, I believe, silver fir. A little lower, pines became frequent wherever the mountain-sides were not absolutely precipitous; _Picea_ and _Pinus_ excelsa were first recognized, and a little lower down _Abies Smithiana_; deodar did not appear till I had nearly reached the end of the day's journey. I encamped at 8500 feet, on the first available bare spot, among a few pine-trees.
From the summit of the pass till within a few hundred yards of my encampment, snow was continuous in the valley along which I descended, covering the stream and the whole of the level portion of the valley for many miles after it had melted from the steep sloping hills on both sides, on which vegetation was already making rapid progress. This snow-bed was not in the least icy, but consisted of pure snow, much compressed and often dirty. Its slope followed that of the valley, and its surface was quite smooth till close to its termination, where it was broken up into fragments by the fall of portions into the stream below. The greater permanence of snow in valleys and ravines than on mountain slopes seems to be due to its accumulation there during the winter to a great depth by avalanches from both sides.
[18] I have been told by Dr. Jameson that he has met with it in the Kangra hills, but that he has never seen it in Mandi.
Marked change in the Vegetation -- Bridge over Chenab -- Pargwal -- Description of Chenab valley -- Asdhari -- Chatargarh -- Road turns up valley of Butna -- Vegetation of Chenab valley -- Chishot -- Snow-beds -- Camp at 10,500 feet -- Ancient moraines -- Glacier -- Camp at 11,500 feet -- Rapid ascent along glacier -- Camp on moraine, at 14,600 feet -- Change of weather -- Ascent towards pass over glacier -- Cross Umasi La -- Descent -- Immense glacier -- Encamp in Tibet, at 13,800 feet -- Open valley of Zanskar -- Padum -- Great change of climate -- and in vegetation.