gly
cemented with glazed earth; a great many are crumbling away, the ruins
serving as a retreat for troops of large rats. Some small Buddhist
altars, carefully lime-washed, are the only constructions that exhibit
any cleanliness, and their whiteness presents a remarkable contrast with
the grey, smoky hue of the village. Midchoukoung has a Chinese guard,
composed of four soldiers and an under corporal. These men keep a few
horses, and their barracks serve as a stage for the couriers who carry
the dispatches of the Chinese government.

On re-entering the inn, we found in the courtyard, which in the morning
had been used as a theatre, a noisy assembly of men and beasts. They
were occupied in collecting our oulah, which was settled at twenty-eight
horses, seventy oxen, and twelve guides. At the commencement of the
night, the Dheba came to inform us that all was done in accordance with
the sacred ordinance of the Tale-Lama, and that on the morrow, we could
depart at an early or late hour as we pleased. At the dawn of day, we
mounted our horses, and bade adieu to Midchoukoung. After some hours
journey, we left, as through the extremity of a large funnel, the great
valley in which we had been travelling since we left Lha-Ssa, and emerged
into a wild uncultivated region. For five days, we journeyed on in a
labyrinth, now to the right, now to the left, and sometimes retracing our
steps, in order to avoid abysses and inaccessible mountains. We were
perpetually in the depths of ravines, or on the precipitous and rocky
banks of torrents; our horses rather leaped than walked. The most
vigorous animals, not accustomed to these dreadful places, could not
resist for any length of time the fatigues of such a route. For half a
day only could we travel with any pleasure and security. We came again
to the river we had crossed on quitting Lha-Ssa; it was tranquilly
flowing over a slightly inclined bed, and its broad banks offered an easy
and even path to travellers. Amid these wild regions, you find no place
wherein to pass the night, except cold, damp hovels, exposed to all the
winds of heaven. However, you arrive there so overcome by fatigue, that
you always sleep profoundly.

Before reaching the town of Ghiamda, we crossed the mountain Loumma-Ri.
"This mountain," says the Chinese itinerary, "is high and somewhat
declivitous; it extends over a space of about forty lis. The snow, ice,
and menacing peaks which travellers mee