Himalayan Journals — Volume 1: Or, Notes of a Naturalist in Bengal, the Sikkim and Nepal Himalayas, the Khasia Mountains, etc.Hooker, Joseph Dalton
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Himalayan Journals — Volume 1: Or, Notes of a Naturalist in Bengal, the Sikkim and Nepal Himalayas, the Khasia Mountains, etc.
Hooker, Joseph Dalton
Himalaya Mountains -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Himalaya Mountains
After a two hours' walk, keeping at 13,000 feet elevation, we sighted
Jongri.* [I am assured by Capt. Sherwill, who, in 1852, proceeded
along and surveyed the Nepal frontier beyond this point to Gubroo,
that this is not Jongri, but Yangpoong. The difficulty of getting
precise information, especially as to the names of seldom-visited
spots, is very great. I was often deceived myself, undesignedly, I am
sure, on the part of my informants; but in this case I have Dr.
Campbell's assurance, who has kindly investigated the subject, that
there is no mistake on my part. Captain Sherwill has also kindly
communicated to me a map of the head waters of the Rungbee, Yungya,
and Yalloong rivers, of which, being more correct than my own, I have
gladly availed myself for my map. Gubroo, he informs me, is 15,000
feet in altitude, and dips in a precipice 1000 feet high, facing
Kubra, which prevented his exploring further north.] There were two
stone huts on the bleak face of the spur, scarcely distinguishable at
the distance of half a mile from the great blocks around them.
To the north Gubroo rose in dismal grandeur, backed by the dazzling
snows of Kubra, which now seemed quite near, its lofty top (alt.
24,005 feet) being only eight miles distant. Much snow lay on the
ground in patches, and there were few remains of herbaceous
vegetation; those I recognised were chiefly of poppy, _Potentilla,_
gentian, geranium, fritillary, _Umbelliferae,_ grass, and sedges.
On our arrival at the huts the weather was still fine, with a strong
north-west wind, which meeting the warm moist current from the Ratong
valley, caused much precipitation of vapour. As I hoped to be able to
visit the surrounding glaciers from this spot, I made arrangements
for a stay of some days: giving up the only habitable hut to my
people, I spread my blankets in a slope from its roof to the ground,
building a little stone dyke round the skirts of my dwelling, and a
fire-place in front.
Hence to Yalloong in Nepal, by the Kanglanamo pass, is two days'
march: the route crosses the Singalelah range at an elevation of
about 15,000 feet, south of Kubra, and north of a mountain that forms
a conspicuous feature south-west from Jongri, as a crest of black
fingered peaks, tipped with snow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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