THE CENTRAL CHAIN.
XXXIU
we have become acquainted is that of Taklakhar, in the gorge
of the Karnali. But the range in Kumaon and Bussahir has
been examined, and four passes have been explored.^
Thus the Central Kange of the Himalaya has been crossed at
six different points from east to west, within the region of
which we are treating. First, at the gorge of the Painam river,
by Bogle, Turner, and Manning ; next, at the Lagulung-la and
Dong-la passes, by No. 9 ; next, at the No-la pass, by the Pundit
of 1866 ; and lastly, at the Photu-la pass. Very magnificent
views of its long line of glaciers and snowy peaks, forming a
continuous chain, have been enjoyed by Dr. Hooker from the
Donkia pass, by Bogle and Turner from the foot of Chumal-
hari, by Manning looking back from the Khamba-la, and by
Colonel Montgomerie's explorers from many other points.
From its northern face the ravines, opening into valleys, slope
pretty regularly to the Tsanpu. But to the south, the region
between the Central and Southern ranges is broken by long
parallel spurs and saddles of great height, in two instances
completely encircling large lakes, in others leading the rivers
for considerable distances in courses parallel to, the axes of the
chains, before they burst through one or other of them, and
flow down the meridional slopes.
Such is the topographical aspect of Great Tibet, or the
provinces of U and Tsang, comprised in the valley of the Tsanpu,
or upper Brahmaputra, and in the broken region parallel to it,
and at a greater elevation, between the Central and Southern
ranges.
We next come to the consideration of the Southern Hima-
laya ^ and its chain of stupendous peaks, of the hydrography of
its southern slope, and of the routes leading from India over its
dangerous and little-known passes.
- Two from Milun to (Jartuk ; one
from Badrinath, on the Ganges, to Gar- tuk; and one from Nilung to Guge; besides the Dalhousie ronte, which leads to where the Sutlej breaks out of Tibe- tan territory at ShipM.
- The Rimola Mountains of D'An-
ville and the Chinese geographers. Perhaps a misprint for Himola.
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