These
stones were of irregular form, and carved on three sides, and the
designs, though much worn, were distinctly traceable. They represented,
apparently, a male and female figure, standing about five feet high,
and surrounded by three smaller figures each. Like all the other
sculptured figures we had seen, they were innocent of clothes, with
the exception of the rope, or very scant drapery, which ran across
their ancles and up either side to the shoulders.
Leaving these, we passed through a wild and rugged valley among the
mountains, cultivated in patches, and watered by numerous little
sparkling crystal streams. At short intervals, there were little
settlements of mud huts, built, Tartar fashion, one on top of another,
and peopled by a few miserable-looking natives, who appeared, in
their woollen rags, to be cold, even in the middle of this summer's
day. The few travellers we met during our march were flat nosed,
heavy-looking creatures, with Chinese skull-caps and pig-tails,
and were employed in conveying salt to Cashmere, packed in bags of
woven hair, and laden on cows and asses as weird and strange-looking
as their owners.
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