| | | | | | | 58 FROM CENTRAL TIBET TO LADAK. Of the three ranges on the island, it was only the two to the south which could be distinctly followed for their entire distance: from the route that we pursued their direction was in the main towards the S. 8o° W. But we were not able to identify the westward continuation of the northernmost of the three ranges; to do this satisfactorily would have necessitated our crossing over the island. It is possible that, strictly speaking, this insular orographical system consists in the south of two actual ranges running continuously parallel with one another, but that its northern part forms more properly a mountain knot, from which ramifications and offshoots stretch east and west. Our long watery highway is divided by projecting headlands into a succession of oblong, elliptical basins, and their depths prove that they actually are independent basins clearly separated from one another. The first of these is however so far different from all the rest that it is entirely embraced within steep, wild cliffs a couple of hundred meters in altitude, though generally there is a narrow, flat, strip of shore at their foot. The mountain-range on the east side of the sound makes a bend towards the west and is then cleft by the sound itself, and just at that point we found the contraction between two basins. Thus that part of the range which lies over on the west side of the sound forms a tolerably detached part of the system and culminates in several small peaks. Both north and south of it broad glens open upon the sound. In the next three basins, going north, it was quite evident that our sound was crossed slantwise by the ramifications of the mountains abutting upon it. The second basin is bordered on the north by two rocky headlands that approach one another. The third basin is demarcated on the north by only one promontory, jutting out from the left side. The reason there is no corresponding headland on the right is, that there is there a broad, open valley between two parallel ranges, with a latitudinal valley pass between them. The last basin is the largest of all and is bounded on the north by a broken ridge. South of the western half of this ridge lies a more open valley, similar in appearance to that on the east side. These two valleys may in fact be regarded as mutual continuations one of the other, and together they form one and the same latitudinal valley. |
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