BOATING EXCURSIONS ON THE TSCHARGUT-TSO - TIIE JAGJU-RAPGA. 83
and picturesque scene. Consequently we found it impossible to get round the range at the bottom; but towards its western end we found two passes leading across it. One of these was however considered impracticable for camels, and the other was quite difficult enough. In order to reach it, we had to ride up a very steep acclivity, thickly strewn with disintegration gravel and clotted with projecting points of rock, and having a yawning precipice on the right; but after a while the ascent grew less steep. The altitude of the pass was 4698 m., or 81 m. above the level of the Tschargut-tso, whose altitude is 4617 m.*
The summit of the pass afforded a magnificent view. From the southern slopes of the range I had already obtained an excellent general view of the blunt-ended bay of the Tschargut-tso on the south of the rocky peninsula just mentioned; it is from that bay that the Jagju-rapga originates. The water here is drawn into its broad mouth, but soon contracts to the normal breadth of the stream. On the southern side of the bay there is a small detached range. Towards the north-west the view was even more magnificent, and after we had descended a little, past some intervening shoulders of the mountains, we had the whole of the Tschargut-tso spread out before us, its fjords or separate basins stretching away one behind the other to an immense distance westward; and out of this singular sheet of water, difficult enough to understand, there emerged a couple of rocky islands, while on both sides of them were similar dolphin-backed masses of rock, but whether islands or peninsulas it was hard to make out. The whole of this enchanting scene was bathed in bright sunshine, the air was limpid, the water of the lake was a beautiful dark blue
* Through an error it is given as 4607 in the Meteorological Part; the correct altitude is 4617 m.
Fig. 43. FIRST SIGHT OF TSCHARGUT-TSO.
IIIF Color HighRes
