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| Scientific Results of a Journey in Central Asia, 1899-1902 : vol.4 |
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Citation Information
LITTLEDALE, CAREY, NAIN SINGH, BOWER, AND DEASY.
513
Kyåring Cho, is 40 miles in length, and from 8 to I2 across. The waters of the former are slightly brackish, but those of the Kyåring Cho, and nearly all the lakes to the east, are beautifully fresh, and, as well as the streams which feed them from the south, contain abundance of fish, and are covered by myriads of wild-fowl. Unfortunately for themselves, the Chang-pas have a prejudice against killing and eating either fish or fowl.
On the occasion of the former exploration of the Namcho Lake it was frozen over, and although the Pundit made the complete circuit of the lake, he was unable to discover any stream flowing from it. On the present occasion, however, our Pundit, having visited it in the autumn, before its waters were frozen, distinctly traced a stream issuing from its north-western extremity, and flowing in a westerly direction. Although, at the time he saw it, the stream was not more than a few feet in width, the watercourse was broad and deep, and in the summer months must give exit to a large river.»
Considering the time at which this journey was made, its results are especially important; the interior of Tibet between Ladak and the Tengri-nor was at that time perfectly unknown. Now however we command more plentiful materials for forming an opinion as to the general geography of the country; but the observations which have been made since Nain Singh's time have only confirmed the accuracy of his observations. The passages which I have cited above from his journey require no further comment. It is significant that he found the climate relatively mild; this may in no slight degree be accounted for by the fact that the whole way he had the constant wind at his back. He states that the rivers which he crossed in the interior of Tibet flowed in general towards the north, a striking indication of the existence of a vast swelling south of his route; probably this swelling may be regarded as a definitive water-parting between the valley of the Tsangpo and Central Tibet. His statement that a river issues out of the Tengri-nor and flows westwards is probably incorrect. Along the northern shore of that lake he followed the same road which in 1872 had been taken by one of his predecessors. As appears from the passage quoted above, this Pundit found the Tengri-nor frozen. About this lake he gives the following information: — »Though the water of the lake is so salt as to be unfit for drinking, it is nevertheless quite frozen over in November, the lake being about 15,200 feet above the sea; when the explorer saw it the surface looked as if it was made of glass; it is said to remain in that state till May, when the ice breaks up with great noise. The lake contains fish, and quantities of small shells are found on the banks.» In his memorandum to the Pundit's report Montgomerie adds the following note: »The great lake, which at a distance was called the Tengri Nûr, was found on nearer approach to be called Namcho or Sky-lake from the great altitude at which it is. It proved to be a splendid sheet of water about fifty miles in length, by from sixteen to twenty-five miles in breadth. It receives the water of two considerable rivers, and several minor streams, but has no exit; the water is decidedly
* Account of the Pundit's Journey in Great Tibet from Leh in Laddkh to Lhdsa, and of his
Return to India VM Assam, by Captain H. Trotter, in journal of the Royal Geographical Society,
Vol. XLVII (1877).
Hedin, Tourney in Central Asia. IV.
65
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