CHAPTER XV
CHAMDO TO LHASA (2)
SETTING out again on September 15 Pereira left the Nagchuka road and the tracks of Rockhill and Bower, and striking south-west took the road to Shobando, never before traversed by a white man. By a Blondin-like performance he crossed a bridge of three logs over the Zok Chu and then followed up the narrow Kwom Chu valley for 8 or 9 miles. After 24- miles villages and cultivation ceased and the valley became very stony. At 4- miles there was a steep ascent between rather bare grass hills about 2000 feet high. At 104 miles the top of the La-chin La, 14,800 feet, was reached. A steep descent led down to the La-chin Chu valley. Two brushwood bridges and one log bridge had to be crossed, and at 234 miles he reached I-to-shi, a village of six families situated in a narrow valley and surrounded by four or five other small villages and a little cultivation.
Much stone - posing was observable in this valley. It is a favourite devotion of Buddhists. Some of them are remarkable feats of equilibrium. Sometimes one stone, sometimes three or four, would be used ; and the most difficult stones
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