Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 122 (Color Image)

0122	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

88 PEKING TO LHASA

of the T'a-shê-kou. Continuing the ascent on

February 20 he pitched his camp at a height of

10,370 feet. The valley was narrow and winding

and entirely uninhabited. The stream was small

and was crossed many times by log bridges. The

hills rose to a height of from 1000 to 1500 feet

above the valley and a few trees grew on their sides.

On the upper part of the valley snow lay on the

ground.

The Yang-pu Shan, 12,800 feet, was reached

on February 21 after a steep climb. It is 20t. miles

from Ts'ao-pa, and forms the boundary between

Kansu and Szechwan and the divide between the

Pai-shui and Pai-lung rivers. From it a good

view as far as the Min Shan to the north-west was

obtained. Some of the hills near were covered

with fir woods. The Min Shan was covered with

snow, but generally the snow lay thickest in the

valleys. The descent on the northern side was

steep for 3 miles. The path lay partly through

a fir wood, and in places was covered with ice and

very slippery. After the first 3 miles it was

easy, leading down the valley of a small stream to

Yang-pu-chai, the first habitation since leaving

Ts'ao-pa, 30i miles. This village consisted of

55 families of the Shu tribe of Tibetans. Pereira

put up in a temple and allowed the people, who

had never seen a white man before, to look at

him through the door.

Snow fell during the night and it was very cold

at the start next morning as the altitude was still

considerable, namely 10,400 feet, and the going at

first was slow owing to the ice on the surface. But

the day was clear and in the sun it was quite hot.

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